Industry 4.0 transition: a systematic literature review combining the absorptive capacity theory and the data–information–knowledge hierarchy

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lorenzo Ardito ◽  
Roberto Cerchione ◽  
Erica Mazzola ◽  
Elisabetta Raguseo

Purpose The effect of the transition toward digital technologies on today’s businesses (i.e. Industry 4.0 transition) is becoming increasingly relevant, and the number of studies that have examined this phenomenon has grown rapidly. However, systematizing the existing findings is still a challenge, from both a theoretical and a managerial point of view. In such a setting, the knowledge management (KM) discipline can provide guidance to address such a gap. Indeed, the implementation of fundamental digital technologies is reshaping how firms manage knowledge. Thus, this study aims to critically review the existing literature on Industry 4.0 from a KM perspective. Design/methodology/approach First, the authors defined a structuring framework to highlight the role of Industry 4.0 transition along with absorptive capacity (ACAP) processes (acquisition, assimilation, transformation and exploitation), while specifying what is being managed, that is data, information and/or (actual) knowledge, according to the data-information-knowledge (DIK) hierarchy. The authors then followed the systematic literature review methodology, which involves the use of explicit criteria to select publications to review and outline the stages a process has to follow to provide a transparent and replicable review and to analyze the existing literature according to the theoretical framework. This procedure yielded a final list of 150 papers. Findings By providing a clear picture of what scholars have studied so far on Industry 4.0 transition, in terms of KM, this literature review highlights that among all the studied digital technologies, the big data analytics technology is the one that has been explored the most in each phase of the ACAP process. A constructive body of research has also emerged in recent years around the role played by the internet of things, especially to explain the acquisition of data. On the other hand, some digital technologies, such as cyber security and smart manufacturing, have largely remained unaddressed. An explanation of the role of these technologies has been provided, from a KM perspective, together with the business implications. Originality/value This study is one of the first attempts to revise the literature on Industry 4.0 transition from a KM perspective, and it proposes a novel framework to read existing studies and on which to base new ones. Furthermore, the synthesis makes two main contributions. First, it provides a clear picture of the different digital technologies that support the four ACAP phases in relation to the DIK hierarchy. Accordingly, these results can emphasize what the literature has looked at so far, as well as which digital technologies have gained the most attention and their impacts in terms of KM. Second, the synthesis provides prescriptive considerations on the development of future research avenues, according to the proposed research framework.

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sonali Alankarage ◽  
Nicholas Chileshe ◽  
Raufdeen Rameezdeen ◽  
David J. Edwards ◽  
Aparna Samaraweera

Purpose Building information modelling (BIM) has had a considerable impact on the socio-technical aspects of construction organisations. Culture has been considered an essential element in BIM practice. Hence, this paper aims to explore existing research relates to culture in the BIM context. Design/methodology/approach A systematic literature review (SLR) was conducted based on the PRISMA guidelines using 104 articles published between 2011 and 2020 and directed with a descriptive and content analysis. Findings The SLR results give evidence that culture in the BIM context is still an under-researched topic. Culture has been considered as both a dependent and independent factor in the BIM domain. Organisational BIM culture is a collection of fundamental beliefs established in a BIM using organisation and passed to new employees with the use of BIM. BIM using organisations are have either weak or strong BIM cultures. Proper analysis and understanding of the BIM culture of different organisations are necessary to realise the strategies of transformation from a weak BIM culture to a strong BIM culture. Originality/value To the best of the author's knowledge, this is the first SLR in BIM research that investigates the role of culture in the BIM setting. This study contributed to the existing body of knowledge by proposing a conceptual framework to understand and change a weak BIM culture of an organisation to a strong, matured BIM culture. This SLR serves as a future research basis in BIM-triggered culture.


2020 ◽  
Vol 27 (8) ◽  
pp. 2435-2457 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ricardo Belinski ◽  
Adriana M.M. Peixe ◽  
Guilherme F. Frederico ◽  
Jose Arturo Garza-Reyes

PurposeIndustry 4.0 has been one of the most topics of interest by researches and practitioners in recent years. Then, researches which bring new insights related to the subjects linked to the Industry 4.0 become relevant to support Industry 4.0's initiatives as well as for the deployment of new research works. Considering “organizational learning” as one of the most crucial subjects in this new context, this article aims to identify dimensions present in the literature regarding the relation between organizational learning and Industry 4.0 seeking to clarify how learning can be understood into the context of the fourth industrial revolution. In addition, future research directions are presented as well.Design/methodology/approachThis study is based on a systematic literature review that covers Industry 4.0 and organizational learning based on publications made from 2012, when the topic of Industry 4.0 was coined in Germany, using data basis Web of Science and Google Scholar. Also, NVivo software was used in order to identify keywords and the respective dimensions and constructs found out on this research.FindingsNine dimensions were identified between organizational learning and Industry 4.0. These include management, Industry 4.0, general industry, technology, sustainability, application, interaction between industry and the academia, education and training and competency and skills. These dimensions may be viewed in three main constructs which are essentially in order to understand and manage learning in Industry 4.0's programs. They are: learning development, Industry 4.0 structure and technology Adoption.Research limitations/implicationsEven though there are relatively few publications that have studied the relationship between organizational learning and Industry 4.0, this article makes a material contribution to both the theory in relation to Industry 4.0 and the theory of learning - for its unprecedented nature, introducing the dimensions comprising this relation as well as possible future research directions encouraging empirical researches.Practical implicationsThis article identifies the thematic dimensions relative to Industry 4.0 and organizational learning. The understanding of this relation has a relevant contribution to professionals acting in the field of organizational learning and Industry 4.0 in the sense of affording an adequate deployment of these elements by organizations.Originality/valueThis article is unique for filling a gap in the academic literature in terms of understanding the relation between organizational learning and Industry 4.0. The article also provides future research directions on learning within the context of Industry 4.0.


Author(s):  
Okechukwu Okorie ◽  
Konstantinos Salonitis ◽  
Fiona Charnley ◽  
Mariale Moreno ◽  
Christopher Turner ◽  
...  

The Circular Economy has been of growing significance within academic, policymaking and industry groups. Latest developments in the field of Circular Economy has led to an expansion of CE studies focused on interrogating CE as a paradigm, its relationship with sustainability and concepts and definitions of the Circular Economy. Research has also identified the significant potential of applying circular approaches to areas of the economy, including manufacturing and Industry 4.0, which, with data, is enabling latest the advances in digital technologies. This is the first review paper to integrate the fields of CE and digital technologies resulting in a framework which provides directions for policymakers and guidance for future research. To achieve this, we conduct a systematic literature review of the empirical literature related to digital technologies, industry 4.0 and circular approaches, from the point of the 9 Rs. The systematic literature review (SLR) is based on peer-reviewed articles published between 2000-2018. The findings reveal that while research on the circular economy has been on an annual rise, research on digital technologies enabled circular economy is still relatively an untouched area of research across all nine (9) circular approaches. As such this is an area rife for further research. This paper also presents illustrative charts and graphs to summarize the current trends in circular economy research in manufacturing. From this, a framework for future circular economy research for manufacturing for digital technologies is proposed.


2020 ◽  
Vol 24 (4) ◽  
pp. 533-553
Author(s):  
Jo Conlon

PurposeProduct lifecycle management (PLM) is an enterprise-wide strategy gaining prominence across manufacturing. The fashion industry is a late adopter of PLM, yet within global fashion and textile organisations PLM is now becoming a mainstream approach to optimize core processes. This literature review analyses the latest academic research to establish a broad basis of understanding of PLM in the sector and identify potential future research directions.Design/methodology/approachA systematic literature review was conducted to investigate the current state and main perspectives of research on PLM in the textiles and apparel sector. The paper adopts the three features (managerial, technological and collaborative) of the definition of PLM by Corallo et al. (2013) as the analytic framework for the 27 papers to illustrate how PLM is framed and conceptualised in the RFA sector.FindingsPLM is at an interesting phase as it evolves from classical PLM 1.0 to connected PLM 2.0. The evolution of PLM from its PDM origins as an IT tool to a critical component of the strategy for digital transformation is reported. The strategic role of suppliers is noted as a critical success factor. Key inhibitors relating to PLM adoption and optimization in the sector are identified as limited holistic and theoretical perspective of PLM coupled with a deficiency in relevant industry skills. It is argued that the transformational potential of PLM 2.0 may not be fully realised without a more coordinated development effort through industrial and academic collaboration.Research limitations/implicationsThe limitations of this study are that it is a literature review of academic papers in the RFA sector papers within the timescale 2000–2018. PLM 1.0 has dominated in this time period however the potential trajectory of connected PLM 2.0 is beginning to emerge.Practical implicationsThe results from this paper indicate that there is a lack of research on PLM in the sector and concludes by suggesting promising future research possibilities: further empirical and case studies on organisations implementing a PLM strategy; studies reporting on the contribution of PLM to address the challenges of sustainability, traceability and transparency in the industry and inter-industry collaborations; studies with knowledge management theories specifically applied to the textile and apparel sector; and the opportunity for academic and industry collaboration on the development of PLM to meet these needs.Originality/valueTo the best of the author's knowledge, no systematic literature review on this topic has previously been published in academic journals. Given levels of investment in PLM platforms in the sector, both practitioners in companies and the academic community might find the review and agenda for future research useful.


2020 ◽  
Vol 24 (6) ◽  
pp. 1315-1342
Author(s):  
Peter Heisig ◽  
Selvi Kannan

Purpose This paper aims to review for the first time existing research literature about the role of gender in creating, sharing and using knowledge in organizations and proposes a conceptual framework to guide future research directions. Design/methodology/approach Based on the systematic literature review method this study collects, synthesizes and analyses articles related to knowledge management (KM) and gender published in online databases by following a pre-defined review protocol. The paper analyses 41 papers published in peer-reviewed journals. Findings The role of gender in KM has been rarely addressed in KM journals and journals with specific emphasis on gender. The existing literature is fragmented, but existing research suggests that knowledge sharing might be influenced by gender. Based on the analysis and synthesis, a conceptual framework is proposed to guide further research on determining if gender matters in KM. Research limitations/implications Academic researchers should aim to include gender-related variables into their KM research to further explore if gender matters in KM. Practical implications The practical implication suggests that managers and knowledge managers should raise awareness about how stereotypes and gendered expectations about role behaviour affect how knowledge and experiences are created and shared within the organization. Social implications The authors believe that a better understanding of knowledge handling and gendered role expectations at the workplace could also have an impact beyond organizational boundaries. Originality/value The paper presents the first comprehensive systematic literature review of the article published on knowledge creation, sharing and usage and gender and provides a conceptual framework for future research.


2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Chiara Acciarini ◽  
Federica Brunetta ◽  
Paolo Boccardelli

PurposeIn a work environment marked by unprecedented complexity, volatility and ambiguity, managers must accomplish their objectives while navigating many challenges. This paper aims to investigate potential interrelations among environmental transformations, cognitive biases and strategic decisions. In particular, the purpose of the study is to crystallize the state of art on the impact of cognitive biases on strategic decisions, in the context of environmental transformations.Design/methodology/approachThe authors have conducted a systematic literature review to identify existing relevant work on this topic and to detect potential avenues for future research.FindingsThe findings highlight how decision-making is influenced and enabled by internal (e.g. perception) and external factors (e.g. digitalization). Specifically, the strategic role of cognitive biases appears to be crucial when investigating the related impact on strategic decisions in times of environmental transformation.Practical implicationsImplications are drawn for scholars and practitioners interested in evaluating the role of specific decision-making determinants for the formation and implementation of strategic decisions. In this sense, we stress that decision-makers need to manage their cognitive biases and select the right information out of a wide data set in order to adapt to environmental transformations.Originality/valueBy systematizing the literature review, potential interrelations among environmental transformations, cognitive biases and strategic decisions are identified. Furthermore, the primary phases that drive the decision-making process are proposed (analysis, decision, onboarding and control).


2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rosa Lombardi ◽  
Giustina Secundo

Purpose This paper aims to provide a systematic literature review (SLR) of the relationship between smart and digital technologies and organisations’ reporting processes, proposing a future research agenda. The paper examines the effects of data and digital technology on the corporate reporting process by analysing the various kinds of reports by organisations. Design/methodology/approach A two-decade assessment of studies was analysed to answer research questions. A SLR explored the role of digital and smart technologies for corporate reporting processes. The Scopus database was used as a leading source for access to the articles. Initially, 163 items were collected. After reading the abstract and several refinements, 43 prioritised publications were analysed and categorised to derive significant results. Findings Results of the analysis highlight the following emerging research streams about the digital transformation of corporate reporting: digital technology for corporate information management and decision-making processes; digital technologies as a tool of stakeholder engagement and sustainable reporting practices; and finally, digital technologies as a way to address earning management, corporate social responsibility, accountability and transparency. Research limitations/implications How digital technology and data analytics may potentially transform the corporate reporting process to make it more effective, resulting in greater transparency for shareholders and all stakeholders. Originality/value The originality of this paper derives from connecting, for the first time, smart and digital technologies and corporate reporting processes, drafting the state of the art of this research topic for future research.


2018 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
pp. 173-192 ◽  
Author(s):  
João Barata ◽  
Paulo Rupino Da Cunha ◽  
Janusz Stal

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to identify avenues for future research in mobile supply chain management (mSCM) in the advent of Industry 4.0. Design/methodology/approach A systematic literature review was used to identify, classify, and analyze current knowledge, identify trends, and propose recommendations for future research. Findings Other research fields, such as operations, production, industrial engineering, and computer science, seem to have a head start in research into Industry 4.0. Several avenues are suggested for investigation under an information systems lens. Research limitations/implications Despite the care taken in the systematic literature review, the language (English), the selected keywords, and selected databases represent a natural limitation. Practical implications With Industry 4.0 at the top of the agenda of managers and countries, it is important to identify relevant research avenues. Originality/value A gap between the extant literature on mSCM and new concerns raised by Industry 4.0 is presented, and some research opportunities to close those gaps are proposed.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sherif El-Halaby ◽  
Sameh Aboul-Dahab ◽  
Nuha Bin Qoud

Purpose This paper aims to systematically review the existing studies for Accounting and Auditing Organization for Islamic Financial Institutions (AAOIFI) standards which include different tracks of researches and then identify the gaps to propose opportunities for future research. Design/methodology/approach By adopting a systematic literature review approach, 46 papers that were published between 2000 and 2020 from 23 journals concerned with AAOIFI were selected for review and analysis. Findings The authors combine electronic searches to identify relevant studies using keywords such as “AAOIFI” or and “Islamic standards.” In light of the existing studies’ limitations, this paper derives and summarizes five leading future research tracks: identifies the research gaps in AAOIFI and then suggests that AAOIFI still requires more empirical analyses; identifies the alternative analytical methods as meta-analysis; identifies additional measurements for macro and microeconomics factors; identifies recent tracks as corresponding to Covid-19 pandemic; and future studies should consider the role of central banks and positive criticism for AAOIFI. Practical implications This analysis address the literature gaps on measuring compliance, determinants and consequences of AAOIFI adoption as this study serves as a guide for the researchers, regulators and Islamic financial institutions in research associated with this area. The findings would support AAOIFI, regulators and related authorities across jurisdictions with suggestions on improving the current AAOIFI practices. Originality/value This literature review is a historical record and guidance for researchers who seek to examine and explore several questions about AAOIFI. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first paper that applies systematic literature review over AAOIFI research field.


2018 ◽  
Vol 56 (5) ◽  
pp. 1088-1107 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mu Tian ◽  
Ping Deng ◽  
Yingying Zhang ◽  
Maria Paz Salmador

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to conduct a systematic literature review of the studies that have analyzed the impact of culture on innovation.Design/methodology/approachThe authors carried out a systematic literature review of peer-reviewed articles in the past 37 years (January 1980-January 2017). Based on a total of 61 identified primary studies, the authors developed two clusters of culture definition studied in relation to innovation, including organizational culture and national culture.FindingsAfter reporting the findings of the systematic literature review, the authors discuss how a variety of culturally related factors combine to facilitate or restrict innovation performance in their corresponding cluster. The findings highlight the complex and idiosyncratic relationship between culture and innovation. Future research lines are recommended.Research limitations/implicationsThe authors adopt a systematic literature review method to probe into existing literature, inevitably missing some empirical studies. Implications for future research are suggested.Practical implicationsThe paper offers interesting implications for managers and academia. For business practitioners, this study can provide a useful reference regarding the role of cultures in the corporate internal management or international operations; for scholars, the study can provide a current research landscape and development process in this field.Originality/valueThe findings are derived from a systematic literature review that has studied the influence of culture on innovation. In addition, implications and insights as to where future research might be usefully inquired in this field are provided.


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