Knowledge and digital strategies in manufacturing firms: The experience of top performers

Abstract

In the past few decades, ICT supported firms managing knowledge through both codification and social interaction, also at distance. Within the Industry 4.0 framework, firms can access knowledge through the cloud and rely on big data and AI to improve their processes and enhance their market comprehension. However, it is not fully explored how knowledge management should be organized in the fourth industrial revolution, since a lot of emphasis has been given to automatization in data management, while the relational dimension of knowledge management has received limited attention. Through an empirical analysis based on mixed method of a survey on 75 top performing Italian manufacturing firms and follow-up on 5 case studies, the chapter explores these questions to identify the implications of Industry 4.0 for firms’ strategy.