The manufacturing industry transition from traditional manufacturing to a smart factory: Role of 3rd party service providers.

This thesis explores the role of 3rd party service providers in the transition from traditional manufacturing to smart factory. The research investigates the challenges and opportunities associated with a digital transformation by reviewing the concept of a smart factory and collecting data through literature reviews and interviews with companies from the manufacturing industry. The analysis reveals that successful digital transformation in the manufacturing industry involves not only the adoption of digital technologies but also organizational changes. Today's manufacturing industry faces challenges related to development, integration with existing infrastructure, resource allocation, strategic planning, and organization-wide commitment. It becomes evident that 3rd party service providers, such as Capgemini, can play a crucial role in supporting companies throughout their digital transformation journey and filling the resource gap, by providing valuable technology and organizational insights, and expertise. However, the research has identified that Capgemini's current service levels are between limited and moderate in terms of coverage at some key areas towards an end-to-end service towards a digital transformation. The thesis proposes a digital transformation best practices framework, developed based on the conducted research and analysis, which guides 3rd party service providers to identify areas that lead to a successful digital transformation from traditional manufacturing to a smart factory