Digital Transformation of Supply Chain Considering Intelligent Information Platform: A Tripartite Evolutionary Game Analysis

The empowerment provided by third-party intelligent information platforms has emerged as a crucial driving force for facilitating the digital transformation of supply chain enterprises. Whether and how intelligent information platforms are engaged is a key to the digital transformation of the supply chain. This essay endeavors to establish theoretical underpinnings for supply chain digital transformation and assist enterprises in resolving transformation-related issues. Based on the tripartite evolutionary game, this essay analyzes the digital transformation of supply chain from the behavioral strategies of the third-party intelligent information platform, manufacturers and retailers, respectively. Combined with numerical simulation analysis, we explored the digital transformation patterns and characteristics of supply chains under different scenarios. The results suggest that joining an intelligent information platform will always be a balanced strategy for supply chain digital transformation, and that an increase in the level of platform enablement will accelerate the process, while potential threats to cybersecurity will slow it down. However, manufacturers may also build their own platforms when their initial digitization level is high or the cost of building their own platforms is not prohibitive, resulting in higher word-of-mouth benefits and digital longevity. This paper provides new perspectives for analyzing the impact of intelligent information platforms on supply chain digital transformation decisions, and ultimately proposes practical operation and management recommendations for related practices.