An Exploratory Study of Embracing Digitalization and Artificial Intelligence within the Singapore Logistics Industry

Abstract

New technologies are fast transforming the modern world and redefining expectations from customers. This has enabled the business community to adapt in a bid to meet renewed customer expectations while changing their livelihoods and business work ethics. This phenomenon usually referred to as digital transformation is potentially changing consumer lives and creating more business value by unlocking benefits for the broader society. Understandably, every business sector has its own nuance sand differences contextually, but they all have a common denominator to the change inhibitors. This study explores the practicability of embracing digitalisation and artificial intelligence in the locus of the logistics industry in Singapore. In doing so, a case study of the XYZ Logistics was conducted to evaluate how a Singaporean logistic company manages change resistance in the wake of digitalisation and artificial intelligence. Non-probability sampling methods were employed to isolate research participants from the entire population. Questionnaires and unstructured interviews were administered to collect primary data coupled with extant literature to enable triangulation. Hermeneutics and thematic data analyses approaches were used in this study. Findings reveal that, challenges were inherent in the transformation especially the perceived loss of jobs despite the application of various change management strategies such as company strategy re-alignment, education and training, employee involvement, cultivating trust and interpersonal relationships, stress, burnout and social support in work. The study further reveals that, the tactical application of motivational and change theories was quite rewarding in the bid to embrace digitalisation. These included, Lewin's theory, Kotter's theory, Bridges' theory, McClelland's Acquired Needs theory, Maslow's hierarchy of needs and above all Vroom's Expectancy Theory. It is however recommended that principles of emotional intelligence, transactional leadership, and use of feedback surveys after training should always be applied as important vehicles for easy andsmooth transformatio