“The beginning was traumatising” – Industry 4.0: a lifesaver or disruptor? A knowledge-based viewpoint

Recent research recognises the importance of Industry 4.0 (I4.0) for government, industry, and education stakeholders. Nevertheless, there are calls for alternative ways of deepening knowledge, including adopting cross-nation and qualitative perspectives. In responding to these calls and considering the knowledge-based view of the firm, this study investigates company leaders’ perceptions concerning I4.0 preparedness among their employees, employees’ reactions to the new I4.0 regime, and how companies manage the process of knowledge acquisition to adopt I4.0. Data from 80 semi-structured, open-ended interviews were gathered from companies operating in Bolivia and Vietnam. The analysis uncovered the importance of company- and self-driven knowledge acquisition concerning employees’ I4.0 preparedness. The I4.0-motivated, I4.0-alienated, and uncertain future dimensions best illustrated staff’s reactions, while I4.0 change agents, technology-based conditions, and being non-risk adverse were best exemplars of company’s management of I4.0. The study discusses key practical and theoretical implications and proposes a theoretical framework.