Title: Digital enabled agility: Industry 4.0 unlocking real-time information processing, traceability, and visibility to unleash the next extent of agility

Author (s):: Roy V.; Schoenherr T.; Jayaram J.

Journal: International Journal of Production Research

Month and Year: November 2023

Abstract: Digital enabled agility reflects the transformative outset of an organisation to first upgrade its business processes digitally towards facilitating real-time information processing/capabilities. Second, tapping from real-time capabilities, digital enabled agility maximises an agile response's efficacy in enhancing the sophistication of rapidity, flexibility, and sensing involved. In this backdrop, driven by newer IT infrastructure and disruptive technology, this research accentuates on Industry 4.0 digitalisation to understand how a manufacturer can gain digital enabled agility. An empirical survey of manufacturers within the premise of Industry 4.0 is conducted. Drawn from the findings, the capabilities of traceability and visibility can be facilitated by Industry 4.0 that would improve information sharing and information quality in real-time. These capabilities are key propellants to unlock the digital extent of agility. This research however details further how this scope of agility is an extension to that of the scope of typical agility in terms of its ability to handle expansive information processing needs and dynamic coordination/resource orchestration. Insights are weaved under the purviews of (a) organisational information processing view and (b) the manufacturer who is coordinating contemporary dynamic production and allied value chain requirements. © 2023 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.

Document Type: Article

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/00207543.2023.2284835