The Digitalization of Procurement Processes. Horsa’s Implementation of the Ivalua Platform

Digitalization plays an important role in the evolution of contemporary companies, reshaping business processes, operational models, and approaches to value creation. Digital technologies support efficiency, enhance transparency, and enable data-driven decision-making. In this context, procurement digitalization facilitates the transition from traditional purchasing activities to e-procurement solutions. This thesis examines e-procurement through the implementation of the Ivalua platform at Alpha S.p.A., a company operating in accommodation management and the distribution of hotel services within the B2B tourism services sector. Particular focus is placed on the implementation process carried out by Horsa S.r.l., a consulting firm responsible for the configuration, deployment and subsequent maintenance and monitoring of the platform. The configuration is developed across Supplier Risk and Performance Management, Source-to-Contract and Procure-to-Pay modules, together with the integration of the platform with existing business processes and the involvement of the various organizational functions participating in the project. The project aims to highlight the opportunities, critical issues, and key factors that characterize procurement digitalization, and to examine how the adoption of an e-procurement platform can support companies in becoming more flexible and agile, while improving relationships with suppliers and ensuring data privacy and security. The study is based on the analysis of the implementation project carried out within Horsa during the author’s internship. It combines theoretical insights on digital procurement with practical observations from the adoption of the platform, providing an overview of how digital tools can support the transformation of procurement processes, improving efficiency, transparency and coordination among the actors involved. The results of the project offer useful insights for companies that are considering adopting an e-procurement solution, since they highlight qualitative and quantitative results, the challenges that companies may face, and make some considerations about future developments.