Chapter 8 Challenges of Digital Technologies in the Development of Supply Chains: A Guide for Their Selection

The implementation of digital technologies shifts the way firms manage their supply chains with the objective of obtaining closer relationships with their partners. The main improvement is that each partner can access others’ information in real time. This gives rise to the concept of digital supply chain where interconnectedness is the link. Applying digital technologies has reported innumerable benefits, and despite the fact that only a few firms make full use of them, they have become a very promising future trend. This study aims to review the literature on supply chain and digital technologies in relation to the different benefits that each of these technologies provides in the different stages of the supply chain. Eventually, this will provide a guide to determine and select those technologies that best suit the needs of a firm according to their characteristics within the supply chain.