Stairway to Heaven: How Firms Build Absorptive Capacity to Succeed in Industry 4.0

Francesco Arcidiacono (), Alessandro Ancarani (), Carmela Mauro () and Florian Schupp ()
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Francesco Arcidiacono: University of Catania
Alessandro Ancarani: University of Catania
Carmela Mauro: University of Catania
Florian Schupp: Schaeffler Automotive Bühl

Chapter 14 in Digitalisierung im Einkauf, 2023, pp 219-249 from Springer

Abstract: Abstract Industry 4.0 technologies are considered crucial to support manufacturing firms in a period of market turbulence and rapid technological change. However, limited attention has been devoted to the investigation of how firms can successfully develop capacities needed to progress in Industry 4.0. Based on the analysis of four in-depth case studies, this chapter investigates how a firm’s level of absorptive capacity relates to its stage of Industry 4.0 adoption and sheds light on antecedents of potential and realized absorptive capacity that are relevant for Industry 4.0 adoption. Findings show that the levels of potential and realized absorptive capacity are associated with more advanced stages of Industry 4.0 adoption, therefore signalling the importance of developing this capacity for the successful introduction of advanced manufacturing technologies. The analysis of antecedents shows that firms that pursue multiple collaborations with diverse partners and that appoint Industry 4.0 boundary-spanning roles have a greater ability to acquire and assimilate new external knowledge. Firms that successfully exploit the technological knowledge undertake detailed operational planning of Industry 4.0 projects and plan support activities for human resources.

Keywords: Industry 4.0Product Quality; absorptive capacityProduct Quality; case studyProduct Quality (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:spr:sprchp:978-3-658-40570-0_14

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DOI: 10.1007/978-3-658-40570-0_14

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