Industry 4.0 technologies usage: motives and enablers

Purpose The paper aims to contribute a better understanding of the drivers for use Industry 4.0 technologies by investigating (1) what motivates companies consider using I4 and (2) enables (or hinders) intention translate into their actual use. Design/methodology/approach study uses survey data collected from sample export-oriented manufacturing with more than 10 employees. Final analysis is conducted on 124 companies. Findings results show that are proactively approaching I4. Only efficiency motives expected competitive advantage have positive effect technologies, which in turn positively influences external, legitimacy-based, do not play significant role explaining With respect technology enablers, employee competency moderates availability finance negatively relationship between Research limitations/implications work extends existing knowledge base major global trendsetters but heavily embedded value chains most industrially developed economies. limited small European economy should be retested other contexts. Practical implications can help managers implement successfully. Originality/value We take novel research approach proposing framework clearly distinguishes enablers technologies.