Digital Transformation in Retail Logistics: Analysis of Mercadona and Carrefour in Last-Mile Delivery
Author
Faro González, María
Term
4. semester
Publication year
2025
Abstract
Dette speciale undersøger, hvordan store dagligvarekæder gennemfører digital transformation for at håndtere ineffektivitet og kompleksitet i last-mile-levering. Med et kvalitativt fler-case-studie af Mercadona og Carrefour i Spanien og analyse af sekundære kilder (virksomhedsdokumenter, brancherapporter og akademisk litteratur) kortlægger studiet centrale teknologier, der præger last-mile-aktiviteter, herunder AI-baseret ruteplanlægning, automatiseret ordreopfyldning, dataanalyse og digitale leveringsplatforme. Specialet anvender rammerne Organising for Innovation (åben vs. lukket innovation) og Sources of Innovation (need-pull vs. technology-push samt koblingsmodellen) til at klassificere hver innovation og undersøge, hvordan organisatoriske og sourcing-valg påvirker implementeringen. Resultaterne viser, at Mercadona følger en mere lukket og centraliseret koblingsmodel for innovation, mens Carrefour anvender en mere åben og decentraliseret koblingsmodel. Disse strategiske forskelle påvirker virksomhedernes evne til at håndtere omkostninger, ruteineffektivitet, krav fra letfordærvelige varer og koordinering mellem flere aktører i last-mile. Studiet giver komparative indsigter i, hvordan organisationsdesign og sourcing former digital transformation i dagligvarelogistik.
This thesis examines how large grocery retailers pursue digital transformation to address inefficiencies and complexities in last-mile delivery. Using a qualitative multiple-case study of Mercadona and Carrefour in Spain and analyzing secondary sources (corporate documents, industry reports, and academic literature), it maps key technologies shaping last-mile operations, including AI-based routing, automated fulfillment, data analytics, and digital delivery platforms. The study applies the Organising for Innovation framework (open vs. closed innovation) and the Sources of Innovation lens (need-pull vs. technology-push and the coupling model) to classify each innovation and explore how organizational and sourcing choices influence implementation. Findings indicate that Mercadona follows a more closed, centralized coupling model of innovation, while Carrefour adopts a more open, decentralized coupling model. These strategic differences affect each retailer’s ability to address cost, routing inefficiencies, perishability constraints, and multi-actor coordination in last-mile delivery. The research offers comparative insights into how organizational design and sourcing shape digital transformation in grocery logistics.
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