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Innovation Environment’s Role in Supporting Industry 4.0 Technology Adoption to Address Effects of COVID-19

Author

Listed:
  • Sean Kruger

    (Department of Informatics, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, 0083, South Africa)

  • Adriana A. Steyn

    (Department of Informatics, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, 0083, South Africa)

Abstract

Health systems were severely strained at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, where the demand for personal protection equipment (PPE) could not be met. The challenge faced by many countries was how to innovate quickly to create PPE and other needed solutions. The subsequent research gap identified was a lack of practical insights on how to support such novel technology adoption, particularly those that stem from Industry 4.0 (I4.0) within a developing world context. To address this previous literature on I4.0 technology, the role of innovation environments and theoretical principles of technology adoption was reviewed. A practical case from an academic makerspace based in a South African university was then assessed. It was selected due to its direct role in rapid solutions development of PPE using additive manufacturing (AM) until such a time that manufacturers could set up production on a larger scale. It was found that AM and other novel technologies have facilitated innovative solutions to address the significant impacts of the pandemic. Key to which were practices identified of an innovation environment that supported early-stage adoption of AM to achieve this even in a developing country context. The findings imply that innovation environments offer an agile platform to leverage innovation by streamlining certain critical success factors of I4.0 technology adoption, which is presented in a model. However, individual skills developed by such environments to enhance innovation capabilities within this paradigm require further research.

Suggested Citation

  • Sean Kruger & Adriana A. Steyn, 2022. "Innovation Environment’s Role in Supporting Industry 4.0 Technology Adoption to Address Effects of COVID-19," International Journal of Innovation and Technology Management (IJITM), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 19(06), pages 1-25, October.
  • Handle: RePEc:wsi:ijitmx:v:19:y:2022:i:06:n:s0219877022420019
    DOI: 10.1142/S0219877022420019
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    Cited by:

    1. Kruger, Sean & Steyn, Adriana Aletta, 2024. "Developing breakthrough innovation capabilities in university ecosystems: A case study from South Africa," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 198(C).

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