Ecosystem Effects of the Industrial Internet of Things on Manufacturing Companies

Abstract

The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) represents a novel, future-oriented paradigm of industrial value creation, which facilitates the creation of networks across and within manufacturing companies. Consequently, the IIoT is associated with an adjusted characterization of respective business ecosystems. As current research has primarily focused on the IIoT’s technical fundamentals, economic research is still in its infancy. This article aims at examining the effects of IIoT on manufacturing companies’ business ecosystems by applying a mixed-method approach. Thus, we carried out a quantitative survey among 198 German manufacturers from several industries based on insights of 15 expert interviews. This study contributes to the sparse body of scientific IIoT literature from an economic perspective by revealing that IIoT adoption is associated with greater openness of manufacturers toward participants of all analyzed ecosystem dimensions, i.e., customers, suppliers, organizations external to the own industry, and research institutions. Moreover, an intensified ecosystem integration is expected over time.

Keywords

• Industry 4.0,Industrial Internet of Things,Business ecosystem,Manufacturing companies,mixed method

Ecosystem Effects of the Industrial Internet of Things on Manufacturing Companies

Abstract

The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) represents a novel, future-oriented paradigm of industrial value creation, which facilitates the creation of networks across and within manufacturing companies. Consequently, the IIoT is associated with an adjusted characterization of respective business ecosystems. As current research has primarily focused on the IIoT’s technical fundamentals, economic research is still in its infancy. This article aims at examining the effects of IIoT on manufacturing companies’ business ecosystems by applying a mixed-method approach. Thus, we carried out a quantitative survey among 198 German manufacturers from several industries based on insights of 15 expert interviews. This study contributes to the sparse body of scientific IIoT literature from an economic perspective by revealing that IIoT adoption is associated with greater openness of manufacturers toward participants of all analyzed ecosystem dimensions, i.e., customers, suppliers, organizations external to the own industry, and research institutions. Moreover, an intensified ecosystem integration is expected over time.

Keywords

• Industry 4.0,Industrial Internet of Things,Business ecosystem,Manufacturing companies,Mixed method

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