IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/wsi/ijitdm/v24y2025i03ns0219622025410044.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Improving the Opportunities to Implement Industry 4.0 Through Absorptive Capacity: A Multi Mediator Model Evaluation in the Manufacturing Industry of Mexico

Author

Listed:
  • Héctor Cuevas-Vargas

    (Business Innovation and Marketing Department, Universidad Tecnológica del Suroeste de Guanajuato, Carretera Valle-Huanímaro Km 1.2, Valle de Santiago, Guanajuato 38400, Mexico)

  • Rudy Fernández-Escobedo

    (PhD Student, University of the Basque Country/Euskal, Herriko Unibertsitatea, Bilbao, Biscay 48015, Spain)

Abstract

Knowledge absorptive capacity (ACAP) has been recognized as a driving force for ICT-driven digital transformation; however, questions remain about how to maximize opportunities for implementing Industry 4.0 (I4.0) while considering the role of ACAP. Our primary objectives are to analyze how ACAP influences I4.0 opportunities (strategic, operational, and environmental/social) and to examine the mediating role of these opportunities in the connection between ACAP and I4.0 implementation. This empirical study, employing a predictive type, analyzed data from 200 manufacturing SMEs in Guanajuato, Mexico, using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) via SmartPLS4, with a hierarchical component model Type I. The findings underscore that ACAP significantly enhances the potential for successful I4.0 implementation. Furthermore, the study highlights the critical importance of a strategic approach to leveraging I4.0 opportunities. Interestingly, the environmental and social opportunities showed limited influence on I4.0 adoption, with no evidence of their mediating role. This research contributes to illuminating the complex interplay between ACAP, I4.0 opportunities, and their collective contribution to the successful implementation of Industry 4.0 in Mexican SMEs. Finally, the study offers actionable insights for industrial practitioners and contributes to methodological advancements in PLS-SEM analysis.

Suggested Citation

  • Héctor Cuevas-Vargas & Rudy Fernández-Escobedo, 2025. "Improving the Opportunities to Implement Industry 4.0 Through Absorptive Capacity: A Multi Mediator Model Evaluation in the Manufacturing Industry of Mexico," International Journal of Information Technology & Decision Making (IJITDM), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 24(03), pages 891-928, April.
  • Handle: RePEc:wsi:ijitdm:v:24:y:2025:i:03:n:s0219622025410044
    DOI: 10.1142/S0219622025410044
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.worldscientific.com/doi/abs/10.1142/S0219622025410044
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1142/S0219622025410044?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    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:wsi:ijitdm:v:24:y:2025:i:03:n:s0219622025410044. 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.

    We have no bibliographic references for this item. You can help adding them by using 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: Tai Tone Lim (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.worldscinet.com/ijitdm/ijitdm.shtml .

    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.