Organizations and Industry 4.0: Management Solutions Beyond Technology

Known models for assessing the readiness and level of Industry 4.0 implementation are helpful in revealing key technological and non-technological aspects relevant in the frame of Industry 4.0 implementation in organizations. At the forefront are technological aspects of Industry 4.0 implementation in organizations, while non-technological aspects play a marginal role. Building upon ample evidence about the role of non-technological aspects of Industry 4.0 implementation in organizations, this book addresses these ever-important non-technological aspects.

The authors address the role of management solutions in the framework of Industry 4.0 implementation through the utilization of various management tools, which support organizations working in all organizational areas. The importance of humans for Industry 4.0 is currently severely neglected, despite the many changes in the workplace. Thus, new challenges for human resource management (HRM) have emerged, such as technostress, human-robot interaction (HRI), and new tasks for employees. Non-technological aspects of Industry 4.0 are broadly influencing entire organizations, as the management tools support the working of organizations in all areas. Focusing on non-technological aspects of Industry 4.0 implementation, this book considers the utilization of traditional management tools as a key vehicle for supporting implementation in organizations. In terms of the importance of humans for implementation, at the forefront are changes in the workplace due to Industry 4.0, HRIs, and changing HRM practices.

This book will be of value to researchers, academics, and advanced students in the fields of organizational studies, HRM, and change management.

Vojko Potočan, Ph.D. (in Business) is a Full Professor of Management and Organization at the Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB), University of Maribor. He teaches in three universities in Slovenia and in several universities abroad (such as Germany, Hungary, Poland, and Croatia).

Kornélia Lazányi is a full professor of business and management. She is a faculty member of Óbuda University’s John von Neumann Faculty of Informatics and is responsible for the Business Informatics Master program. Her main fields of interest are organisational behaviour, entrepreneurship, strategy, and human resource management.

Zlatko Nedelko, Ph.D. is full professor at the University of Maribor, Faculty of Economics and Business, Slovenia. His main research interests are management, leadership, business ethics, social responsibility, Generation Z, digitalization and Industry 4.0 challenges in organizations.