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Systemic Change: Adoption of Industry 4.0 Technologies and Company Competitiveness: Case Studies from a Post-Transition Economy

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Listed:
  • Marta Gotz

    (Vistula University (Poland))

  • Barbara Jankowska

    (Poznan University of Economics and Business (Poland))

Abstract

Manufacturers face increased cost pressure and market volatility. Product life cycles are getting shorter. Production has to be faster and increasingly local. The acceleration of "time-to-market" could happen thanks to the solutions of Industry 4.0 (I4.0), with supply chains morphing into highly adaptive networks with integrated entities. In this paper, we seek to exemplify the potential impact of I4.0 adoption upon the competitiveness of the firms (being foreign subsidiaries among others) and ask about the nature of modernization as part of the global value chain in which the enterprise operates. Our research based on four case studies reveals that the competitive advantage of a firm could be modified in the era of Industry 4.0 as a result of a sector's transformation and changing relationships with partners. These findings correspond with the literature stressing the uncertainty and complexity of the digital economy in general, as well as difficulties with the precise measuring of the expected benefits. The fourth industrial revolution emphasizes "the race to the top", giving priority to quality rather than cost reduction as a method of improving competitiveness and, since it implies the emergence of connected companies, truly linked with each other, the disappearance of clear boundaries between them.

Suggested Citation

  • Marta Gotz & Barbara Jankowska, 2020. "Systemic Change: Adoption of Industry 4.0 Technologies and Company Competitiveness: Case Studies from a Post-Transition Economy," Foresight and STI Governance (Foresight-Russia till No. 3/2015), National Research University Higher School of Economics, vol. 14(4), pages 61-78.
    • Handle: RePEc:hig:fsight:v:14:y:2020:i:4:p:61-78
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Barišić, Anton Florijan & Rybacka Barišić, Joanna & Miloloža, Ivan, 2021. "Digital Transformation: Challenges for Human Resources Management," Proceedings of the ENTRENOVA - ENTerprise REsearch InNOVAtion Conference (2021), Hybrid Conference, Zagreb, Croatia, in: Proceedings of the ENTRENOVA - ENTerprise REsearch InNOVAtion Conference, Hybrid Conference, Zagreb, Croatia, 9-10 September 2021, pages 357-366, IRENET - Society for Advancing Innovation and Research in Economy, Zagreb.
    2. Marta Christina Suciu & Doru Alexandru Plesea & Adrian Petre & Adrian Simion & Mircea Ovidiu Mituca & Decebal Dumitrescu & Ana Maria Bocaneala & Ramona Madalina Moroianu & Diana Florentina Nasulea, 2023. "Core Competence—As a Key Factor for a Sustainable, Innovative and Resilient Development Model Based on Industry 5.0," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(9), pages 1-18, May.
    3. Yasser Omar Abdallah & Essam Shehab & Ahmed Al-Ashaab, 2022. "Developing a digital transformation process in the manufacturing sector: Egyptian case study," Information Systems and e-Business Management, Springer, vol. 20(3), pages 613-630, September.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Industry 4.0; digital technologies; post-transition economy; manufacturing; case study; competitiveness; product life cycle;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • M10 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Business Administration - - - General
    • M15 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Business Administration - - - IT Management

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