# **Supplementary materials**

# **Appendix A - Data referred to in Section 2**

## **A1. General business functions in the FAT survey**

Figure A1 lists the general business functions included in FAT and the technologies associated with them. The General Business Support Functions (GBFs) are commonly available across all firms and are therefore comparable across firms, sectors, and countries. The GBFs are: 1) Business Administration; 2) Production Planning; 3) Sourcing and Procurement; 4) Marketing and Customer Information; 5) Sales; 6) Methods of Payment; and 7) Quality Control. The technologies associated with each business function follow a ladder of sophistication that goes from the most basic to the most sophisticated level. This ranking was developed in consultation with several sector experts.<sup>19</sup> <!-- Start of picture text -->
1. Administration (HR  2. Production or  4. Marketing/<br>processes, Finance,  service operations  3. Sourcing and Procurement Costumer  5.  Sales 6. Payment methods 7. Quality control<br>Accounting) planning information<br>Handwritten processes Handwritten processes suppliers, without Manual search of centralized database. (face-to-face)Informal chat  establishmentDirect sales at the  Cash Manual, visual or written processes<br>without the<br>Computers with software (e.g.standard Excel) with standard Computers software standard softwareComputers with  WhatsApp or Online chat (e.g.,  Direct sales by phone or e-mail voucher or bank wireCheque,  technologiessupport of digital<br>Internet)<br>Manual, visual<br>Mobile Apps platformsor Digital  Mobile Apps platformsor digital  Online social  Structured costumer  Sales through social media platforms or  Prepaid, credit or debit card processes with the support of or written<br>media, specialized  surveys apps digital<br>Apps or digital<br>Computers with  platforms Online or  technologies<br>specialized installed  Costumer  Online sales using  electronic<br>Resource Planning Enterprise software for demand planning, Specialized software demand forecast Supplier Relation Management  Management Relationship software(CRM)  platforms (e.g., external digital Amazon, eBay, Alibaba) Online through payment Statistical process control<br>(ERP) or equivalent  (SRM) not  platform<br>other back-office integrated with functionssoftware  Enterprise Resource equivalent software Planning (ERP) or integrated with  integrated with production planning analytics / Artificial Big data  commerce) using its own websiteOnline sales (e- Virtual or  Automated systems for inspection<br>other back-office  intelligence cryptocurrency<br>functions Electronic orders<br>Supplier Relation  integrated to<br>Management  specialized supply<br>(SRM) integrated  chain management<br>with production  systems<br>planning<br><!-- End of picture text -->

Figure A1: General Business Functions (GBF) Technologies in the FAT. Digital technologies are highlighted in yellow. Light yellow boxes refers to technologies that can rely directly or indirectly on digital (e.g., consumer surveys conducted online, email for sales, or use of credit card through digital sales’ platforms).

> 19A full description of the FAT survey and the technology sophistication index we use can be found in ( _17_ ).

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