Digitalisation and intermediation in supply chains: a framework for analysing the dynamic reconfiguration of roles and relationships between digital service providers and logistics service providers[Digitalisation et intermédiation dans les supply chains : proposition d’un cadre d’analyse de la reconfiguration dynamique des rôles et relations entre entreprises de services du numérique et prestataires de services logistiques]

Recognised as key actors in the flow management within supply chains (SCs), logistics service providers (LSPs) are seeing their intermediary role increasingly impacted by digital service providers (DSPs). The latter are seizing the opportunities offered by the digitalisation of SCs, reshaping the established relationships among LSPs, DSPs, and principals (PRs). This dynamic reconfiguration remains underexplored in the academic literature. Our article proposes a conceptual and theoretical framework based on a longitudinal study spanning 10 years of interactions within a triad composed of a PR, a DSP, and an LSP. Several concepts related to intermediation within dyads and triads contribute to characterising this phenomenon explored via the structural hole theory. Specifically, our research offers a model of dynamic reconfigurations between actors (whether structured as dyads and/or triads), offering perspectives for analysing the evolution of relationships in a multi-actor context.