Organizational learning paths based upon Industry 4.0 adoption: an empirical study with Brazilian manufacturers

Abstract

This article aims at examining the mediating role played by Organizational Learning (OL) capabilities at different contextualization levels on the association between Industry 4.0 (I4.0) technologies and operational performance. For that, we gathered information from 135 firms that have initiated their digital transformation towards the fourth industrial revolution era. Data was analyzed by means of multivariate data techniques. Our results show that learning capabilities at an organization level positively mediate the impact of I4.0 for achieving higher operational performance levels. However, OL at a team and individual level may not present a significant effect on such mediation. As I4.0 is claimed to facilitate a faster and more efficient identification and solution of manufacturing problems, our research provides empirical evidence to indicate that companies that systematically foster learning and knowledge sharing at an organization level can obtain greater benefits from I4.0 technologies adoption.