Disentangling Capabilities for Industry 4.0 - an Information Systems Capability Perspective.

Area of Science:

• Manufacturing Technology
• Information Systems
• Digital Transformation

Background:

• Industry 4.0 represents a significant shift in manufacturing, integrating physical and digital systems.
• While the drivers and concepts of Industry 4.0 are known, practical implementation strategies, particularly regarding Information Systems (IS) capabilities, are not well-defined.
• Manufacturers face challenges in fully realizing Industry 4.0's potential due to a lack of holistic understanding of necessary IS capabilities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To address the gap in understanding the 'how' of Industry 4.0 implementation.
• To develop and present a holistic Information Systems (IS) capability framework specifically for Industry 4.0.
• To provide a foundation for manufacturers to analyze and improve their IS capabilities in the context of Industry 4.0.

Main Methods:

• A structured literature review was conducted to identify and categorize IS capabilities relevant to Industry 4.0.
• The developed framework was refined and validated through expert reviews with ten Industry 4.0 specialists from academia and industry.
• The framework's practical applicability was demonstrated using a case study with a German machinery manufacturer.

Main Results:

• A comprehensive, holistic IS capability framework for Industry 4.0 was developed, encompassing both primary and support capabilities.
• The framework was validated by experts, confirming its relevance and utility for understanding Industry 4.0 IS requirements.
• The case study illustrated the practical application of the framework in a real-world manufacturing setting.

Conclusions:

• The study contributes a crucial framework for analyzing and understanding Information Systems (IS) capabilities essential for Industry 4.0.
• This research provides a theoretical foundation for future studies on Industry 4.0 IS.
• The findings offer practical guidance for manufacturers seeking to effectively implement Industry 4.0 through strategic IS capability development.