## 4 Results and Discussion
### Phase 1: Assess the Potential and Maturity for IoT Solution Implementation
#### 4.1.2 Does the Company Use Planning and Decision Support Tools?  
In Table 5, item 2 indicates the use of planning and decision support tools. A percentage of companies (over 60%) indicated that they do not use any decision support tools. Nowadays, there is a set of computational tools and decision support information aimed at improving processes and activities in companies, which can enable cost reduction with raw material acquisition, storage, logistics, up to the definition of a price depending on a set of factors associated with production and planning. All these characteristics allow companies to have greater soundness in decisions. In general, companies that answered affirmatively to this question indicated that they make use of a company resource planning software, which is essentially an enterprise resource planning (ERP). In general terms, an ERP system is a software platform developed to integrate various departments of a company, enabling  
\begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{c c c c} \hline \hline  & \multicolumn{2}{c}{**Questionnaire**} & \multicolumn{2}{c}{**Answers**} \\ \cline{3-5} \multicolumn{1}{c}{(1)} & Does the company have an organized information system? (Network, servers, connectivity)? & \(62^{\circ}\) & \(188^{\circ}\) \\ \hline (2) & Does the company use planning and decision support tools? & \(38^{\circ}\) & \(62^{\circ}\) \\ \hline (3) & Does the company record the relationship between the different items or batches used as raw materials and used items or batches of finished products, through computers? & \(69^{\circ}\) & \(187^{\circ}\) \\ \hline (4) & Perform efficient handling including expiration date, temperatures, etc.? & \(67^{\circ}\) & \(138^{\circ}\) \\ \hline (5) & Is there any kind of control to guarantee the transport, storage and exhibition until the sale of the products? & \(52^{\circ}\) & \(187^{\circ}\) \\ \hline (6) & Is there a need for real-time data collection? & \(71^{\circ}\) & \(120^{\circ}\) \\ \hline (7) & Is the company connected to automated production systems? & \(29^{\circ}\) & \(71^{\circ}\) \\ \hline (8) & Are advanced control systems necessary? & \(136^{\circ}\) & \(277^{\circ}\) \\ \hline (9) & Does the company perform data analysis during the production process? & \(81^{\circ}\) & \(10^{\circ}\) \\ \hline (10) & The company cross-checks the results of these analyses with the traceability of production information? & \(57^{\circ}\) \\ \hline \hline \end{tabular}
\end{table}
Table 5: Summary of applied survey.  
the automation and storage of all business information, that is, the ERP system enables a unique, continuous and consistent flow of information. Data integration can follow a functional approach, e.g., integrating finance, accounting, human resources, manufacturing, marketing, sales, purchasing systems, among others, and from a systemic perspective, incorporating transaction processing systems, management information systems, decision support systems, etc.  
1.3 Does the Company Record the Relationship between the Different Items or Batches Used as Raw Materials and Used Items or Batches of Finished Products, through Computers?  
In Table 5, item 3 shows whether the companies surveyed record, and how, the relationship between different items or lots used as raw materials and used finished items or lots. About 70% made this registration using a computer.