Industry 4.0 architecture and outbound logistics operations in petroleum companies: A systematic literature review

The term Industry 4.0 or the Fourth Industrial revolution originated in 2011 at the Hannover Fair, Germany. This concept has received enormous attention and importance among practitioners, academics, and government officials across the world. The attributable reason for the existence of this concept is technological advancements via information and communication technologies, internet of things, and cyber physical systems. The purpose of this study is to explore the association between Industry 4.0 architecture and outbound logistics operations in petroleum companies. Petroleum logistics, as a resource, in South Africa is complex in nature requiring intense infrastructure. The review of extant literature is conducted to understand the link between Industry 4.0 and business logistics process optimization. The study concludes with key take away for managers and future research directions. This study revolves around the concept of Industry 4.0 architecture and outbound logistics operations with reference to petroleum companies. The method of systematic literature review has been adopted to analyse the existing body of global research. The research also highlights the opportunities for future research. The key objective is to assess the importance of industry 4.0 architecture and its impact on outbound logistics operations. The results unveil the different aspects relate to the link between Industry 4.0 and business logistics process optimization. This study proposes the definition of the entire business process, together with the industry 4.0 assumption of total digitalisation. It has also served various implications for managers and industry at large. The findings confirm the strategic involvement of Industry 4.0 in the petroleum industry of South Africa. All of this and the related aspects have been discussed in the forthcoming sections of the paper.