Integration of Advanced Technologies in Aggregate Planning: A study of wholesale product marketing companies in Cuba

Abstract

Aggregate planning (AP) in wholesale product marketing companies in Cuba faces critical challenges derived from technological, organizational, and contextual limitations. This study analyzes the characteristics and challenges of AP in ten Cuban entities, using a mixed approach that combines expert surveys, documentary analysis, and multicriteria methods (PROMETHE II, AHP-TOPSIS). The results reveal that, although functions such as sales management and workforce planning show acceptable performance (Φ+ = 0.325 and 0.294, respectively), gaps persist in the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI), with only 10% of companies employing genetic algorithms for optimization. Insufficient technological infrastructure and limited AI training (64% of staff without specialized training) emerge as key barriers. Through a prioritization analysis, holistic industrial integration (CC~i~ = 0.819) and applied AI studies in logistics (CC~i~ = 0.703) were identified as urgent solutions. The article highlights the need for public policies that foster technological modernization and academic-industry collaboration, proposing an adaptable framework for emerging economies. These findings contribute to the literature by offering a contextualized perspective on PA in restrictive environments, highlighting the potential of AI to optimize resources in wholesale supply chains.