Impact of Industry 4.0 on Sustainability—Bibliometric Literature Review

Krzysztof Ejsmont, Bartlomiej Gladysz and Aldona Kluczek
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Krzysztof Ejsmont: Faculty of Production Engineering, Warsaw University of Technology, 02-524 Warsaw, Poland
Bartlomiej Gladysz: Faculty of Production Engineering, Warsaw University of Technology, 02-524 Warsaw, Poland
Aldona Kluczek: Faculty of Production Engineering, Warsaw University of Technology, 02-524 Warsaw, Poland

Sustainability, 2020, vol. 12, issue 14, 1-29

Abstract: Nowadays, sustainability and Industry 4.0 (I4.0) are trending concepts used in the literature on industrial processes. Industry 4.0 has been mainly addressed by the current literature from a technological perspective, overlooking sustainability challenges regarding this recent paradigm. The objective of this paper is to evaluate the state of the art of relations between sustainability and I4.0. The goal will be met by (1) mapping and summarizing existing research efforts, (2) identifying research agendas, (3) examining gaps and opportunities for further research. Web of Science, Scopus, and a set of specific keywords were used to select peer-reviewed papers presenting evidence on the relationship between sustainability and I4.0. To achieve this goal, it was decided to use a dynamic methodology called “systematic literature network analysis”. This methodology combines a systematic literature review approach with the analysis of bibliographic networks. Selected papers were used to build a reference framework formed by I4.0 technologies and sustainability issues. The paper contributes to the Sustainable Industry 4.0 reference framework with application procedures. It aims to show how I4.0 can support ideas of sustainability. The results showed that apart from a huge contribution to both concepts, many papers do not provide an insight into realization of initiatives to introduce Sustainable Industry 4.0.

Keywords: industry 4.0; sustainability; literature review; fourth industrial revolution; bibliometrics (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (15)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:14:p:5650-:d:384180

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