O efeito mediador da aplicação da internet das coisas na relação entre gestão estratégica da logística e desempenho operacional

Abstract

To the extent that the competitive contents of companies change due to technological innovations or digitization of production systems, their management teams struggle with new complexities and problems. Nowadays, among many strategic problems faced by companies due to changes in this environment, it must be recognized that logistics is a point of interest. Departing from this perspective, the application of the Internet of Things (IoT) can influence the Strategic Logistics Management by allowing greater flexibility, mobility and interconnectivity with partners that make up the supply chain. Thus, in the context of transaction costs and theoretical thinking of researchers of the Strategic Logistics Management, Operational Performance and Internet of Things, we wish to examine the mediating effect of IoT in the relationship between Strategic Logistics Management and Operational Performance. For that, an exploratory research was carried out in two phases. Firstly, we performed a qualitative research, comprised of data collection through in-depth interviews with a sample of three companies and treated by content analysis; Secondly, a quantitative research with data collection through a semi-structured questionnaire with a sample of 76 companies and treated by modeling in structural equations with the support of the SmartPLS 3.0 software. Data was collected in the retail industry and logistics providers (CNAE's: H and G), using proprietary or outsourced logistics. The qualitative research, besides serving as a basis for the creation of assertions of the quantitative stage, allowed us to verify that the Strategic Logistics Management was applied to act in the trade-off between cost and offer of a quality service to the clients. The IoT influenced the process by improving monitoring/tracking and reducing the rate of human error. Quantitative research, in turn, indicated a positive relationship between Strategic Logistics Management and Operational Performance, and that the application of IoT when included in the model, had a partial mediating role in this relationship, which was confirmed by the Sobel Test. As an implication of this study, transport, storage, and retail companies can increase the Operational Performance of Strategic Transportation and Storage Management when applying IoT.