Industry 4.0 and the Importance of an Ecosystem‐Based Approach: An Empirical Investigation Based on a Mixed‐Method Analysis

This paper will analyze the role of the innovation ecosystem (IES) in the industry implementation process of Industry 4.0 (I4.0) at company level. Based on a mixed‐method analysis using econometric models and content analysis, we have investigated the implementation process of industry 4.0‐enabling technologies of 123 manufacturing companies in the Hauts‐de‐France region of France. We have showed that the implementation process of industry 4.0‐enabling technologies is facilitated by the complexities of relationships between actors, complementarities among actors, particularly between start‐ups and others ecosystem stakeholders, and the role of regional policies (innovation support). Our quantitative results confirm that complex relationships with heterogenous actors within an IES positively affect the implementation process of Industry 4.0 at company level. While our qualitative analysis has showed that business‐to‐business relationships were decisive, our quantitative analysis has gone further and has showed that the more a given company develops diverse forms of relationships with other companies within the IES, the higher the level of I4.0 implementation‐enabling technologies there are in the company. Both qualitative and quantitative results demonstrate the importance of university‐industry linkage and of business incubators for the I4.0 implementation process, in enabling technologies at company level. A further result that completes our econometric study is the clear identification by company managers of the key role played by collaborative innovation projects and by start‐ups as providers of new solutions in fostering their I4.0 technological development. Therefore, our research calls for an ecosystem‐based approach to fostering I4.0 implementation at company level.