Industry 4.0 IT: Solutions in the Romanian Food Industry

The study presents the advantages using IT solutions for the Romanian restaurant industry in the context of industry 4.0. The Romanian government is also concerned about the chances and prospects offered by the industry 4.0 since a few years ago. Secondary research has shown that businesses worldwide plan to invest approximately 5% of their online turnover in IT solutions. Much of the investment will be directed to the acquisition of software, various applications and their deployment within the organizations. The Romanian restaurant industry, like other branches of the economy, faces a special competitive situation. Competition in the food sector does not only refer to the mere competition between the traditional players in this market, but also to the rest of the organizational forms in this field of activity. Players like Metro and Selgros have already resorted to modern solutions and to various forms of IT solutions. The main objective of the study is to determine the main factors that influence the evolution in this field and to choose the solutions for its sustainable development based on the obtained results. One of the main results of the research is concerned with the need to adapt to new market demands, especially in terms of IT solutions. By comparing the success of other countries as a result of IT implementation, the necessary measure is to identify and implement digital management and control tools, ranging from quality assurance, hygiene, to employee relationship and customer satisfaction. Problems identified as follow-up to the research concern the implementation of digital solutions due to the lack of a management vision, the lack of culture in the area or the lack of IT skills of the staff involved. The research is limited to the restaurant sector, and it is necessary to extend it to the next stage of the entire tourism and services industry in Romania.