Business Models for Industry 4.0: Concepts and Challenges in SME Organizations

Utilizing Industry 4.0 technologies is essential to meet consumer expectations of personalized products and services but not without obstacles and challenges. This book provides comprehensive knowledge on the operating conditions and challenges of small- and medium-sized enterprises operating in the era of Industry 4.0 and proposes a Business Model 4.0 concept.

The authors provide insights on the general conditions for the development of Economy 4.0 and Society 5.0, the expectations of modern consumers in product personalization, customization, servitization and the SME sector’s requirements. In addition, the book offers a business model of cooperation between enterprises and the concept of rapid network prototyping methodology for the implementation of personalized products. It proposes the creation of e-business platforms that will allow for better integration of the customer with the manufacturer and the possibility of greater involvement in product configurations.

The empirical research offered in this book will provide valuable insights for scholars and upper-level students across business disciplines, including strategic management, entrepreneurship, technology and innovation management.

Sandra Grabowska is Assistant Professor at the Department of Production Engineering (Silesian University of Technology). She is the author and co-author of nearly 80 scientific publications. Her research focuses on business models, modern forms of management and Industry 4.0. She is active in managerial associations and as a consultant supporting enterprise improvement.

Sebastian Saniuk is Professor at the University of Zielona Góra (Poland). He is a member of the Committee of Production Engineering of the Polish Academy of Sciences since 2015. His research interests include issues related to production management, industrial engineering and logistics, sustainable development, corporate social responsibility, particularly planning and control of production flow and modeling of production networks of small and medium enterprises, rapid prototyping and CSR in SMEs. The results of his research have been presented in over 270 national and international scientific publications including journals, monographs and conference proceedings of national and international conferences indexed in Web of Science and Scopus database. During his career, he has conducted research under several grants awarded and funded by the Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education, The National Centre for Research and Development and the European Union.