Risks and opportunities for the progress of digitalization in Mexico

The aim of this research is to identify Mexico’s current conditions for the incorporation of the changes derived from the processes of increasing digitization into its productive sector, called Industry 4.0. To achieve this goal, this work uses the results obtained from a survey questionnaire answered by qualified technological and productive informants with the purpose of identifying the perspectives of firms initiating this transformation. The selection of information units was based on a theoretical sample (not statistically representative), a methodological feature that forced us to analyze carefully the data collected. The results reached show that, from the perspective of the actors involved, the innovative structure in Mexico presents serious limitations in terms of technical and organizational capabilities of the firms to incorporate digital technologies in their production processes. This paper proposes a first exploratory analysis on the visions of Mexican firms and intermediary organizations that deals with the increasing technical and organizational challenges of the new digital technologies. This article provides analytical and empirical inputs for the analysis of the opportunities that Mexican firms have to incorporate these new technical trends. Finally, the work highlights critical institutional and governance aspects for the debate of national industrial and innovative policy agendas.