Methodological principles of forming multichannel digital communication in the supply chains

¹ St. Petersburg State University of Economics (UNECON), 21, Sadovaya street, 191023, St. Petersburg, Russian Federation
² Saint Petersburg State Maritime Technical University, Lotsmanskaya Ulitsa, 10, 190121, St. Petersburg, Russian Federation
³ Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University, Polytechnicheskaya, 29, 195251, St. Petersburg, Russian Federation
⁴ Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation (Moscow) St. Petersburg branch, Syezhinskaya Str., 15-17, 197198, St. Petersburg, Russian Federation

^* Corresponding author: sbe@list.ru

Abstract

Logistics is undergoing a digital transformation to manage material and intangible flows using various digital communication channels. In this regard, it is extremely urgent to develop a backbone and local IT platforms that unite participants in the supply chain to collect and analyze information for making optimal management decisions. The purpose of this study is to substantiate the main methodological principles of the formation of digital communications between participants in the supply chain to create an inter-corporate information and communication system. In preparing the material, such scientific methods as analysis and synthesis, process modeling, process method, and system approach were used. A model for organizing digital communication in the supply chain using the backbone communication IT platform is proposed. The role of digital trust in the organization of inter-corporate digital communication is shown, and the entropy factor is also taken into account when assessing the throughput of communication channels. The result of the study is the formulation and justification of methodological principles for the introduction of multi-channel digital communication, providing not only electronic data exchange between logistics partners, but also reducing the logistic and transaction costs of supply chain participants.