Robotic Process Automation implementation, deployment approaches and success factors – an empirical study

Abstract

An ever broader use of digital technologies which will lead to profound changes in the functioning of both individual entities as well as entire industries. These changes are referred to as digital transformation. Automation of business processes is a significant aspect of digital transformation. More and more entities (especially in such sectors as: banking, insurance, BPO/SSC, telecommunications) are implementing IT tools that are classified as part of the currently emerging RPA (Robotic Process Automation) category, where the term robot has a metaphorical meaning here – it is a particular type of software, and not a device. It should be emphasized that large scale robotic process automation cannot be viewed as an IT project. It is a business change project with a technical component, very frequently carried out outside the IT department by the company's business units. In the long term - along with the popularization of cognitive robotic process automation - it will lead to the growth of digital innovations at enterprises. The article attempts to answer four research questions: RQ1) what are the premises for the implementation of robotic process automation by enterprises, RQ2) how the implementation of robotic process automation is carried out from the organizational point of view, RQ3) in which areas of enterprise business operations is robotic process automation applied and RQ4) what factors determine the success of robotic process automation. The literature research method is used in the article and the results of surveys carried out among 238 Polish enterprises are presented. The results obtained allow us to conclude that the enterprises surveyed are only at the beginning of the mass scale robotic process automation, but due to the increasingly competitive environment, there will be no turning back.