Industry 4.0 technologies in the manufacturing sector: Are we sure they are all relevant for environmental performance?

This research contributes to the debate about the relevance of Industry 4.0 technologies in improving environmental performance in the manufacturing industry. We employed a qualitative–quantitative approach in which 19 Italian operations managers were interviewed and 260 managers responded to an online questionnaire. The effects of various technologies were ranked using ordinal regression. Comments and suggestions gave context to the quantitative results. Sensors, radio-frequency identification, artificial intelligence and analytics were found to be most relevant in improving environmental performance, whereas simulation software contributed moderately. Additive manufacturing, cobots, robots, automated mobile robots and automated guided vehicles had a negative effect, augmented reality had no effect and other technologies indirectly affected environmental performance. We also found a lack of knowledge and application as well as scepticism about technologies such as artificial intelligence and augmented reality. Finally, there was concern about the disposal of electrical and electronic waste produced by these technologies.     

Developing design principles for the digitalisation of purchasing and supply management

This paper develops an approach to evaluating designs for digitalisation interventions in purchasing and supply management (PSM), and identifies some fundamental design principles for such interventions. A set of advanced technologies for digitalisation and a theory-based set of seven value drivers for PSM are identified for the proposed grid to facilitate the design of applications and interventions for digitalising PSM. The grid relates the digital technologies to the PSM value drivers in a matrix-like manner, allowing the structured consideration of the space defined by these two dimensions. The proposed approach to the strategic evolution of digitalisation in PSM is tested and its utility is demonstrated in analyses of practitioner literature and multiple case-study-based perspectives on PSM digitalisation. Two fundamental design principles relating to the use of the grid, or to the filling of its space, are set out, thus the research provides new theoretical perspectives on the design of advanced forms of PSM digitalisation. The proposed grid may be used in application design, communicating current and future states of PSM digitalisation to stakeholders, and specifically in developing a future-oriented strategy with a digitalization element for the PSM function.     

Back to the future. Is industry 4.0 a new tecno-organizational paradigm? Implications for Latin American countries

ABSTRACT

The objective of this article is to establish a dialogue between the recent ‘Industry 4.0’ (I4.0) literature and evolutionary neo-Schumpeterean studies about techno-organizational paradigms. In that direction, we wonder whether I4.0 constitutes a new paradigm, as it is assumed by the first group of literature, or it represents – until the moment – an intensification of key features of the information and communication technology (ICT) paradigm, following the second group of studies. Some questions are raised about the implications of I4.0 for developing countries (DEC), afterwards. Specifically, we reflect on the possibilities of these countries to identify and take advantage of new windows of opportunity, opened by the development and diffusion of these technologies. In this regard, the review of recent Latin American experience raises strong concerns regarding I4.0 as a new source of intra- and international heterogeneity, linked to the severe difficulties these countries have in appropriating these technologies in the form of productivity gains and quasi-rents. It seems that this is partially derived from weak technological, organizational, and connectivity capabilities paths of accumulation between institutions and actors.     

中国经济升级版的评价指标体系构建、测度与阶段甄别

改革开放以来,中国经济取得了举世瞩目的成绩,而随之引起的弊端也日益凸显,经济转型和经济升级成为刻不容缓的任务之一。本文选取1995～2014年中国20年间的统计数据,利用层次分析法,从人民幸福感程度、结构优化程度、可持续发展能力、外向型经济、创新驱动能力方面考察中国经济阶段性特征,再运用系统聚类分析,进一步探索出中国在这20年间历经的经济升级状况及发展趋势,最后提出中国经济再次升级的动力源泉在于提高民生保障水平、科技创新、绿色产业、发展服务业、构建全方位开放新格局。     

Enterprise systems’ life cycle in pursuit of resilient smart factory for emerging aircraft industry: a synthesis of Critical Success Factors’(CSFs), theory,knowledge gaps,and implications

The research aims to investigate business value critical success factors (CSFs) of enterprise systems (ES) through their life cycle in pursuit of resilient smart factory for emerging aircraft industry. This article provides an extensive literature analysis of past 22 years based on conscientious criteria of authors: (i) who have published strategic content relevant to CSFs, (ii) received more than 300 citations and (iii) concurrently published two or more papers relevant to ES CSFs. The most cited strategic CSFs were termed as classical CSFs. The 22 CSFs were identified, validated and synthesised for better understanding of success across life cycle by aircraft industry experts. The top 10 empirically verified CSFs have numerous differences with past generic classical CSFs. This article canvases real insights of two distinct views: process and variance approaches of the ES CSFs. The process approach, which is a neglected research area, facilitates the researchers for identification of ES life cycle process coupled with a view of resource deployment when it is needed the most. While the variance approach facilitates practitioners and researchers in finding out which resource (CSF) is relatively more important. The significant findings for ES life cycle can help the practitioners and researchers to make rational decisions throughout the ES life cycle.     

Digitalisation,automation and upgrading in global value chains – factory economy actors versus lead companies

This article investigates the differences in the application and impact of digital technologies between manufacturing subsidiaries and lead companies, the principal orchestrators of global automotive value chains. Utilising a dataset of 10 in-depth interviews with automotive industry actors, we analyse headquarters–subsidiary differences in the patterns of digitalisation-driven upgrading. A theoretical framework is offered that explains why the significant upgrading achievements of manufacturing subsidiaries deploying industry 4.0 technologies will not reduce the gap between lead companies and manufacturing subsidiaries in terms of value generation. We show that the concept of ‘industry 4.0’ is much narrower than that of ‘digitalisation’ and transition to smart factories is only part of the digital transformation story. Industry 4.0 technologies contribute to the upgrading of operations, and enable subsidiaries to take on production-related knowledge-intensive assignments (functional upgrading). Conversely, digitalisation serves lead companies’ strategic differentiation efforts, and facilitates achieving competitive advantage: the latter are crucial for value capture.     

中国制造2025与工业4.0对比解析及中国汽车产业应对策略

面向新一轮科技革命,各国相继提出了制造业转型升级战略。对广受关注的德国工业4.0和中国制造2025进行了对比分析：两者的最终目标均指向智能制造体系,然而其具体内涵有所不同。根据中国产业现状,着重指出了以产业规模大、带动性强的汽车产业作为制造业转型升级载体的重要意义,并对智能制造前景下汽车产业的变化与不变、挑战与机遇进行了系统梳理。在此基础上,提出了汽车产业转型升级策略。     

工业4.0战略驱动下企业平台生态圈构建与组织变革

德国“工业4.0”战略的提出预示着第四次工业革命到来。在此背景下，平台生态圈成为一种重要商业模式和组织形式，其功能可概括为不同用户群体创造和交换价值的界面。为了进一步揭示平台生态圈构建机制和行为过程，厘清其与企业组织变革的关系，从生态学视角，采用理论推演与案例分析方法，对平台企业界定、平台生态圈构建机制以及如何进行组织变革以适应平台生态系统等问题展开研究，最后以海尔集团平台生态圈的构建为案例进行分析。研究结果表明，平台生态圈构建必须经历双边市场定位、网络效应激发、盈利模式选择、平台生态规则制定等关键环节，在该过程中，企业需要结合平台生态圈规则，从认知模式、组织结构和业务流程3个方面进行组织变革，以适应该新型商业组织模式。     

New Frontiers of Profit and Risk: The Fourth Industrial Revolution’s Impact on Business and Human Rights

ABSTRACT

The Fourth Industrial Revolution, characterised by the fusion of physical, digital, and biological technologies, will have profound social and economic consequences. But what impact will it have on human rights? This article critically interrogates key writings and speeches about the Fourth Industrial Revolution, which requires reading between the lines of technical, business, and policy-orientated materials that rarely address human rights explicitly. The findings are a mix of good and bad news. First, the traditional linkage between economic competition and violations of bodily integrity is weakening as new forms of profitability in tomorrow’s digital ecosystems require empowered and creative individuals. However, these celebratory visions of the profitable interpenetration of our bodies, hardware and virtual worlds has a dark side. The next-generation of human rights violations arising from transnational business activities will be increasingly subtle, diffuse, and sophisticated.     

Technology transfer in the supply chain oriented to industry 4.0: a literature review

In the supply chain oriented to Industrial 4.0 Scenario the scarcity of studies on Technology Transfer (TT) can be easily observed. TT is a fundamental process, because it steers the absorption and dissemination of technologies towards the various stages of supply chain. The objective of this study is to contextualise TT in the supply chain of Industrial 4.0 Scenario, focusing on the supply, manufacturing industry and final consumer stages. A review of the literature was carried out, using a structured protocol and criteria to compose the bibliographic portfolio. To support the questions presented in this study, the most relevant articles related to the researched topic were thoroughly analyzed. The results infers that in the Industrial 4.0 Scenario, the supply chain will go through changes, such as real-time visibility throughout the entirety of the supply chain, continuous collaboration between the stages of the chain, among other significant changes.