Digital Transformation In Manufacturing: Drivers, Barriers, And Benefits

This paper investigates the drivers, barriers, and benefits that can be associated with management decisions regarding the implementation of digital technologies in Russian manufacturing enterprises. The empirical basis of the study is the results of the business tendencies surveys for 2018 and 2019. Potential factors for the introduction of digital technologies were divided into three groups: drivers of business activity (production and economic parameters), drivers of digital activity (parameters characterizing the level of enterprise involvement in digital processes) and barriers, preventing the enterprise from transitioning to digital transformation. In the first part, regression analysis is used to identify the relevant factors among the drivers and barriers. In the second part, the benefits expected by enterprise managers from the implementation of individual digital technologies are revealed. Significant drivers are the number of specialists working in the enterprise in the field of information and communication technology (ICT), the presence of a developed strategy in the field of digital technologies, involvement in the government’s digital agenda, and a positive perception of the economic situation at the enterprise by its management. Among the expected benefits, the most important are the optimization of production and logistics operations, increasing the level of customer service and expanding the customer base.