The impact of Industry 4.0 on organizational performance : the case of Pakistan’s retail industry

Purpose – The purpose of this paper was to assess and determine the impact of the five core technologies of Industry 4.0 (3D Printing, Big Data Analytics, Cloud Computing, Internet of Things (IoT) and Robotics) on the organizational performance of the retail industry in the context of Pakistan. Design/methodology/approach – Pakistan’s retail industry was chosen as the target sector, and the target population was composed of senior-level employees, including managers from first-level positions to top-level positions, as well as subordinate employees working under the supervision of first-level managers, possessing the technological know-how of Industry 4.0. The data were collected through a matrix-based survey questionnaire that was based on a five-point Likert scale, ranging from “strongly agree” to “strongly disagree.” The process of data analysis was conducted using IBM SPSS Statistics. Findings – The findings obtained by this research work showed a significant relationship among the five core pillars of Industry 4.0 and the organizational performance of Pakistan’s retail industry. Besides, the obtained findings provided preliminary evidence that Industry 4.0’s disruptive technologies, particularly, 3D printing, big data analytics, cloud computing, IoT and robotics, could help Pakistan’s retail industry solve various problems and challenges, such as meager revenues, increased expenses and unorganized systems. Originality/value – The present study extended the theoretical body of knowledge through studying and examining Industry 4.0’s five crucial factors that significantly contribute to the service sector, particularly, the retail industry, of the big emerging markets (BEM) economies, including Pakistan.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Risks associated with Logistics 4.0 and their minimization using Blockchain

Currently we are saying that we are at the dawn of the fourth revolution, which is marked by using cyber-physical systems and the Internet of Things. This is marked as Industry 4.0 (I4.0). With Industry 4.0 is also closely linked concept Logistics 4.0. The highly dynamic and uncertain logistic markets and huge logistic networks require new methods, products and services. The concept of the Internet of Things and Services (IoT&S), Big Data/Data Mining (DM), cloud computing, 3D printing, Blockchain and cyber physical system (CPS) etc. seem to be the probable technical solution for that. However, associated risks hamper its implementation and lack a comprehensive overview. In response, the paper proposes a framework of risks in the context of Logistics 4.0. They are here economic risks, that are associated e.g. with high or false investments. From a social perspective, risks the job losses, are considered too. Additionally, risks can be associated with technical risks, e.g. technical integration, information technology (IT)-related risks such as data security, and legal and political risks, such as for instance unsolved legal clarity in terms of data possession. It is therefore necessary to know the potential risks in the implementation process.Web of Science101857

The 4th industrial revolution's challenges at the wood industrial manufactories

Substantial technological advances appeared in the industrial sector in the last years. Developments are based on the “Internet of things” idea, called as “Industry 4.0” in Europe. The name is referring to the phenomena that many experts think this is the fourth industrial revolution. The goal of these projects are to create live connections among all industrial machines, tools and the central units. Some techniques and tools, e.g., sensors, big data, cloud computing, 3D printing, robotics and artificial intelligence, support the IT developments also. The decision making in the industry will be automated and quick because of the new methods and tools

Purchase or rent? Optimal pricing for 3D printing capacity sharing platforms

Online sharing platforms have attracted considerable research and management attention across a number of industries, including travel, real estate, and cloud computing. They also have great potential for the 3D printing (3DP) industry, offering users the choice between owning or renting 3DP capacity. For matching supply and demand, capacity pricing is crucial. In this paper we consider two fundamental questions concerning pricing: (i) What is the optimal pricing strategy for a 3DP capacity sharing platform? (ii) How do usage level and printer heterogeneity affect consumers’ choice between in-house printing (owning) and outsourcing (renting)? Using queuing analysis, we derive the structural properties of the solutions to the problems. Furthermore, we conduct numerical studies using real-world data to generate managerial insights from the analytical findings. A key finding is that governments should focus on encouraging technological progress to lower the printers’ prices in order to improve the well-being of the industry. When considering two types of printers, we find that it is more beneficial for the platform if the high capacity printer dominates the market, as the platform then retains the prominent role in “redistributing” the 3DP capacity.</p

Survey on Additive Manufacturing, Cloud 3D Printing and Services

Cloud Manufacturing (CM) is the concept of using manufacturing resources in a service oriented way over the Internet. Recent developments in Additive Manufacturing (AM) are making it possible to utilise resources ad-hoc as replacement for traditional manufacturing resources in case of spontaneous problems in the established manufacturing processes. In order to be of use in these scenarios the AM resources must adhere to a strict principle of transparency and service composition in adherence to the Cloud Computing (CC) paradigm. With this review we provide an overview over CM, AM and relevant domains as well as present the historical development of scientific research in these fields, starting from 2002. Part of this work is also a meta-review on the domain to further detail its development and structure

Defining and identifying the knowledge economy in Scotland: a regional perspective on a global phenomenon

The development and growth of a knowledge economy has become a key policy aim forgovernments in all advanced economies. This is based on recognition that technologicalchange, the swift growth of global communications, and the ease of mobility of capital across national borders has dramatically changed the patterns of international trade and investment. The economic fate of individual nations is now inseparably integrated into the ebb and flow of the global economy. When companies can quickly move capital to those geographical locations which offer the best return, a country's long term prosperity is now heavily dependent on its abilityto retain the essential factors of production that are least mobile. This has led to apremium being placed on the knowledge and skills embodied in a country's labourforce, as it has become a widely accepted view that a country which possesses a high level of knowledge and skills in its workforce will have a competitive advantage overothers with a lower domestic skill base. Knowledge and skills are thought to be thebasis for the development of a knowledge economy

The potential of additive manufacturing in the smart factory industrial 4.0: A review

Additive manufacturing (AM) or three-dimensional (3D) printing has introduced a novel production method in design, manufacturing, and distribution to end-users. This technology has provided great freedom in design for creating complex components, highly customizable products, and efficient waste minimization. The last industrial revolution, namely industry 4.0, employs the integration of smart manufacturing systems and developed information technologies. Accordingly, AM plays a principal role in industry 4.0 thanks to numerous benefits, such as time and material saving, rapid prototyping, high efficiency, and decentralized production methods. This review paper is to organize a comprehensive study on AM technology and present the latest achievements and industrial applications. Besides that, this paper investigates the sustainability dimensions of the AM process and the added values in economic, social, and environment sections. Finally, the paper concludes by pointing out the future trend of AM in technology, applications, and materials aspects that have the potential to come up with new ideas for the future of AM explorations

Leeds College of Building: report from the Inspectorate (FEFC inspection report; 92/97)

The Further Education Funding Council has a legal duty to make sure further education in England is properly assessed. The FEFC’s inspectorate inspects and reports on each college of further education according to a four-year cycle. This record is for one of these reports

Leeds College of Technology: report from the Inspectorate (FEFC inspection report; 92/97 and 33/01)

The Further Education Funding Council has a legal duty to make sure further education in England is properly assessed. The FEFC’s inspectorate inspects and reports on each college of further education according to a four-year cycle. This record comprises the reports for periods 1996-97 and 2000-0