Industry 4.0: Limitation or benefit for success? (original) (raw)

Perceptions of Industry 4.0 in Visegrad Firms

DANUBE, 2021

The definition and understanding of the Industry 4.0 concept vary widely in the literature and among practitioners. The objective of our research was to analyse the perceptions of Industry 4.0 in the Visegrad companies and the explanations for the differences thereof; and second, to compare perceptions of Industry 4.0 between Visegrad firms and experts. Our article relies on a combined methodology: analysis of literature and of information gained from questionnaire-based semi-structured interviews, conducted with randomly selected company representatives, academic and industry experts, and representatives of government agencies. Our results show that most Visegrad firms identify Industry 4.0 only with a limited set of selected new technologies, while experts usually have a more complex understanding of it, identifying it with a new business model. It would be important to have a clearly defined concept in order to elaborate related nationwide strategies and related economic and othe...

Drivers and Barriers in Using Industry 4.0: A Perspective of SMEs in Romania

Processes

Considering the worldwide evolutionary stage of Industry 4.0, this study wants to fill in a lack of information and decision-making, trying to answer a question about the level of preparation of Romanian Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) regarding the implementation of the new technology. The main purpose of this article is to identify the opinions and perceptions of SME managers in Romania on the drivers and barriers of implementing Industry 4.0 technology for business development. The research method used in the study was analyzed by sampling using the questionnaire as a data collection tool. It includes closed questions, measured with a nominal and orderly scale. 176 managers provided complete and useful answers to this research. The collected data were analyzed with the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) package using frequency tables, contingency tables, and main component analysis. Major contributions from research have highlighted the fact that Romania...

Key factors affecting Industry 4.0 adoption: An empirical study in Hungarian manufacturing companies

Geographia Polonica

Over the past decade, Industry 4.0 technologies have spread in space and time to varying extents, this being influenced by many factors. Evaluating some of these is the main aim of this study, as they have received little attention so far. Based on the experiences of empirical research (questionnaire survey) carried out in a peripherally located, traditional industrial area of Hungary and using statistical methods, the main significance of the study is that it highlights that sectoral affiliation, the internal organisation of companies and the geographical location of their sites, as well as their social and economic environment, all contribute to the intensity of technological change.

Critical Factors of Industry 4.0 Implementation in an Emerging Country: Empirical Study

2021

The concept of Industry 4.0 is becoming more and more popular all over the world. The implementation of its assumptions in business practice changes the way companies operate. The enormous innovative potential of the Industry 4.0 concept and the intensive use of processes based on the implementation of advanced technologies in its assumptions have an impact on various industries in each country. The article attempts to analyze the critical factors for the implementation of Industry 4.0 in Kazakhstan. Primary and secondary data sources were used for this purpose. The majority of existing government initiatives and reports do not reflect the actual situation. Additionally, these materials do not always represent the experiences or positions of all the parties involved. Opinions of companies and organizations implementing Industry 4.0 solutions remain unexplored. The primary goal of the paper is to fill the cognitive gap by analyzing stakeholder responses and identifying the actual lev...

Implementation of Industry 4.0 technologies in Croatia: Proactive Motives and a Long-Term Perspective

Drustvena istrazivanja, 2022

The aim of this study was to develop a model that links the motives, obstacles and expected outcomes of Industry 4.0 implementation. First, it aimed to determine the extent of use of Industry 4.0 technologies and then to investigate the motives, expected outcomes (short and long-term), and the relationship between them. Obstacles to the implementation of new technologies in Croatian companies were identified. The sample comprised 91 companies that had implemented new technologies by 2020. Data were collected using on-line surveying tools. The results show that the surveyed companies are considering new technologies for several proactive reasons, and primarily stress the expected long-term strategic benefits over short-term efficiency. The lack of human resources is the most critical obstacle in the implementation of new technologies. The paper provides several managerial implications.

Challenges and Driving Forces for Industry 4.0 Implementation

2020

Industry 4.0 has been a major force framing the societal, economic and technological environment after 2010. Exposed to ongoing digital transformation, companies are able to exploit opportunities offered by Industry 4.0, and are forced to manage immanent risks and barriers. However, studies on opportunities and challenges relevant for the implementation of Industry 4.0 for companies are scarce. In response to this literature gap, the aim of this exploratory research is to provide a deeper analysis of the level of digital transformation of companies in Serbia based on a digital maturity model, and examine their managers’ opinions on the most important driving forces and implementation barriers. The paper uses exploratory research design based on a survey responded to by 122 high-level managers within the Serbian manufacturing sector. Findings show that, contrary to expectations, digitally transforming enterprises do not see human resources as a driving force, but rather as an obstacl...