The strategic transformation of procurement by technological adoption: implementation and use of Robotic Process Automation

Abstract The transformation of organizations, driven by new technologies, has been studied in academic and corporate environments. In the procurement area, innovations are aimed at improving processes and increasing productivity. This study aimed to evaluate the developments of the use of Robotic Process Automation (RPA) in procurement, encompassing the financial, processes, and people dimensions and going through the pre-implementation, implementation, and post-adoption phases. The study is justified by the scarcity of literature on RPA in procurement in Brazil. This research has a qualitative approach and used the single case study in a large Brazilian multinational in the petrochemical sector. Both primary data (interviews with buyers, area leader, and developer) - and secondary data (document analysis) were used. The results indicate that: (1) the implementation was feasible; (2) the expected benefits of productivity and operational load relief were perceived, with task selection and process design being the critical points; and (3) there was good acceptance of the technology by users, related to training, support, performance, utility, and ease of use. The results were consistent with the literature and advanced in the studies when addressing a Brazilian case, offering theoretical and practical contributions to evaluate and improve technological adoption in procurement.