Purpose The purpose of this paper is to discover how Hungarian manufacturing companies interpret technology and human resources as driving forces and barriers in terms of Industry 4.0 implementation. Design/methodology/approach The authors conducted 23 semi-structured interviews with corporate leaders and applied qualitative content analysis using Atlas.ti software. Findings The authors formulated a new definition of Industry 4.0 which emphasises the role of human factors. The authors identified driving forces (efficiency with speed/information flow/precision) and barriers (technology compatibility, human fears and lack of digital skills) in terms of Industry 4.0 implementation and developed the DIGI-TEcH performance management dimensions. Research limitations/implications Comparison with other countries is limited. Given the exploratory and qualitative nature, further quantitative research would be needed to generalise results. Finally, only manufacturing companies are examined. Practical implications It provides empirical evidence to practitioners to understand concerns about technology and human resource in terms of Industry 4.0 implementation. In addition, corporate performance management can be extended by the developed DIGI-TEcH dimensions. Originality/value This paper reveals key evidence for the uptake of technology and human factors in terms of Industry 4.0 implementation and their impacts on corporate operation and performance. It also provides an insight into a specific country context, which can be a useful benchmark for other Central and Eastern European countries.

The COVID-19 pandemic forced many universities to close doors and keep students completely online—a phenomenon that raised unprecedented challenges with lessons learned that should be integrated into future educational knowledge management strategies and practices. Special attention should be given to students’ learning habits. This paper presents the results of a semi-systematic literature review on the research problem and a survey of a sample of business students regarding their learning habits and preferences. Learnings of the research can be useful for the transition to an entirely online distance education, integrated in the framework of knowledge management strategies regarding e-learning in universities. The primary quantitative research was conducted before the start of the lockdown, and the results give useful insights that can be translated into mandatory elements for any strategy designed to assure a smooth and effective passage from in-class education to online teaching and learning. Students’ pre-epidemic learning habits, their use of communication tools and their preferences for solutions usable in distance education, with a special focus on gender and education level, have been investigated. Results are correlated in the paper with possible knowledge management strategies in universities as part of an approach with both academic and practical implications.

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Internet, közösségi média, digitális transzformáció, dolgok internete, okos technológiák, mesterséges intelligencia: egyre inkább a hétköznapok részévé válnak. Az automatizáció és a robotika az Ipar 4.0 alapkövei. A vállalatoknak most kell dönteniük arról, hogy integrálják-e a mesterséges intelligenciát, robotokat a működésükbe, továbbá bátorítják-e a munkatársakat, hogy robotokkal dolgozzanak együtt. Néhány tanulmány készült már eddig arról, hogy ezekkel a változásokkal kapcsolatban milyen attitűdök jelennek meg a munkahelyeken. Jelen kutatás összefoglalja egy projekt első eredményeit, amelynek célja annak feltárása, hogy Magyarországon milyen előítéletek és attitűdök vannak jelen a vállalatoknál; mire van szükségük ahhoz, hogy elfogadják a változást és szélesebb körben alkalmazzák a technológia vívmányait. A kutatás kvalitatív módszertanra, vezetőkkel készített interjúkra épül. Az eredmények alapján a technológiai változásokkal szemben tartózkodó állásponton vannak a vállalatok, de ahol már bevezették az Ipar 4.0 egyes elemeit, ott a pozitív tapasztalatok felülírják a félelmet és hatékonyabban tudják a munkát elvégezni.

Organizational transformation for digitalization is a daily challenge for organizations. Successful change can be defined as the combined result of a number of factors, in which the attitude, trust and/or distrust of employees towards technology is of paramount importance. The aim of this study was to explore which factors most influence employees’ trust in technology and how the risk they pose can be mitigated. The quantitative research analyzed 473 respondents (Smart PLS3, using SEM model) and came to the following conclusions. Employees’ trust in technology depends primarily on the supportive role of management, and to a lesser extent on the digital readiness of the company and the training provided in the organization. The supportive role of management is a key element in the model, as it affects trust not only in a direct way, but also indirectly, through several pathways in the model. This means that the supportive role of leadership is clearly a decisive influence and its importance helps to assess the risk of trust or lack of trust.