Transformação digital de processos, produtos e serviços da empresa sob a ótica da Indústria 4.0.

Abstract

Digital transformation has established itself as a primary driver of organizational competitiveness, redefining production processes, management models, and business strategies. This doctoral thesis investigated how process standardization, managerial excellence, and the systematic use of data accelerate organizational maturity toward Industry 4.0 in a Brazilian agribusiness company undergoing modernization. The study was conducted within the scope of the Academic Doctorate for Innovation (DAI/CNPq), in partnership with the analyzed organization, and included international cooperation through the PDSE/CAPES program. The study adopted an applied, mixed-methods approach, combining: (i) documentary analysis; (ii) structured managerial diagnosis; and (iii) analytical modeling of corporate data. The research design integrated two complementary dimensions: management consolidation and process standardization (supported by ISO 9001:2015 and the Management Excellence Model – MEG); and the incorporation of analytical methods and intelligent decision-support systems (CRISP-DM process integrated with Business Intelligence). In the managerial dimension, ISO 9001 certification provided the governance foundation and evidence for maturity assessment via MEG, demonstrating statistically significant improvements in key criteria. Notable advances were observed in Leadership (mean 37.5 – 74.5, p = 0.001), Strategies and Plans (31.3 – 58.3, p = 0.003), and Customers (45.0 – 82.5, p = 0.008), evidencing a strengthened strategic direction, process discipline, and focus on customer value. These results confirm that quality management acts as the organizational infrastructure for digital transformation by reducing variability, increasing traceability, and institutionalizing continuous improvement. In the technological-analytical dimension, a complete six-phase CRISP-DM pipeline was implemented using the 2018–2023 historical series, resulting in three BI management dashboards (sales, customers, and sales force) and a framework of prioritized insights for commercial action. The integration of operational and commercial data structured Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and enabled continuous monitoring and comparative evaluation by period, product mix, and portfolio, thereby expanding the organization’s capacity for learning and evidence-based decision-making. As a practical outcome, the company began identifying seasonality patterns, revenue concentration, and regional/customer opportunities in actionable time, shortening diagnostic cycles and directing efforts toward high-contribution segments and items. In summary, findings demonstrate that the journey toward Industry 4.0 is evolutionary and cumulative: it begins with the consolidation of quality and process governance (ISO 9001 + MEG, showing quantitative gains in means and p-values) and matures through business analytics (CRISP-DM + BI, with defined temporal scope, delivered artifacts, and monitoring routines). The combination of standardization, management, and technology resulted in a data-driven organization where processes, products, and services are redesigned based on efficiency and connectivity logic. The study concludes that the synergy between management maturity and analytical competence consolidates a digital transformation model that is both applicable and sustainable within the Brazilian agribusiness context.