Date of Award

Fall 12-1-2023

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

College of Technology

Abstract

Industry 4.0 is the next frontier in manufacturing evolution. Industry 4.0 is the term coined by the German government based on the research work of Henning Kaegermann. Multiple studies have been published worldwide, showing the slow or no adoption of Industry 4.0 technologies. Factors such as high costs, unproven technologies, integration, and others impacting the adoption are areas of concern. Readiness is an important factor that impacts adoption. Understanding the current readiness for Industry 4.0 to predict future adoption levels is important. It is vital to understand the readiness of manufacturing companies to adopt Industry 4.0 technologies, as this is missing in the current research. This research assessed the Industry 4.0 readiness for US manufacturing companies. The quantitative and correlational study measured the readiness of US manufacturing based on the company size as well as the type of manufacturing process. The readiness data was collected using an online questionnaire from manufacturing company leaders. In addition, the driving factors and obstacles were also evaluated. The study found that Industry 4.0 Readiness is impacted by company manufacturing process but not company size. It concluded with a new readiness framework and recommendations to improve Industry 4.0 adoption.

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