Enabling Technologies for Industry 4.0 Manufacturing and Supply Chain: Concepts, Current Status, and Adoption Challenges

Abstract

Purpose: This article aims to evaluate the current adoption of Industry 4.0, enabling technologies (I4.0-ET) in the manufacturing and supply chain management (SCM) context. The evaluation provides insights on critical concepts, current status, and adoption challenges. Further, a summation of underexplored research areas in the I4.0-ET context is presented. Methodology: This article applies a systematic literature review approach to present essential literature across multiple databases. The search scope includes Scopus, Web of Science, Science Direct, EBSCO, and ProQuest. Research publications have systematically been selected with a focus on the adoption of I4.0-ET to provide collective insights through theoretical synthesis into fields and subfields. The selected publications are further classified into five groups depending on relevance to manufacturing and SCM to aid additional visualizations. Findings: The article reveals 65% of the articles published between 2015 and 2019. An in-depth analysis of these publications shows the adoption of I4.0-ET in the manufacturing and supply chain sector gained attention in recent years and is still at a nascent stage. There are substantial challenges that need to be addressed to accelerate adoption. These challenges are discussed in detail as avenues for future research. Practical Implications: This article facilitates practicing managers toward enabling technologies concepts, challenges, and risks linked with its adoption in manufacturing and SCM. The discussions help frame strategies to prioritize efforts for I4.0-ET incorporation. Originality: This article is among the first to provide theoretical contributions by performing in-depth analysis and classification of existing literature on the adoption of I4.0-ET in manufacturing and SCM context.

Topics & Concepts