This paper aims to discuss how Knowledge Management (KM) can support the Industry 4.0 (I4.0) implementation. The paper analyzes the relevant literature and explores related research opportunities, which can provide insights and assist researchers in future studies. I4.0 technologies can influence work flexibility, autonomy, job performance and innovation, but the acquisition and dissemination of knowledge, especially on the shop floor, remain dependent on employees, indicating human concerns which can be supported by KM. We conducted a literature review on KM and I4.0 on 41 papers selected from the Clarivate Web of Science Core Collection, published between 2010 and 2021. Structured summaries were developed, that lead to broad themes. Findings indicate three themes relating KM and I4.0: Technology, which explores infrastructure demands for implementation and its influence on the knowledge creation process; KM and learning, which reinforces the importance of both hard and soft skills, and indicates the need to investigate enablers factors for knowledge creation and sharing; and Worker engagement, which consider communicational, cultural and trust-related aspects for worker's development. This paper explores the I4.0 implementation and indicate concerns involving workers and the technologies adoption, which can provide insights and assist researchers in future Operations Management practices and related researches.

This paper proposes knowledge-based assessment applied to Brazilian Toyota plants which practice Lean manufacturing to evaluate work, production, and knowledge factors based on the perspective of blue-collar workers and managers. The two researched plants were selected based on being pure Toyota DNA representatives, and belong to two Toyota auto parts makers (‘polar' cases), in which TPS is “transparently observable.” The results evidence that employees judge factors related to people as important and considered the relationship between knowledge and Lean in the plants are aligned. The data indicates that the Brazilian culture does not influence changes in the Toyota work context and DNA. The contribution of this study is to provide an assessment instrument that integrates the production, knowledge, and work context for a Lean system, understanding blue-collar manufacturing employees and front-line supervisors are therefore essential to the success of a Lean implementation. Finally, the paper offers a guideline to assess and develop a favorable context to encourage knowledge sharing.

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