Barriers to AI Adoption in Freight Forwarding : A Qualitative Study in an emerging economy
Sami, Tamim (2025)
2025
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https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2025121838001
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2025121838001
Tiivistelmä
This study examines how freight forwarding companies in Bangladesh understand and approach the adoption of Artificial Intelligence in their logistics operations. Although AI is increasingly discussed in global logistics research, its practical relevance in developing economies remains unclear. The aim of the study is to explore the current level of digitalisation in Bangladeshi forwarding firms, their perceptions of AI, and the barriers that influence readiness for future adoption. The research is guided by three questions: how forwarding companies use digital tools in daily work, how industry professionals perceive AI, and what obstacles shape adoption in the Bangladeshi context.
The study applies a qualitative case study approach, using Semi-Structured interviews with three forwarding professionals located in Dhaka and Chittagong. The primary data are supported by secondary sources, including academic literature, white papers, and national reports on Industry 4.0 and logistics digitalisation. The analysis follows Braun and Clarke’s thematic framework, with trustworthiness ensured through triangulation, transparency and careful documentation.
The findings show that Bangladeshi forwarding firms are in the early stages of digital maturity: basic digital tools are used routinely, but integrated systems and data-driven processes are limited. Awareness of AI exists, although understanding is general rather than technical. Respondents associate AI with automation rather than intelligence and expect benefits mostly in repetitive documentation tasks. Major barriers include limited digital infrastructure, skill shortages, financial constraints, and organisational conservatism. These results align closely with existing research on Industry 4.0 adoption in developing economies. The thesis concludes that AI remains a long-term possibility rather than an immediate operational tool, and that progress depends on strengthening foundational digital capabilities across the sector.
The study applies a qualitative case study approach, using Semi-Structured interviews with three forwarding professionals located in Dhaka and Chittagong. The primary data are supported by secondary sources, including academic literature, white papers, and national reports on Industry 4.0 and logistics digitalisation. The analysis follows Braun and Clarke’s thematic framework, with trustworthiness ensured through triangulation, transparency and careful documentation.
The findings show that Bangladeshi forwarding firms are in the early stages of digital maturity: basic digital tools are used routinely, but integrated systems and data-driven processes are limited. Awareness of AI exists, although understanding is general rather than technical. Respondents associate AI with automation rather than intelligence and expect benefits mostly in repetitive documentation tasks. Major barriers include limited digital infrastructure, skill shortages, financial constraints, and organisational conservatism. These results align closely with existing research on Industry 4.0 adoption in developing economies. The thesis concludes that AI remains a long-term possibility rather than an immediate operational tool, and that progress depends on strengthening foundational digital capabilities across the sector.