Chapter 2: Technologies 4.0 Towards Digital Transformation¹

Digital transformation is modifying sectors, business models, managerial paradigms, economic relations and social practices (Andersson et al., 2018; Cavanillas, Curry, & Wahlster, 2015; Dawson, Hirt, & Scanlan, 2016; Hagiu & Wright, 2020; WEF, 2015). This rapid evolution generates on the one hand great expectations in terms of growth and improvements in efficiency and quality, and on the other hand fears in terms of job reduction, increase in inequalities and information security threats. The main drivers of such transformation are the so-called technologies 4.0 enabling connection and integration between people, machines, objects and systems.

Technologies 4.0 represent the core of the evolutionary processes of companies and involve substantial changes of activities, processes, culture, business models and value generation digital-driven. Some of them relate to the collection, management, exploitation, storage and protection of data. We refer to the internet of things (IoT), Big Data and analytics, cloud computing and cyber security technologies. Additional technologies are those able to facilitate the interaction between man and machine, such as the augmented reality, as well as those dealing with the transition from the ‘digital’ to the ‘real’ world and include Additive Manufacturing, Advanced Manufacturing Solutions, Simulation and Horizontal/Vertical integration.