Study of the Roles of IoT in the Transformation of Supplier Relationships in Industry 4.0

This communication aims to report on achievements to date, through an analysis based on published research papers that address the impact of IoT on suppliers and stakeholders in general. It will highlight the benefits, the obstacles encountered and practical strategies to overcome these challenges and successfully integrate IoT into supplier processes. A SWOT analysis of the fundamental IoT technologies, namely IoT Sensors and RFID technology shed light on their differences and functions which are often integrated together to improve automation and resource management in Industry 4.0. In this paper, a special focus is made on interoperability in the smart factory and its partners. Indeed, interoperability in Industry 4.0 is a fundamental lever to increase efficiency, flexibility and collaboration within industrial systems. It is based on the harmonious integration of technologies, data and processes between machines, software and different stakeholders. Nevertheless, the need to address the challenges of cybersecurity, standardization and data management remains imperative in order to fully exploit its potential and build a resilient and sustainable industrial ecosystem.