Change Management in SMEs in the Industry 4.0 Era

Result code in IS VaVaI

<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F60076658%3A12510%2F25%3A43910219" target="_blank" >RIV/60076658:12510/25:43910219 - isvavai.cz</a>

Result on the web

<a href="https://ewp.ef.jcu.cz/pdfs/ewp/2025/03/01.pdf" target="_blank" >https://ewp.ef.jcu.cz/pdfs/ewp/2025/03/01.pdf</a>

DOI - Digital Object Identifier

<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.32725/ewp.2025.004" target="_blank" >10.32725/ewp.2025.004</a>

Result language

angličtina

Original language name

Change Management in SMEs in the Industry 4.0 Era

Original language description

The main aim of this paper is to evaluate whether the concept of Industry 4.0 influences current change management in small and medium-sized enterprises and what obstacles prevent its wider implementation. An online questionnaire survey was conducted in 2024 to collect data, with 203 respondents from small and medium-sized enterprises participating. The questionnaire focused primarily on topics related to the implementation of changes, awareness of Industry 4.0, and the identification of barriers to the further development of change management and modern technologies. The results show that systematic change management is often neglected in companies, and it was also found that this is particularly the case where the perception of the importance of Industry 4.0 is low. It was also found that companies with a functioning strategy are more successful in implementing change. Financial costs, insufficient employee qualifications, and employee resistance can be identified as important barriers, with these barriers particularly affecting small and micro enterprises. Factor analysis also found that the barriers can be grouped into two main categories. The research confirms that successfully managing change in the era of digitalization requires a systematic approach, management support, and knowledge of change management principles. The paper represents one phase of a broader research project.

Czech name

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Czech description

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Type

J_ost - Miscellaneous article in a specialist periodical

CEP classification

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OECD FORD branch

50204 - Business and management

Project

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Continuities

I - Institucionalni podpora na dlouhodoby koncepcni rozvoj vyzkumne organizace

Publication year

2025

Confidentiality

S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů

Name of the periodical

Economics Working Papers

ISSN

1804-5618

e-ISSN

1804-9516

Volume of the periodical

9

Issue of the periodical within the volume

3

Country of publishing house

CZ - CZECH REPUBLIC

Number of pages

69

Pages from-to

4-72

UT code for WoS article

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EID of the result in the Scopus database

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