Ciencias Exactas y Ciencias de la Salud
Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/11285/551014
Pertenecen a esta colección Tesis y Trabajos de grado de los Doctorados correspondientes a las Escuelas de Ingeniería y Ciencias así como a Medicina y Ciencias de la Salud.
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- A reference framework for supplier 4.0 development programs in support of digital supply chain integration(Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey, 2025-11-25) Ricárdez Estrada, Josselyne; Garay Rondero, Claudia Lizette; emimmayorquin, emipsanchez; Wuest, Thorsten; Pinto, Roberto; Armando Elizondo Noriega; School of Engineering and Sciences; Campus Puebla; Romero Díaz, David C.In the Global Manufacturing sector, the Digital Transformation of Supply Chains (SCs) has reshaped the core principles of competitiveness, agility, and collaboration. Organisations that can effectively integrate technologies, data, and processes across the SC are most likely to sustain competitiveness and resilience. However, while Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), commonly referred to as “focal companies”, have accelerated their transformation through advanced digital initiatives, a persistent gap remains in the digital readiness of their suppliers, particularly Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs). Many suppliers still operate without structured mechanisms to develop the Digital Capabilities (DCs) required to participate in emerging Digital Supply Chains (DSCs). This asymmetry limits not only the individual progress of suppliers but also the overall performance and adaptability of SCs as interconnected systems. Supplier Development Programs (SDPs) have historically played a central role in strengthening supplier performance and ensuring alignment with focal company requirements. However, most existing development programs remain anchored in traditional operational metrics such as cost, quality, delivery, and service, verlooking the strategic and technological dimensions of transformation required in the Industry 4.0 context. Although several digital maturity models and strategic frameworks for digital transformation exist, none have been specifically designed to guide the structured development of suppliers’ DCs in alignment with DSC Integration (DSCI). The lack of an integrative, reference framework continues to hinder coherent progress toward more intelligent, data-driven, and interconnected ecosystems. Hence, this dissertation addresses this gap by proposing the Supplier 4.0 Development Programs (S4.0DPs) Reference Framework, a comprehensive and iterative model that supports the design and implementation of SDPs focused on building the next generation of suppliers, referred to here as “Suppliers 4.0”. The S4.0DPs Reference Framework provides a structured approach for identifying, prioritising, and roadmapping suppliers’ DC development and support ntegration within DSCs. This conceptualisation enables the S4.0DPs Reference Framework to bridge theoretical fragmentation in scientific literature and offers a consistent reference for both scholars and practitioners. It standardises the understanding of what DCs entail for suppliers and provides a practical foundation for designing digital transformation strategies that enhance alignment and co-evolution between suppliers and focal companies. Methodologically, the Ph.D. thesis adopts the Design Science Research (DSR) approach, which combines scientific rigour with practical applicability through iterative design, validation, and evaluation. Three complementary methodological components support this process. First, a Scoping Literature Review (ScR) maps the existing body of knowledge on DSC transformation frameworks and suppliers’ digital transformation frameworks, identifying conceptual gaps and constructing the first version of the S4.0DPs Reference Framework. Second, a Delphi study involving international experts from industry and academia validates and refines the S4.0DPs Reference Framework’s elements, ensuring the robustness of its structure and the coherence of relationships among its components. Third, a Multi-Stakeholder Case Study in the automotive sector evaluates the practical feasibility and contextual adaptability of the S4.0DPs Reference Framework through the participation of a focal company and its Tier-1 suppliers. The insights derived from this component of the research methodology inform the development of an operational guideline that supports the real-world application of the S4.0DPs Reference Framework. The validated S4.0DPs Reference Framework consists of four phases and incorporates key influencing factors that guide suppliers’ progression towards “Supplier 4.0” status. The Ph.D. thesis’s findings contribute to theory and practice. From a theoretical perspective, this Ph.D. thesis advances the literature on DSC Management by reconceptualising suppliers’ development as a process of mutual learning, co-creation, and strategic alignment, rather than a unilateral mechanism of compliance. On the practical side, the proposed S4.0DPs Reference Framework offers managers an actionable tool to design and implement supplier development initiatives that foster digital maturity, enhance collaboration, and strengthen competitiveness across the SC. Ultimately, this Ph.D. thesis calls for a paradigm shift in the way SCs understand and operationalise suppliers’ development. By embedding the development of DCs within a logic of shared responsibility, collaboration, and adaptive learning, the S4.0DPs Reference Framework supports a transition towards more resilient, intelligent, and inclusive DSCs. It highlights that digital transformation is a strategic and relational process that redefines how value, trust, and knowledge circulate across DSCs. In this sense, this Ph.D. thesis contributes to shaping a future where digital integration becomes a shared pathway for competitiveness, resilience, and collective progress.