scholarly journals Production and maintenance in industries: impact of industry 4.0

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Firoz khan Fasuludeen Kunju ◽  
Nida Naveed ◽  
Muhammad Naveed Anwar ◽  
Mir Irfan Ul Haq

Purpose Production industries are undergoing a digital transition, referred to as the fourth industrial revolution or Industry 4.0, as a result of rapidly expanding advances in information and communication technology. The purpose of this research is to provide a conceptual insight into the impact of unique capabilities from the fourth industrial revolution on production and maintenance tasks in terms of providing the existing production companies a boost by making recommendations on areas and tasks of great potential. Design/methodology/approach A survey and a literature review are among the research methods used in the research. The survey collected empirical data using a semi-structured questionnaire, which provided a broad overview of the company's present condition in terms of production and maintenance, resulting in more comprehensive and specific information regarding the study topics. Findings The study points out that, the implementation of I4.0-technology leads to an increase in production, asset utilization, quality, reduced machine down time in industries, and maintenance. Sensor technology, big data analysis, cloud technologies, mobile end devices, and real-time location systems are now being implemented to improve production processes and boost organizational competitiveness. Moreover, the study highlights that data acquired throughout the production process is utilized for quality control, predictive maintenance, and automatic production control. Furthermore, I4.0 solutions help companies to be more efficient with assets at each stage of the process, allowing them to have a stronger control on inventories and operational-optimization potential. Originality/value The findings of the study was supported by empirical data collected through survey that provides an intangible understanding of the importance of distinctive capabilities from the I4.0 revolution on production and maintenance tasks. In this study, some recommendations and guidelines to enhance these tasks are provided that are vital for existing production companies.

2018 ◽  
Vol 24 (4) ◽  
pp. 965-984 ◽  
Author(s):  
Florian Bienhaus ◽  
Abubaker Haddud

Purpose While digitisation is a key driver of the fourth industrial revolution (Industry 4.0); organisations have different approaches to deal with this topic to get a clearer picture of the opportunities and challenges concerning the digital transformation. The purpose of this paper is to identify the impact of digitisation on procurement and its role within the area of supply chain management. The research will also explore potential barriers to digitising procurement and supply chains and ways to overcome them. Finally, the significance of potential enabling technologies to the digitisation will also be examined. Design/methodology/approach A quantitative approached utilising an online survey was used to collect the primary data for this study. Data were collected from 414 participants directly involved with procurement or related business functions and work for different organisations in different industries. The survey included eight items about the impact of digitisation on organisational performance in the area of procurement and supply chains; ten items related to key barriers to digitisation of organisations and ways to overcome them; and seven items about enabling technologies to leverage procurement procedures and processes digitisation. All of these items utilised the Likert five-point level of agreement scale. Findings The findings indicate that digitisation of procurement process can yield several benefits including: supporting daily business and administrative tasks, supporting complex decision-making processes, procurement will become more focussed on strategic decisions and activities, procurement will become a strategic interface to support organisational efficiency, effectiveness, and profitability, and supporting the creation of new business models, products, and services. The authors were also able to confirm that there are barriers to digitising procurement process and supply chains and such barriers found in existing procedures, processes, capacities, and capabilities. Finally, the significance of a number of enabling technologies to the digitisation process was revealed. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study of its kind with participants located world-wide. Industry 4.0 as a topic had been explored within different business areas and functions but very limited research specifically explored potential impact, barriers, and enabling technologies of procurement 4.0. The results can be beneficial for organisations already implemented Industry 4.0 or planning to do so. The study can also benefit academic scholars interested in the researched topic, business professionals, organisations within different sectors, and any other party interested in understanding more the concept of procurement 4.0.


2021 ◽  
Vol 33 (2) ◽  
pp. 289-318
Author(s):  
Sidasha Singh ◽  
Juanitta Calitz

Within the context of the fourth industrial revolution, cryptocurrencies pose several challenges in the framework of corporate insolvency law. In South African law, no statutory framework vis-à-vis cryptocurrencies, such as Bitcoin, currently exists. This has however not prevented entities from engaging in the cryptocurrency market. The specific dilemma is that insolvency practitioners do not have legislative guidelines to assist them in dealing with the subject of cryptocurrencies. Consequently, international judicial developments must be consulted and analysed with the aim to close the gap between the legislature and Industry 4.0. This article unpacks the South African legal position on cryptocurrencies within the context of the statutory powers and duties of insolvency practitioners. It engages in an analysis of selected international courts cases that have dealt with the concept of cryptocurrencies within the context of insolvent estates and continues to make recommendations for the development of an efficient and effective regulatory model.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Zeynep Hizir

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyse the impact of digital transformation on jobs and to assess whether or not the so-called Fourth Industrial Revolution will lead to mass redundancies. The piece also looks at the role human resources (HR) departments will have to play in the implementation of, and response to, digital transformation within the workplace. Design/methodology/approach This paper combines research based on media articles, a parliamentary report and wider digital transformation industry research. The author looks to explain what digital transformation is, deconstruct misconceptions around digital transformation, assess the true evidence-based impact of digital transformation on jobs and advise HR departments on the impact of digital transformation within the workplace. Findings This piece finds that there remains a considerable degree of misunderstanding and many misconceptions around digital transformation and that while digital transformation will lead to the loss of some jobs, it will also lead to the change of existing ones and creation of new ones. Furthermore, this piece finds that HR departments will play a crucial role in the implementation of digital transformation, but that they too will need to pivot and adjust to new workplace realities as a result. Originality/value Many HR departments face confusion and misconceptions around the impact of digital transformation on the workforce, and there also remains concern among many employers that technology will replace their jobs. This piece seeks to dispel the myths and paint a clearer picture to both HR departments and employees around the impact of digital transformation.


2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 479-494
Author(s):  
Benjamin Appiah Osei ◽  
Neethiahnanthan Ari Ragavan ◽  
Henry Kofi Mensah

Purpose The economy of today has moved toward the fourth industrial revolution (FIR), which is characterized by the adoption of technologies such as cyber-physical systems, internet of things, big data, artificial intelligence and robotics. Globally, there is a lot of awareness created on the influence of the FIR on all industries, including hospitality and tourism. A plethora of studies on FIR have been conducted in the setting of manufacturing industries. Nonetheless, there seems to be in-exhaustive and non-consensual agreement among researchers as to the development and prospects of the FIR for service industries. Therefore, the aim of this paper was to comprehensively review the prospects of the FIR for the hospitality and tourism industry. Design/methodology/approach As a result of the novelty and gaps associated with the FIR in the hospitality literature, the authors explored the concept of FIR using a comprehensive literature review approach. Specifically, this paper reviews existing literature from diverse academic backgrounds, and annotates issues with regard to the evolution and prospects of the FIR for the hospitality industry. Findings Emphatically, the development and principles of FIR were expatiated. Additionally, an exegesis was carried out on the prospects (positives and challenges) of FIR for the hospitality industry. Finally, practical and social implications were also discussed. Originality/value It still remains a discourse among scholars and industry stakeholders as to the prospects of the FIR. This paper clarifies the confusion among researchers and bridges the literature gaps. Moreover, this review serves as a theoretical foundation for future research on the impact of FIR on the hospitality industry.


Author(s):  
Elena Viktorovna Shirinkina

The relevance of this research is substantiated by the fact that the world job market is currently under the influence of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (Industry 4.0). The goal lies in assessing the impact of cyclic and unexpected trends upon the job market, and thus, the forms of job management and employment functions. In this regard, analysis is conducted on the academic theories in the context of conceptualization of the impact of Industry 4.0 upon the job market and employment functions. The long-term trends in transformation of the job market are determined. The empirical basis of this research is comprised of the statistical data provided by Rosstat and the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation, as well as the resources of analytical articles and scientific publications, including the materials of international organizations, leading consulting companies, global associations, leading educational institutions, other active participants of global educational environment, and job market experts. An overview is given to the trends that affect the companies, their strategies and business models; the impact of such trends upon the transformation of current professions and the emergence of new professions; skills required for these professions. The scientific novelty lies in substantiation of the concept of skill-biased technical change (SBTC) and the theory of routine-biased technological change (RBTC). The presented materials would allow the companies to combine business news with fundamental training of specialists for going along the new career trajectiory in light of the new technological challenges, which defines the practical value of this research.


2020 ◽  
pp. 13-18
Author(s):  
Emiliia Prushkivska ◽  
Artem Tkachuk

Purpose. The aim of the article is to assess the impact of Industry 4.0 on employment in Ukraine and the world. The following tasks are set to achieve this goal: to analyse the historical impact of industrial revolutions on employment, including the characteristics of changes in its structure, as well as professional composition; highlight how the fourth industrial revolution differs from the previous three; consider the structure of available vacancies in Ukraine and assess how the national labour market is subject to automation. Methodology of research. This article uses the historical and logical unity method to analyse the impact of industrial revolutions on employment, as well as a comparison method to highlight the distinguishing features of Industry 4.0. A graphical method is applied to assess the sectorial structure of vacancies prone to automation in Ukraine. Findings. Industry 4.0 has been found to have common and distinctive features of the impact on employment with the previous three industrial revolutions. The structure of employment at different historical stages is analysed. It was found out that its structure is actively changing now; new professions and whole branches of application of human labour are appearing. The structure of the labour market in Ukraine is considered. It has been proved that Industry 4.0 can exacerbate inequalities between different sections of the population and lead to the disappearance of a large number of occupations, which today employ half of the workforce of national economies. Originality. An analytical approach to the definition of professions that are most prone to automation in the context of the fourth industrial revolution in the Ukrainian labour market has received further development. This approach simultaneously takes into account modern foreign practices and the national statistical base. Practical value. The obtained results in the course of the study can be used in the development of state programs to support employment in the national economy. Since people will require retraining and additional training due to the special propensity of their professions to automation and computerization. In addition, the obtained data can be used to determine the priority areas of state funding for educational institutions, which in the future will reduce youth unemployment. Key words: employment, the fourth industrial revolution, Industry 4.0, national economy, influence, industry structure, automation, computerization.


2020 ◽  
Vol 47 (7) ◽  
pp. 851-866
Author(s):  
Sujatra Bhattacharyya ◽  
Arup Mitra

PurposeThis paper aims at assessing the impact of innovation on productivity as sustainable development can be attained primarily through non-resource-driven growth. Secondly, it also proposes to reflect on the rising capital intensity in the Indian industries as technology advancement, particularly in the light of the fourth industrial revolution, is expected to reduce the labour absorbing capacity of the industrial sector.Design/methodology/approachBased on panel data for different Indian firms in various groups of industries, this paper estimates TFPG and TE (following Cornwell et al. methodology) and assesses the impact of R&D expenditure on the performance indices. Secondly, it measures the capital intensity across various groups of industries to reflect on the “employment problem”.FindingsInnovation does not seem to enhance the performance index in a very significant manner across industry groups considered in the study. The lack of extensive evidence on impact of innovation on total factor productivity growth suggests that innovation does not necessarily result in technological progress while the need of the hour is to experience non-resource-driven growth on the one hand and employment growth on the other. The positive impact of innovation on efficiency as seen in the paper can be interpreted as the expenditure incurred to realize the potentiality of the technology which is possibly imported. However, capital accumulation is resulting in rapid productivity growth at the cost of employment.Research limitations/implicationsCapturing technological progress in terms of TFPG can be subjected to criticism.Practical implicationsPolicy implications for employment generation and inclusive growth are derived.Social implicationsThe study cautions us about the adverse implications in terms of employment growth.Originality/valueAssessing the impact of innovation on performance such as TFPG and TE is rather rare in the literature, and this paper tries to reflect on this aspect using the Indian firm-level data. Secondly, the trade-offs between productivity growth and employment growth are brought out distinctly in order to highlight the declining labour absorbing capacity of the industrial sector. This enables us to reflect on the adverse consequences of the fourth industrial revolution.


2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 13-23 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Kobina Armoo ◽  
Lanna-Gaye Franklyn-Green ◽  
Atneil J. Braham

Purpose This paper aims to examine the floating dry dock and 3D printing technologies in relation to the ways in which they have the potential to complement each other. This relates to how the tourism and maritime industries in Jamaica could become more robust and competitive. Design/methodology/approach This study used a qualitative approach through the application of personal interviews and data from secondary sources. Findings Although Jamaica is positioning itself to become one of the leading maritime and logistics centres in the world, the government has not fully taken advantage of the fourth industrial revolution and its enabling factors. The integration of the floating dry dock with 3D printing technology has the ability to advance Jamaica from its current position to become a more economically viable country. Research limitations/implications Time was a limitation for the researchers in conducting this study. As a result, a more robust field study is needed to fully understand the impact of the fourth industrial revolution technologies on the maritime and tourism industries. Practical implications An investment in a floating dry dock and 3D printing technology will spur job creation. The researchers expect improved economic activity in Jamaica resulting from many businesses being created and/or improved. Social implications The quality of life is expected to increase because of the greater economic yields the country will receive from such investments. Originality/value This paper explored the combination of the floating dry dock and 3D printing technologies and their impact on the tourism and maritime industries in relation to increasing service value and economic yields.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuri Lima ◽  
Julia Celia Mercedes Strauch ◽  
Maria Gilda Pimentel Esteves ◽  
Jano Moreira de Souza ◽  
Miriam Barbuda Chaves ◽  
...  

PurposeBrazil is struggling as the unemployment rate is 12.4% and nearly 13m people are unemployed. The fourth Industrial Revolution is advancing, and the country needs to consider how it will impact the labor market. This work explores the impact of automation on the Brazilian workforce to supply decision-makers with information about the subject.Design/methodology/approachThe authors converted the probability of computerization from the seminal work of Frey and Osborne to each of the more than 2,500 occupations in Brazil. They then crossed the automation probability with socioeconomic information about workers and companies available in the Brazilian Ministry of Labor Database.FindingsIn total, 60% of employment in Brazil is expected to be highly impacted by automation in the coming decades, with eight out of the ten occupations with the biggest workforce being highly automatable. Automation probability decreases as workers' education level increases, with the most significant difference between workers with higher education and those without it. The results show other inequalities in the impact of automation: the higher the wage, the lower the automation probability of occupations; the bigger the company, the lower the automation index; and workers from 16 to 24 years old have considerably higher chances of being automated.Originality/valueThis work is the first to study, in the context of the fourth Industrial Revolution, the impact of automation in Brazil with a socioeconomic analysis.


Author(s):  
Anthony Bolton ◽  
Leilani Goosen ◽  
Elmarie Kritzinger

Against the background of promoting inclusive growth in the context of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR), the purpose of this chapter is to introduce Industry 4.0 in terms of the impact of Unified Communication and Collaboration (UC&C) technologies on productivity and innovation within a global automotive enterprise. To provide readers with a further overview of, and summarize, the content of the chapter, issues, controversies, problems, and challenges related to Industry 4.0 adoption, including, for example, Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS), are discussed. Solutions and recommendations for dealing with the issues, controversies, and/or problems are presented, and the chapter will also discuss future research directions and emerging trends, together with providing insight about the future of the book's theme from the perspective of the chapter focus on the impact of UC&C technologies on productivity and innovation. The last section will provide discussion of the overall coverage of the chapter and concluding remarks.


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