Resolving the productivity paradox of digitalised production

Abstract

Although Industry 4.0 and other initiatives predict widespread adoption of digitalised technology on the factory floor, few companies use new digitalised production technology holistically in their ecosystems; in practical implementation, companies often decide against digitalisation for financial reasons. This is due to a paradox (akin to the so called “productivity paradox”) caused by the complexity of value creation and value delivery within digitalised production. This article analyses and synthesises cross-disciplinary research using a grounded theory model, thus offering valuable insights for businesses considering investing in digitalised production. A qualitative model and an associated toolbox (complete with tools for practical application by business leaders and decision-makers) are presented to address organisational uncertainty and leadership disconnect that often contribute to the paradoxical gap between digital strategy and operational implementation.