IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v14y2022i14p8844-d866537.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Determining the Level of Use of the Industry 4.0 Solutions in the COVID-19 Pandemic Era: Results of Empirical Research

Author

Listed:
  • Anna Michna

    (Department of Organization and Management, Silesian University of Technology, 41-800 Zabrze, Poland)

  • Joanna Kruszewska

    (Department of Organization and Management, Silesian University of Technology, 41-800 Zabrze, Poland)

Abstract

Changes in the world’s situation and the need to be competitive and less dependent on the global economy lead to improvements in many organisations. Together with business model transformation, using the latest technologies such as augmented reality, autonomous robots, mobile technologies, big data, cloud computing, and others known as an Industry 4.0 pillars, enterprises are changing the industry status quo. These technologies are widely described and studied in the literature, mainly on the example of large production companies. In order to fill the gap, this article had two objectives. The first objective was to investigate the usage of Industry 4.0 technologies in the time of the COVID-19 pandemic. The second one was to verify the strength of the impact of selected barriers on the level of implementation of individual I4.0 technologies and influence of cooperation during technology implementation. To achieve the objectives of the article, quantitative research was conducted. Data from 125 anonymous survey participants were collected in October 2021 and analysed using a statistical tool. The study results revealed that the term Industry 4.0 is known among industry employees. Surveyed organisations are using I4.0 technologies and still planning to implement them in a wider range despite the pandemic situation. Moreover, the most often-cited barriers in the literature on the subject are costs or employees’ acceptations, too-individualised customer requirements, or insufficient standardisation, which affect the implementation of Industry 4.0 solutions with strengths varying from low to moderate intensity. The information in this paper may be of use to Industry 4.0 solution providers or collaborative and partnership organisations.

Suggested Citation

  • Anna Michna & Joanna Kruszewska, 2022. "Determining the Level of Use of the Industry 4.0 Solutions in the COVID-19 Pandemic Era: Results of Empirical Research," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(14), pages 1-26, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:14:p:8844-:d:866537
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/14/8844/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/14/8844/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Julian Marius Müller & Daniel Kiel & Kai-Ingo Voigt, 2018. "What Drives the Implementation of Industry 4.0? The Role of Opportunities and Challenges in the Context of Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(1), pages 1-24, January.
    2. Patrycja Hoffa-Dabrowska & Katarzyna Grzybowska, 2020. "Simulation Modeling of the Sustainable Supply Chain," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(15), pages 1-15, July.
    3. Miriam Pekarcikova & Peter Trebuna & Marek Kliment & Michal Dic, 2021. "Solution of Bottlenecks in the Logistics Flow by Applying the Kanban Module in the Tecnomatix Plant Simulation Software," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(14), pages 1-21, July.
    4. Iva Vuksanović Herceg & Vukašin Kuč & Veljko M. Mijušković & Tomislav Herceg, 2020. "Challenges and Driving Forces for Industry 4.0 Implementation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(10), pages 1-22, May.
    5. Marek Ondov & Andrea Rosova & Marian Sofranko & Jan Feher & Jozef Cambal & Erika Feckova Skrabulakova, 2022. "Redesigning the Production Process Using Simulation for Sustainable Development of the Enterprise," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(3), pages 1-21, January.
    6. Marek Kliment & Miriam Pekarcikova & Peter Trebuna & Martin Trebuna, 2021. "Application of TestBed 4.0 Technology within the Implementation of Industry 4.0 in Teaching Methods of Industrial Engineering as Well as Industrial Practice," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(16), pages 1-16, August.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Artur Pollak & Agata Hilarowicz & Maciej Walczak & Damian Gąsiorek, 2020. "A Framework of Action for Implementation of Industry 4.0. an Empirically Based Research," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(14), pages 1-16, July.
    2. Bożena Gajdzik & Sandra Grabowska & Sebastian Saniuk & Tadeusz Wieczorek, 2020. "Sustainable Development and Industry 4.0: A Bibliometric Analysis Identifying Key Scientific Problems of the Sustainable Industry 4.0," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(16), pages 1-27, August.
    3. Agnieszka A. Tubis & Katarzyna Grzybowska, 2022. "In Search of Industry 4.0 and Logistics 4.0 in Small-Medium Enterprises—A State of the Art Review," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(22), pages 1-26, November.
    4. Maria Polorecka & Jozef Kubas & Pavel Danihelka & Katarina Petrlova & Katarina Repkova Stofkova & Katarina Buganova, 2021. "Use of Software on Modeling Hazardous Substance Release as a Support Tool for Crisis Management," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(1), pages 1-15, January.
    5. Wunhong Su & Liuzhen Zhang & Chao Ge & Shuai Chen, 2022. "Association between Internal Control and Sustainability: A Literature Review Based on the SOX Act Framework," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(15), pages 1-30, August.
    6. Olumide Emmanuel Oluyisola & Fabio Sgarbossa & Jan Ola Strandhagen, 2020. "Smart Production Planning and Control: Concept, Use-Cases and Sustainability Implications," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(9), pages 1-29, May.
    7. Du, Juntao & Shen, Zhiyang & Song, Malin & Zhang, Linda, 2023. "Nexus between digital transformation and energy technology innovation: An empirical test of A-share listed enterprises," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 120(C).
    8. Ana Teresa Tavares-Lehmann & Celeste Varum, 2021. "Industry 4.0 and Sustainability: A Bibliometric Literature Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(6), pages 1-15, March.
    9. Bai, Chunguang & Dallasega, Patrick & Orzes, Guido & Sarkis, Joseph, 2020. "Industry 4.0 technologies assessment: A sustainability perspective," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 229(C).
    10. Titov Sergei & Trachuk Arkady & Linder Natalya & RD Pathak & Danny Samson & Zafar Husain & S Sushil, 2023. "Digital transformation enablers in high-tech and low-tech companies: A comparative analysis," Australian Journal of Management, Australian School of Business, vol. 48(4), pages 801-843, November.
    11. John Mugambwa Serumaga-Zake & John Andrew van der Poll, 2021. "Addressing the Impact of Fourth Industrial Revolution on South African Manufacturing Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs)," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(21), pages 1-31, October.
    12. Silvia H. Bonilla & Helton R. O. Silva & Marcia Terra da Silva & Rodrigo Franco Gonçalves & José B. Sacomano, 2018. "Industry 4.0 and Sustainability Implications: A Scenario-Based Analysis of the Impacts and Challenges," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(10), pages 1-24, October.
    13. Humairath Abu Bakar & Rozilawati Razali & Dian Indrayani Jambari, 2021. "Legacy Systems Modernisation for Citizen-Centric Digital Government: A Conceptual Model," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(23), pages 1-17, November.
    14. Syed Hammad Mian & Bashir Salah & Wadea Ameen & Khaja Moiduddin & Hisham Alkhalefah, 2020. "Adapting Universities for Sustainability Education in Industry 4.0: Channel of Challenges and Opportunities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(15), pages 1-33, July.
    15. Rong-Ho Lin & Yu-Chuan Huang & Nai-Wen Chang & Shih-Wei Wu & Yu-Chang Ke, 2021. "The Mediating Effect of Ownership of Psychological Behavior and Tour Leader Experience on Accountability in Order to Explore the Sustainable Business Model of the Tourism Industry," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(13), pages 1-19, June.
    16. Judit Oláh & Zuzana Virglerova & József Popp & Jana Kliestikova & Sándor Kovács, 2019. "The Assessment of Non-Financial Risk Sources of SMES in the V4 Countries and Serbia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(17), pages 1-19, September.
    17. Zimei Liu & Kefan Xie & Ling Li & Yong Chen, 2020. "A paradigm of safety management in Industry 4.0," Systems Research and Behavioral Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 37(4), pages 632-645, July.
    18. Szymon Jarosz & Mariusz Soltysik & Malgorzata Zakrzewska, 2020. "The Fourth Industrial Revolution in the Light of Social and Competence Changes," European Research Studies Journal, European Research Studies Journal, vol. 0(Special 1), pages 530-548.
    19. Jang, Hyunmi & Haddoud, Mohamed Yacine & Roh, Saeyeon & Onjewu, Adah-Kole Emmanuel & Choi, Taeeun, 2023. "Implementing smart factory: A fuzzy-set analysis to uncover successful paths," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 195(C).
    20. Abbate, Stefano & Centobelli, Piera & Cerchione, Roberto, 2023. "The digital and sustainable transition of the agri-food sector," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 187(C).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:14:p:8844-:d:866537. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.