Industry 4.0: Individual Perceptions About Its Nine Technologies

Industry 4.0 is a trendy concept that everyone is talking about. However, there are several concepts and technologies attached to Industry 4.0. The concept is considered as the most recent industrial revolution and takes us to the domains of automation, digitalization, information, etc. The concept is gaining in popularity, but sometimes firms and employees are not able to follow new trends. The paper summarizes a research on the concepts of Industry 4.0 and 9 technologies commonly associated with the Industry 4.0 umbrella. Most of the literature recognizes it as something that can bring several benefits to firms. However, it is also pointed out that the adoption of these technologies relies on several factors. The current study focuses on the human factors. A group of 260 respondents participated in a questionnaire and were asked about their perceptions of Industry 4.0 and its technologies. The main purpose was to find different responses to Industry 4.0 technologies, according to age, education level, gender or field of studies. In general, all the individuals present a similar approach. The Main differences were found on Big Data, Augmented Reality and Simulation technologies.