Exploration of Differences in Managers’ Perception of the Industry 4.0 Advantages for Manufacturing Enterprises in the Czech Republic

Abstract

Since the beginning of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, enterprises have been promising the main advantages and benefits of implementing the Industry 4.0 technologies. However, the perception of new Industry 4.0 technologies may vary between different types of enterprises. The paper focuses on the main advantages of Industry 4.0 technologies for manufacturing enterprises. We analyze the difference of enterprise size and technological intensity in enterprise managers’ perception. The research was conducted based on a questionnaire survey that participated 217 enterprises from the Czech Republic. Statistical analysis showed that higher productivity and production volume are the main advantages of Industry 4.0. The present results show differences between enterprises according to their size. However, differences related to the technological complexity of enterprises have not been confirmed as an essential factor.