COMP1679: Strategic IT

Academic year - 2022/23

Chosen company - Unilever Plc

1
 Abstract
The discussion has highlighted that the digital revolution has significantly improved Unilever
Plc's business processes. Both the commercial activity and operational performance of the
organisation have significantly risen. Using real-time data and quick notifications, Unilever
Plc has improved decision-making through the usage of RPA for inventory management.
Inventory spreadsheets have been simplified and automated. The company's predictive
maintenance in the manufacturing process is now more accurate and, more critically, more
quickly thanks to advancements in AI. By doing away with the requirement for human
intervention in order confirmation and shipment, this technique significantly lowers labour
and transportation costs. A diverse staff helps this company provide better customer service
and makes fewer mistakes.

2
 Table of Contents
Introduction................................................................................................................................4

Organisational Background........................................................................................................4

A brief account of the technological system background of Unilever Plc.................................5

The implementation process, from initiation to termination of the technology system.............7

Retrospective..........................................................................................................................7

Current....................................................................................................................................8

Prospective.............................................................................................................................9

The strategic impact of a new technology system on the operational culture of Unilever plc 10

An assessment of the implementation (PIR – Post-Implementation Review).........................13

A proposition for the future IS Strategy of Unilever plc..........................................................15

Conclusion................................................................................................................................15

Reference List..........................................................................................................................17

3
Introduction

FMCGs are produced and distributed by Unilever Plc which sells a wide range of
consumables, including food, beverages, household goods, personal care products, and
vitamins, minerals, and supplements. The success of Unilever is greatly attributed to its
development into more than 190 countries with products they dominate and specialise in.
Additionally, it gives regional managers a significant amount of decision-making ability,
which raises their status in numerous markets. Here is An overview of Unilever Plc's
technological environment Future IS strategies for Unilever Plc will be put forth. Along with
details on how they will be implemented from beginning to end, how they will strategically
affect an organisation's operational culture and more.

Organisational Background

Unilever Plc works in a wide range of industries, including those related to food, spices,
water in bottles, baby food, beverages, frozen treats, instant caffeine, cleaning products,
energy drinks, toothbrushes, pet food, pharmaceuticals and consumer medical goods, tea,
breakfast cereal, cosmetics, and personal care. Unilever Plc is the largest manufacturer of
soap in the world, with distribution in almost 190 nations. Lever Brothers and Margarine
Unie merged to form Unilever on September 2, 1929. In the 1930s, United Africa Company
was bought by Unilever Plc. The company expanded beyond its initial emphasis on oils and
fats to become a global powerhouse in the latter half of the 20th century (unilever.com,
2023). Unilever Plc wants to improve a billion people's health, reduce its impact on the
environment, and ethically source all of its farming raw materials by the year 2030.

4
 Figure 1: Financial Performance of Unilever plc
(Source: statista, 2023)

A brief account of the technological system background of Unilever Plc

Organisational R&D and Innovation: The innovation of this Unilever Plc improves the plc's
various activities in a very good way. Along with this, the innovation of this plc is specially
developed to create a fast track of various types of work. As a result of this, this Unilever Plc
is very good at inventing a variety of serious antiques for the dads they need. According to
Mees-Buss et al. (2019), not only that, this process of this plc is very good the plc's variety is
very important, strong knowledge, efficient process, increasing efficiency and reducing cost
Costs can be reduced.

5
 Figure 2: Advantages Of Technology In Business
(Source: slidegeeks, 2023)
Digital Transformation: This Unilever Plc's business processes have improved significantly
due to this digital transformation. Not only that, the business activity of the plc has seen
tremendous improvement and the business efficiency of the plc has increased tremendously.
For this reason, the plc can provide the required products to the customers through various
types of digital transformation in a very good way and very cooperatively. As per Jevtić and
Milovanović, (2023), as a result of this, there are additionally reduced mistakes made by
employees, as well as lesser mistakes automatically translating towards decreased costs for
operations on Unilever Plc.
Automation and Robotics: This Unilever Plc has benefited from this automation and robotics
process very well to make their products very well and very seriously. Both automotive and
manufacturing segments have implemented numerous superior robotic arms and automated
solutions on this plc. Along with this, big complicated robots have been put assembled
employing specific AI-enabled solutions compared to employees (Mees-Buss et al. 2019). As
a result of this, this Unilever Plc is very good at making their products almost flawlessly and
within a very short period.
Customer engagement: Guerrero and Carroll, (2022), said that Unilever Plc's customer
engagement, the plc can very well sell their business in a very high volume. Along with this,
customers can buy all the products required by this plc in large quantities. Unilever Plc is

6
very good at running their business till the end of the day and helps the business to acquire
them for a long period.
Innovative inventory management: This innovative inventory management method is
helping Unilever Plc to understand the stock and stock situation of all their products very
well. Along with this, this method helps the plc to understand the order of the product they
need and the knowledge to make the product accordingly. Paulino, (2022), stated that as a
result of this, overall these factors lower the expenditures that Unilever plc inventories as
well as the total number of merchandise which continues to be unwanted beforehand the
item.

The implementation process, from initiation to termination of the

technology system

As per Mariani and Wamba, (2020), the implementation process of the technology system
starting from initiation to termination helps to enhance the organisational stability and
improve the strategic vision. The implementation process of essential technology has affected
the organisational effectiveness and strategic flexibility of Unilever Plc. From initiation to
termination of the technology system, the process has a key role in establishing the
organisational objectives by enhancing the technological skill of employees in Unilever Plc
(Tien 2019). Implementing cutting-edge technologies effectively creates an efficient supply
chain network as automation is the key factor in implementing technology in this
organisation.

Retrospective

According to Madakam et al. (2019), the implementation of robotic process automation

(RPA) is important for inventory management broadly speaking for effective logistics and
supply chain. Inventory management refers to the process of procurement, storage, and
utilisation of the inventory of an organisation which are the raw materials, items, and end
products. The application of robotic process automation for inventory management in
Unilever Plc has helped the company in simplifying and automating inventory spreadsheets
and also in enhancing decisions with the assistance of real-time data and immediate warnings
(Nielsen et al. 2023). This technology has helped Unilever Plc to reduce the engagement of
much time and labour in the manual inventories and most importantly, RPA implementation
has helped to enhance the spending of time in establishing greater organisational values.

7
 Figure 3: Inventory management automation by RPA implementation.
(Source: aspiresys, 2023)
The implementation of RPA in inventory management in Unilever Plc has helped to improve
visibility and productivity in the entire supply chain management. Nozari et al. (2021), stated
that the RPA has helped in carefully monitoring the inventory levels to assure that sufficient
products are present for meeting the demand. This system generates a notification
immediately by detecting the low levels of supply below the threshold value. Thus, this
system has helped Unilever Plc to instantly monitor the inventory levels for managing the
needs in supply chain management much more effectively (Paulino, 2022). The effective
automation by RPA has helped Unilever Plc to evaluate the current needs in the supply chain
and has minimised the inventory processing time by nearly 70%.

Current

As per Günesen et al. (2021), the implementation of artificial intelligence and machine
learning has helped Unilever Plc to minimise production costs by optimising the processes
and finding out the areas for enhancing production efficiency. Implementation of artificial
intelligence and machine learning has become helpful in assisting in the detection of defects
and anomalies in the data generated in the process of Unilever Plc. The implementation of
artificial intelligence has enhanced the accuracy and most significantly the pace of predictive
maintenance in the manufacturing process of the company (Najafi et al. 2022). The
application of AI has caused the automation of routine monitoring and has provided Unilever
to engage more time in creating innovative and strategic solutions. Another significant impact

8
is that AI has helped enhance the consumer experience by customising the interactions and
has provided more personalised suggestions and support.

Figure 4: The positive impacts of AI and machine learning on business.

(Source: adnovum, 2023)
Nirmal et al. (2022), suggested that the application of machine learning has helped Unilever
obtain a competitive edge by detecting consumer trends and thus, provided the scope to
enhance profitability by meeting customer needs. The implementation of AI is also
particularly useful in the detection of fraud and circumventing those by finding out the
patterns and oddities in data (Dogru and Keskin, 2020). The implementation of AI and
machine learning has enabled Unilever to design and innovate new products and customer
services rapidly that have accelerated their business growth and innovation.

Prospective

According to Alawi et al. (2022), the implementation of blockchain technology can help
Unilever Plc to improve the efficiency of the entire supply chain more accurately. Blockchain
technology will help Unilever Plc to give real-time visibility in the supply chain network and
in the tracking of raw materials, items, and finished products along the whole supply chain.
This technology will help to enhance the efficiency from the process of production to
distribution services to the last step which is reaching the customers (Peres et al. 2022).
Unilever Plc can implement blockchain technology in supply chain management as it will aid
in improving transparency and create trustable relationships among various stakeholders
involved in the entire supply chain network.

9
 Figure 5: The impact of blockchain technology on supply chain management.
(Source: linkedin, 2023)
The implementation of blockchain technology will help Unilever to gain insights regarding
their supply chain modifications and involve customers with real and verifiable data that
cannot be immutable. Iqbal et al. (2020), referred that this technology will become helpful in
enhancing the credibility of the company in acquiring the trust of consumers through the easy
accessibility to the supply chain yet will help in minimising cyber-security threats. The
application of blockchain technology will provide many secondary benefits to Unilever Plc in
enriching the corporate reputation in the FMCG sector by enhancing transparency in the
manufacturing process of consumer goods.

The strategic impact of a new technology system on the operational culture

of Unilever plc

Supply chain enhancement: The development, deployment, and management of software

robots that imitate human motions while interacting with digital systems and programs are
made simpler by robotic process automation (RPA) software technology. As per Khan et al.
(2022), stock management requires numerous moving parts and time-consuming operations.
The amount of productivity that can be increased by utilising typical inventory management
software has a limit. When the company automates interactions in its legacy systems, it can
save time and money with automated inventory management and cloud-based automation
solutions.

10
 Figure 6: RPA in Supply chain and organisational operations
(Source: Xenonstack, 2023)
Inventory spreadsheets can be streamlined and automated using robotic process automation
(RPA), which also improves decision-making by providing real-time data and prompt
notifications. As a result, employees may spend more time coming up with innovative ways
to grow the company and less time on menial activities like taking physical stock. As per
Radke et al. (2020), optimising warehouse management is made possible with a prebuilt bot
called From Demand and Inventory, which is available in the Bot Store. Unilever Plc can
predict and automate reorders with it, keeping overstocks and stockouts at bay. Automatically
adjust for seasonal or variable data and determine stock needs to boost profitability. Supply
chain issues may be tracked in real time via robotic process automation, and data can be
instantly synced between systems. One area that potential gains from robotic process
automation (RPA), which uses software robots to automate tedious, repetitive tasks, is supply
chain management.
Shipping and logistics: Businesses have been compelled to internalise this process because
there aren't enough external logistics providers. As per Perestoronina, (2020), one of the
biggest challenges in the field of shipping and logistics management is determining the most
effective and efficient delivery routes. This method greatly lowers labour and shipping-
related costs by automating the manual tasks related to confirming and sending orders in a
fulfilment operation. A single automated shipping program can take the role of 15-20 human
parcel manifestation and checking stations. According to Zhang and Huang, (2022), the

11
logistics of making deliveries are substantially simplified by the use of RPA to determine the
optimal routes and the most suitable quantity of orders for each courier. By ensuring that
customers receive their purchases within the allotted time frames, businesses may maximise
earnings while minimising costs. Unilever Plc will be able to automate inventory counts and
better track goods from manufacture to delivery by using RFID inventory counts rather than
barcodes and barcode scanning.

Figure 7: The impact of RPA on Shipping and logistics

(Source: ITyXsolutions, 2022)
As per Radke et al. (2020), Robotic process automation (RPA) works in conjunction with
intelligent routing solutions that are powered by artificial intelligence (AI) to improve the
effectiveness of the delivery phase of the supply chain. These solutions are responsible for
coordinating the numerous shipping and logistics partners. RPA also provides options for
verifying orders, producing reports on the status of those orders, updating TMS, informing
customers through synchronised tracking, and retrieving relevant data.
RPA in HR management: Software bots are used in RPA in HR to carry out a single,
repeatable task that follows instructions in a high-volume, error-free manner. As per
Saukkonen et al. (2019), RPA technology verifies employee punch-card times and
attendance, and it notifies HR of irregularities. Formerly, it took human resources, and staff,
13 minutes to update regional systems with termination data. The HR bot completes the same

12
operation faster and more accurately, in 3 minutes. Through automation, this tiny difference
saves business hours and money. Interesting findings came from the bot's 'entrusted'
internship selection exam.
As claimed by Balasundaram and Venkatagiri, (2020), the fundamental conclusion of this
study is that to appeal to young customers, businesses must communicate their ideas on how
to be distinctive, memorable, and receptive to participation in formats that are already
common in well-known social networks. The high restrictions made it difficult for HR to
choose interns. According to Fettke and Strohmeier, (2022), the selection process was time-
consuming and expensive, and HR met 80% of business objectives on schedule. Four times
as many applications were received, 100% of them were closed, responses to applicants were
given five times faster, and expenditures were reduced by 35% at Unilever Plc.

An assessment of the implementation (PIR – Post-Implementation Review)

Improved quality of customer service: This technology of this Unilever Plc can very well
provide their business with the products required by their customers. Along with this, this
plc's diverse workforce greatly reduces business errors and greatly improves customer
service. Dogru and Keskin, (2020), suggested that as a result of this, Unilever Plc's customers
have the products they need in large quantities because of this plc. And the customers of this
plc buy their required products from this plc in large quantities. For this reason, this Unilever
Plc is very well able to take the reviews of the plc's products from their customers and
improve the product.

Figure 8: Robotic Process Automation

13
 (Source: itconvergence, 2022)
Accelerated digital transformation: Through this technology, Unilever Plc can digitize its
entire business process very well. Not only that, this plc is very good at helping their business
improve their business-critical equipment through this technology. As a result of this, robotic
process automation software empowers businesses to bring together every aspect of the
procedures they use effortlessly and without any risk. According to Monem, (2021), along
with this, through streamlining the creation of user graphical user interfaces the widespread
implementation of RPA software also applies the functionality of conventional programmes.
In addition, this technology plays a significant role in improving Unilever Plc's various
machine-learning capabilities. As a result of this, this Unilever Plc very well helps to improve
on all kinds of machines which helps the growth of this plc later on.
Improved supply chains: This technology has a very significant impact on all aspects of
Unilever Plc's supply chain operations. Along with this, the plc's various business
marketplaces are playing a significant role in making its supply chain very efficient. As a
result of this, this plc can improve its business very well by improving the supply chain in its
business marketplace. Unilever Plc can reorganise its various supply chains very well, which
has a great impact on Unilever Plc's profitability. This enables the plc to generate very strong
annual profit and helps the business to develop very good financial growth. Side-by-side
high-scalability robotics technologies transmit fresh possibilities regarding functioning,
storage spaces, and management to supply stock levels.
Improve efficiency to generate savings: This Unilever Plc's technology through this plc's
instead of merely prohibiting individuals from consuming an excessive amount of time
conducting monotonous tasks increased efficiency becomes important. Robotic process
automation as well as employee service together in the order contribute to a reduction in
expenses. As a result of this, this technology greatly reduces all of Unilever Plc's very
expensive costs. For this, the costs of processing all kinds of work of the plc are greatly
reduced, and the output of the workers is greatly increased.
Improve business data security: Unilever Plc executives biggest are concerned with the
achievable consumption employing RPA tools is the impact they have on overall risk
management. As a result of the use of this technology, the plc's various types of business are
very important and necessary data is very well secured. Mhetraskar et al. (2020), stated that
along with this, due to this technology, various types of risks and threats to this plc are
comparatively less. In addition, this plc is not immune to these kinds of problems and
continues to do business without fear (Rinderle-Ma and Mangler, 2021). Unilever Plc used

14
RPA to deliver favourable benefits such as diminishing the total number of employee
interaction points necessary.

A proposition for the future IS Strategy of Unilever plc

Focus on sustainability: Sustainability is the ability to maintain a process across time. The
three primary concepts of sustainability, economic, environmental, and social, are commonly
divided. Sustainable goals, such as reducing environmental impact and conserving resources,
have been embraced by both governments and businesses (Jurjević et al. 2019). IT that is
generated, utilised, maintained, and discarded with minimal negative effects on the
environment is called "green IT," sometimes known as "sustainable IT." In conclusion, a
Sustainable Information System (SIS) is a system that helps to integrate and apply knowledge
by facilitating its creation, evaluation, and application.
Enhance cybersecurity: Protecting sensitive information from being stolen or destroyed is a
primary reason why cyber security is so important nowadays. This includes sensitive data,
PII, PHI, personal data, data related to intellectual property, and government and business
information systems. Security measures for computer networks protect against intrusion from
both inside and outside an organisation. Encryption is used to safeguard sensitive information
by transforming it into unreadable code (Chowdhury et al. 2019). A firewall is a security
system that prevents unauthorised users from accessing a network. By implementing these
safeguards, businesses can protect their information systems from unauthorised access and
exploitation and guarantee the confidentiality of their sensitive data.
Streamline operations through automation: Streamlining is the method of improving the
efficiency and effectiveness of a process by eliminating unnecessary and time-consuming
procedures. The goals of process streamlining are to maximise efficiency, maximise output,
and minimise waste (Graesch et al. 2022). Business process automation (BPA) is the practice
of using technology to replace human labour in business processes to boost output while
simultaneously improving quality and decreasing overhead. Computer-based Artificial
Intelligence Systems collect data and software to streamline the management of operations
and data based on input from a wide variety of sources.

Conclusion

The business operations of Unilever Plc have been considerably enhanced by the digital
revolution. It can be concluded that the business activity of the company has also greatly

15
increased, as has its operational effectiveness. Unilever Plc has enhanced decision-making
through the use of RPA for inventory management by utilising real-time data and fast
notifications. Spreadsheets for inventory have been automated as well as made simpler. As a
result of AI's improvements, the company's predictive maintenance in the manufacturing
process is now both more accurate in addition, more importantly, more swift. By eliminating
the need for human involvement in order confirmation and dispatch, this strategy drastically
reduces labour and shipping expenses. This organisation benefits from a diversified
workforce in terms of fewer mistakes and better customer service. Because of the use of this
technology, the numerous business lines of the plc are very important, as well as sensitive
data is effectively protected.

16
Reference List

adnovum.com, (2023). Generate positive business impacts from artificial intelligence and
machine learning. [Available at: https://www.adnovum.com/blog/generate-positive-business-
impacts-from-artificial-intelligence-and-machine-learning], [Accessed on: 28-05-2023].
Alawi, B., Al Mubarak, M.M.S. and Hamdan, A., (2022, July). Blockchain evaluation
framework for supply chain management: a decision-making approach. In Supply Chain
Forum: An International Journal (Vol. 23, No. 3, pp. 212-226). Taylor & Francis. Available
at: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/16258312.2021.1996862
aspiresys.com, (2023). RPA logistics supply chain use case inventory management.
[Available at: https://www.aspiresys.com/rpa-logistics-supply-chain/usecase-inventory-
management#:~:text=RPA%20for%20Logistics%20%26%20Supply
%20Chain&text=Inventory%20management%20is%20all%20about,costs%20as%20low
%20as%20possible], [Accessed on: 28-05-2023].

Balasundaram, S. and Venkatagiri, S., (2020). A structured approach to implementing

Robotic Process Automation in HR. In Journal of Physics: Conference Series (Vol. 1427,
No. 1, p. 012008). IOP Publishing. Available at:
https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1742-6596/1427/1/012008/meta

Chowdhury, N.H., Adam, M.T. and Skinner, G., (2019). The impact of time pressure on
cybersecurity behaviour: a systematic literature review. Behaviour & Information
Technology, 38(12), pp.1290-1308. Available at:
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/0144929X.2019.1583769

Dogru, A.K. and Keskin, B.B., (2020). AI in operations management: applications,

challenges and opportunities. Journal of Data, Information and Management, 2, pp.67-74.
Available at: https://d1wqtxts1xzle7.cloudfront.net/67177978/s42488-020-00023-1-libre.pdf?
1620286549=&response-content-disposition=inline%3B+filename
%3DAI_in_operations_management_applications.pdf&Expires=1685299015&Signature=Sx
LY2BsFRfn3AhFLbx79i6Vx8pKYxB~KLH8Q0Md31Dp7VaqYRSqivb-
8lHSte9Qxb1qDd5e7s68EEFYye-
OrO3ZGw6RhEorayiJIgH0vSvdoyMg8kSA0U2QLi5l3CIkaKFfTSEgdYoWP8kf90bg-
XxhQn3MJVx7a0dw7Jsd2Uh0nZNjaVgWaVO2OG3G3Fl0JU7fu8RuaAf3m0ojUCUbly1vz

17
Pf1tfifG-jNHuzfPSYFb79R-
vc05ylhTGLgkPD0s8K7mLbGp9NcZ8N5CJoEjkycjwe7ryzEZoMOcqKCRLJGWbibAbF5s
BxmOtV1371uE7VOTM3m87dEQhfHrSOUAsw__&Key-Pair-
Id=APKAJLOHF5GGSLRBV4ZA

Fettke, P. and Strohmeier, S., (2022). HR robotic process automation. In Handbook of

Research on Artificial Intelligence in Human Resource Management (pp. 187-206). Edward
Elgar Publishing. Available at:
https://www.elgaronline.com/display/edcoll/9781839107528/9781839107528.00020.xml

Graesch, J.P., Hensel-Börner, S. and Henseler, J., (2021). Information technology and
marketing: an important partnership for decades. Industrial Management & Data Systems,
121(1), pp.123-157. Available at:
https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/IMDS-08-2020-0510/full/html

Guerrero, K. and Carroll, L., (2022). Reframe Sustain: Designing an Open-Source Platform
for Sustainability and Capacity Building. eScholarship, University of California. Available
at:
https://escholarship.org/content/qt8x90h9jx/qt8x90h9jx_noSplash_e0fc68256c2926113df4b2
9baadb508e.pdf

Günesen, S.N., Şen, N., Yıldırım, N. and Kaya, T., (2021). Customer churn prediction in
FMCG sector using machine learning applications. In Artificial Intelligence for Knowledge
Management: 8th IFIP WG 12.6 International Workshop, AI4KM 2021, Held at IJCAI 2020,
Yokohama, Japan, January 7–8, 2021, Revised Selected Papers 8 (pp. 82-103). Springer
International Publishing. Available at: https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-
80847-1_6

Iqbal, A., Amir, M., Kumar, V., Alam, A. and Umair, M., (2020). Integration of next
generation IoT with Blockchain for the development of smart industries. Emerg. Sci. J, 4,
pp.1-17. Available at: https://d1wqtxts1xzle7.cloudfront.net/75560728/pdf-libre.pdf?
1638456223=&response-content-disposition=inline%3B+filename
%3DIntegration_of_Next_Generation_IIoT_with.pdf&Expires=1685290298&Signature=Iq1
mBoTeK-
LIgD3f8kZzX6C3NLnWolsQh8~4RywhDoG0zzVdu67jWmsB03RsTnfDgf35BFSvbcKelzh
1QZz-f0NZf6yQcsG8K-2hbOxJfjr5-

18
fuPe~u9okJWL8JVkbICqlhd6onFN4HvHz~NfgBbrebpR55uZqXhDzkAaJKe0twHLTYQQ~
aQBZuxPRjVHkf3whXkoWhvagVrV1hgPexsA-
ZJWvnnoKEEKv3jg3iF2AjvaSAyh1Yil0HiFZdTOvyFcVFwT7HlK7ptoO96OqgeRxTIs2i7-
tlpMBqPnKAIzcoN9cdR85dprBWj3YvHDhBjr2neFUwQMmFLvx-puCTThg__&Key-Pair-
Id=APKAJLOHF5GGSLRBV4ZA

itconvergence.com, (2022). Robotic Process Automation: What is RPA and How Does it
Work? [Available at: https://www.itconvergence.com/blog/robotic-process-automation-what-
is-rpa-and-how-does-it-work/], [Accessed on: 28-05-2023].

Jevtić, A. and Milovanović, G., (2023). Impact of digital marketing on sustainable business:
Case of the Unilever plc. Economics of Sustainable Development, 7(1), pp.15-28. Available
at: https://scindeks-clanci.ceon.rs/data/pdf/2560-421X/2023/2560-421X2301015J.pdf

Jurjević, Ž., Bogićević, I., Đokić, D. and Matkovski, B., (2019). Information technology as a
factor of sustainable development of Serbian agriculture. Strategic management, 24(1),
pp.41-46. Available at: https://scindeks.ceon.rs/article.aspx?artid=1821-34481901041J

Khan, S., Tailor, R.K., Uygun, H. and Gujrati, R., (2022). Application of robotic process
automation (RPA) for supply chain management, smart transportation and logistics.
International Journal of Health Sciences, pp.11051-11063. Available at:
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Rashmi-Gujrati-2/publication/
361894429_Application_of_robotic_process_automation_RPA_for_supply_chain_managem
ent_smart_transportation_and_logistics/links/633c3ec8769781354ebc4e88/Application-of-
robotic-process-automation-RPA-for-supply-chain-management-smart-transportation-and-
logistics.pdf

linkedin.com, (2023). Blockchain supply chain Aditya Kumar. [Available at:

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/blockchain-supply-chain-aditya-kumar], [Accessed on: 28-
05-2023].

Madakam, S., Holmukhe, R.M. and Jaiswal, D.K., (2019). The future digital work force:
robotic process automation (RPA). JISTEM-Journal of Information Systems and Technology
Management, 16. Available at:
https://www.scielo.br/j/jistm/a/m7cqFWJPsWSk8ZnWRN6fR5m/

19
Mariani, M.M. and Wamba, S.F., (2020). Exploring how consumer goods companies
innovate in the digital age: The role of big data analytics companies. Journal of Business
Research, 121, pp.338-352. Available at:
https://centaur.reading.ac.uk/93071/1/24Sep2020Anonymous_manuscript_revised_Centaur.p
df

Mees-Buss, J., Welch, C. and Westney, D.E., (2019). What happened to the transnational?
The emergence of the neo-global corporation. Journal of International Business Studies, 50,
pp.1513-1543. Available at:
https://dspace.mit.edu/bitstream/handle/1721.1/128390/41267_2019_253_ReferencePDF.pdf
?sequence=1&isAllowed=y

Mhetraskar, S.S., Namekar, S.A., Holmukhe, R.M. and Tamke, S.M., (2020). Industrial
automation using PLC, HMI and its protocols based on real time data for analysis. Int. J. Adv.
Res. Eng. Technol.(IJARET), 11(10). Available at:
https://d1wqtxts1xzle7.cloudfront.net/65222863/IJARET_11_10_129-libre.pdf?
1608382403=&response-content-disposition=inline%3B+filename
%3DIndustrial_Automation_Using_Plc_Hmi_and.pdf&Expires=1685299932&Signature=NI
SI2-U6WVw1By9uHEO4x0VjqdNv2YksfSOsg-
Kp8KGHuZaO5VCwT5LOKpY0wAEUr4dWHkZPGReR50OHNEJHtAGMteTWTuvsehFw
~iAEVQtxiBsrZBPvHxWjtalvHUiiMJ3P33D8qwy6twMJQya~UbBxVJz27V97METLjOuY
vM0ROnM2c1pd8hjZsq~vUfBlNvQodvUCi6QYRIaDIa0G9dz10LIQWRZH2hf1HAitjnfzm
ptjz-
u5w8uwZx2s7Ded9pbzk1guX1LdMTwwqHOBP1rcKGBGC7L6Hc7gABk1e0WfPS51TTaZ
DZPyOnMwUcPCCpIuXNJVFtwuolY8wVV0ig__&Key-Pair-
Id=APKAJLOHF5GGSLRBV4ZA

Najafi, S.E., Nozari, H. and Edalatpanah, S.A., (2022). Artificial Intelligence of Things (IoT)
and Industry 4.0–Based Supply Chain (FMCG Industry). A Roadmap for Enabling Industry
4.0 by Artificial Intelligence, pp.31-41. Available at:
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Hamed-Nozari-2/publication/365893691_Artificial_Inte
lligence_of_Things_AIoT_and_Industry_40-Based_Supply_Chain_FMCG_Industry/links/
638e033b484e65005be697ee/Artificial-Intelligence-of-Things-AIoT-and-Industry-40-Based-
Supply-Chain-FMCG-Industry.pdf

20
Nielsen, I.E., Piyatilake, A., Thibbotuwawa, A., De Silva, M.M., Bocewicz, G. and
Banaszak, Z., (2023). Benefits Realization of Robotic Process Automation (RPA) Initiatives
in Supply Chains. IEEE Access. Available at: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/stamp/stamp.jsp?
arnumber=10098777
Nirmal, E.S., Narang, P., Rajeswari, T.S., Usman, M., Subha, B. and Jadhav, V.S., (2022,
April). The Application of Effective Machine Learning Tools in Digital Marketing for
Enhancing Brand Presence and Image Among the Fast-Moving Consumer Goods in the
Developing Countries. In 2022 2nd International Conference on Advance Computing and
Innovative Technologies in Engineering (ICACITE) (pp. 2307-2311). IEEE. Available at:
https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/9823902
Nozari, H., Fallah, M., Kazemipoor, H. and Najafi, S.E., (2021). Big data analysis of IoT-
based supply chain management considering FMCG industries. Бизнес-информатика, 15(1
(eng)), pp.78-96. Available at: https://cyberleninka.ru/article/n/big-data-analysis-of-iot-based-
supply-chain-management-considering-fmcg-industries

Paulino, I.G., (2022). Facing mixed performance from emerging markets exposure with
acquisitions and portfolio reshaping (Doctoral dissertation). Available at:
https://run.unl.pt/bitstream/10362/138432/1/wp-versao-repositorio.pdf

Peres, R., Schreier, M., Schweidel, D.A. and Sorescu, A., (2022). Blockchain meets
marketing: Opportunities, threats, and avenues for future research. International Journal of
Research in Marketing. Available at:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0167811622000635

Perestoronina, N., (2020). Will robots take over? Assessing the potential of RPA in logistics
processes. Case: Finnair Cargo. Cool Terminal. Available at:
https://www.theseus.fi/bitstream/handle/10024/354063/Thesis_Perestoronina_Nina.pdf?
sequence=2

Radke, A.M., Dang, M.T. and Tan, A., (2020). Using robotic process automation (RPA) to
enhance item master data maintenance process. LogForum, 16(1). Available at:
https://yadda.icm.edu.pl/baztech/element/bwmeta1.element.baztech-2bd2b0dc-5717-4bc5-
8840-669b3c19d8d7

Rinderle-Ma, S. and Mangler, J., (2021), August. Process automation and process mining in
manufacturing. In Business Process Management: 19th International Conference, BPM 2021,

21
Rome, Italy, September 06–10, 2021, Proceedings (pp. 3-14). Cham: Springer International
Publishing. Available at: https://mediatum.ub.tum.de/doc/1631252/document.pdf

Saukkonen, J., Kreus, P., Obermayer, N., Ruiz, Ó.R. and Haaranen, M., (2019), October. AI,
RPA, ML and other emerging technologies: anticipating adoption in the HRM field. In
ECIAIR 2019 European Conference on the Impact of Artificial Intelligence and Robotics
(Vol. 287). Academic Conferences and publishing limited. Available at:
https://books.google.co.in/books?
hl=en&lr=&id=8MXBDwAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PA287&dq=RPA+and+hr+management&
ots=hCWnkD241l&sig=d4MBUhdd-6Dds-
NVd1XFoaOGdYw&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=RPA%20and%20hr
%20management&f=false

slidegeeks.com, (2023). Five Advantages Of Technology In Business. [Available at:

https://www.slidegeeks.com/business/product/five-advantages-of-technology-in-business-
ppt-powerpoint-presentation-file-example-pdf], [Accessed on: 28-05-2023].

statista.com, (2023). Operating profit of Unilever Group worldwide from 2007 to 2022.
[Available at: https://www.statista.com/statistics/269191/operating-profit-of-the-unilever-
group-worldwide-since-2007/], [Accessed on: 30-05-2023].

Tien, N.H., (2019). Comparative Analysis of Multidomestic Strategy of P&G and Unilever
Corporation. International journal of foreign trade and international business, 1(1), pp.5-8.
Available at: https://d1wqtxts1xzle7.cloudfront.net/63457092/1-2-2-49920200528-90060-
1r51f7w-libre.pdf?1590701888=&response-content-disposition=inline%3B+filename
%3DComparative_analysis_of_multi_domestic_s.pdf&Expires=1685365148&Signature=R
WOhnpqSNLr1P~X3DInTgVJ4o~LY4X6iWuWlmbkT7DucOwmR1oZGKEpjpH1ebh4R4r8
Um15HXLj4XawmN5dm2lXYxvsd3f2BstWxUb1kTU2EnzsCUTrUgAHH7PDIovS0eosNvr
PUb7JfmkzKe~lYH2k020x8--
an5K~6tx0SDv7lvEYhVQNHtHgHp1Ry84ECZO~VSFTrDoSreCNFYb23a9nHyebjRVLY
KKm76GS2pFZjhH2-2uUWl-
Or0C8AxfvFse5aWTyaWOCKQHzZ1R82GemexhFnEqzyFC8DPP6Ubpi6c~t8deP3VUelnF
u3fcYLS7U9s2adOwwOYaTYQ-HTbw__&Key-Pair-Id=APKAJLOHF5GGSLRBV4ZA

unilever.com, (2023). Brands under Unilever plc. [Available at:

https://www.unilever.com/brands/all-brands/], [Accessed on: 30-05-2023].

22
Zhang, Z. and Huang, Z., (2022). Design and Application of Logistics Robot based on RPA.
Frontiers in Computing and Intelligent Systems, 1(1), pp.66-75. Available at:
https://drpress.org/ojs/index.php/fcis/article/view/1464

23