Manufacturing strategy 4.0: a framework to usher towards industry 4.0 implementation for digital transformation
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/IMDS-12-2021-0790 |
| Published date | 01 November 2022 |
| Date | 01 November 2022 |
| Pages | 10-40 |
| Subject Matter | Information & knowledge management,Information systems,Data management systems,Knowledge management,Knowledge sharing,Management science & operations,Supply chain management,Supply chain information systems,Logistics,Quality management/systems |
| Author | Vishwas Dohale,Priyanka Verma,Angappa Gunasekaran,Milind Akarte |
Manufacturing strategy 4.0:
a framework to usher towards
industry 4.0 implementation
for digital transformation
Vishwas Dohale
Department of Operations and Supply Chain Management,
National Institute of Industrial Engineering, Mumbai, India and
Goldratt Consulting, Mumbai, India
Priyanka Verma
Department of Operations and Supply Chain Management,
National Institute of Industrial Engineering, Mumbai, India
Angappa Gunasekaran
School of Business Administration, Penn State Harrisburg,
Middletown, Pennsylvania, USA, and
Milind Akarte
Department of Operations and Supply Chain Management,
National Institute of Industrial Engineering, Mumbai, India
Abstract
Purpose –The role of industry 4.0 (I4.0) technologies for organizations to achieve a competitive advantage and
mitigatedisruptive emergencysituationsare well exhibitedin literature. However,more light needsto be thrown
intoimplementingI4.0 technologiesto digitallytransformorganizations.This paperintroduces a novelframework
for formulating manufacturing strategy4.0 (MS 4.0) that guides organizations to implementI4.0 successfully.
Design/methodology/approach –The experts working in I4.0 and technology management domains were
interviewed to determine the definition, role and process for formulating MS 4.0. Text mining using
VOSViewer© is performed on the experts’opinions to determine the key terms from the opinions through
keyword analysis. The identified key terms are mapped together using the existing traditional manufacturing
strategy formulation framework to develop the MS 4.0 framework. Finally, the proposed MS 4.0 framework is
validated through a triangulation approach.
Findings–This study captured the role, definition and process to formulate MS 4.0 and proposed a framework
to help practitioners implement I4.0 at manufacturingorganizations to achieve competitiveness during normal
and emergency situations.
Research limitations/implications –The proposed MS 4.0 framework can assist industry practitioners in
formulatingthestrategy for implementingtheI4.0 technology/giesto digitallytransformtheir manufacturingfirm
toretain the maximummanufacturingoutput and becomemarket competentin normal andemergency situations.
Originality/value –This study is the first of its kind in the body of knowledge to formulate a digital
transformation strategy, i.e. MS 4.0, to implement I4.0 technologies through a manufacturing strategic lens.
Keywords Manufacturing strategy, Industry 4.0, Experts’opinion, Text mining, Natural language
processing, Emergency situations and disruptions
Paper type Research paper
IMDS
123,1
10
The authors express their sincerest gratitude to the anonymous reviewers, guest editors and EIC for
their constant feedback on the improvement of the manuscript. The authors are immensely grateful to
the experts for their continuous suggestions and active involvement that makes this work complete.
Finally, the authors appreciate the support provided by the Digital Manufacturing Lab (DML), NITIE,
Mumbai, for providing the facility to conduct this research.
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:
https://www.emerald.com/insight/0263-5577.htm
Received 29 December 2021
Revised 13 March 2022
13 May 2022
30 July 2022
16 August 2022
11 October 2022
Accepted 14 October 2022
Industrial Management & Data
Systems
Vol. 123 No. 1, 2023
pp. 10-40
© Emerald Publishing Limited
0263-5577
DOI 10.1108/IMDS-12-2021-0790
1. Introduction
Industry 4.0, or the fourth industrial “internet-triggered”technological revolution, consists of
advanced digital technologies viz. IoT, blockchain, cloud manufacturing, big data, artificial
intelligence, additive manufacturing, reconfigurable manufacturing, augmented reality,
simulation, digital twin, etc., which help build smart and intelligent manufacturing facilities
(Zheng et al., 2021;Zhong et al., 2017). Smart manufacturing, which is considered to be the
central pillar of I4.0, encompasses these technologies and transforms organizations digitally
in the pursuit of achieving market competence (Wang et al., 2016), as shown in Figure 1.
Recently, the COVID-19 pandemic crisis has highlighted the remarkable role of I4.0
technologies during emergency situations to the research fraternity (Haleem et al., 2020;
Javaid et al., 2020). Organizations aspire to create a digital transformation at their facilities
through I4.0 implementation. However, the complex architecture of I4.0 remains a hurdle to
its effective implementation (Frank et al., 2019;Sony, 2020). Hence, despite the most trending
topics in academia and professional fields, the practical implantation of I4.0 in manufacturing
remains a significant research topic (Dalenogare et al., 2018;Hoyer et al., 2021).
Manufacturing strategy (MS) helps industries overcome the complexities in
manufacturing function by effectively organizing manufacturing decisions, which in turn,
provides a competitive advantage (Hayes and Schmenner, 1978;Kharub et al., 2022;
Miltenburg, 2008;Skinner, 1969). The manufacturing decisions are of two kinds, i.e. structural
and infrastructural. Structural decisions involve long-term commitments and focus on
capacity, type of process technology and sourcing. Infrastructural decisions involve a shorter
time perception and are related to human resource, production planning and control and
organizational structure and control (Chatha et al., 2018;Miltenburg, 2008). The essence of MS
is to plan how these manufacturing decisions are taken to facilitate manufacturing activity
for achieving the company’s long-range advantage by improving its manufacturing
performance (Demeter, 2003;Dohale et al., 2020;Wheelwright and Bowen, 1996).
As discussed earlier, the complex system structure of I4.0 is a reason for the difficulty in
implementing it. MS aids in successful technology implementation (Voss, 2015). MS is a
component of operations strategy that encompasses different sub-strategies linked with
technology, capacityand processdecisions (Hill and Hill, 2009;Miltenburg, 2005,2008;Slack and
Lewis, 2018). Each of the sub-strategy defines the policies within a particular function. For
example, a process strategydefines a suitable strategic processfor manufacturing goods(Hi ll
and Hill, 2009;Miltenburg, 2008). While technology strategy is concerned with the investment
and implementation decisions in the suitable advanced technologies (Docherty, 2018;Hayes
et al., 2011;Orr, 1999;Sohal et al., 1991). MS not only formulates the policies for the process,
technology and capacity decisions but also exhibits congruence amongst them and alig ns
manufacturing decisions with them to retain competitiveness (Chatha and Butt, 2015;
Miltenburg, 2008). Further, Hoyer et al. (2021) recommend developing a holistic approach that
guidesindustriesin I4.0 implementation.Thus, to havea holistic perspectiveof all sub-strategies
in implementing I4.0, an overall manufacturing strategy is crucial to be formulated.
Figure 1.
Smart manufacturing
framework
Manufacturing
strategy 4.0
11
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