A situational approach to Industry 4.0 maturity assessment: supporting strategic decision-making in top management teams

Purpose This study aims to address the limitations of current Industry 4.0 evaluation approaches, which often rely on a one-size-fits-all philosophy. It introduces a novel situational evaluation method tailored to the unique contexts of organizations, with a focus on aligning Industry 4.0 initiatives with strategic goals. Design/methodology/approach A case study methodology was employed involving a large multinational company with over 30 subsidiaries in 14 countries across Europe and Asia. The company operates in three core EU industries: automotive, electric power transformers, and construction. The study involved the entire top management team (TMT) in order to comprehensively assess the effectiveness of the proposed evaluation approach. Findings The results demonstrate that the TMT highly valued the customized nature of the situational evaluation approach. The proposed Industry 4.0 evaluation approach significantly improved the alignment of the organization's strategic objectives between TMT members. Originality/value The study provides a novel approach to Industry 4.0 evaluation that starts with selecting and structuring digital maturity dimensions according to the needs, context, and characteristics of a specific enterprise; continues with evaluations of individual TMT use and completes with group discussion to achieve final strategic alignment and address common challenges in Industry 4.0 adoption (TMT alignment, workforce readiness, and technology integration).