Maturity Models in the Age of Industry 4.0 – Do the Available Models Correspond to the Needs of Business Practice?

Abstract

Maturity models (MMs) enable users to identify the need for change and to derive the necessary measures to accompany the change process. Existing literature reviews indicate that the number of available models has increased sharply in recent years. At the same time, it is found that the number of model applications does not keep up with the pace of development. Against the background of the current digitization trend, this article empirically investigates which models are actually used in business practice. We find that the degree of application is very low. Moreover, we also examine user-related model requirements, reasons for employing MMs, and the purpose of using MMs, which can support the user-centered development of future MMs.

Overcoming the Ivory Tower: A Meta Model for Staged Maturity Models

“…A recent study revealed that almost all scientific and many consultancy MMs (in the field of Industrial Internet) are still not being used or are even unknown in business practice, although potential applicants stated a need for and interest in these models in general [21]. As this discrepancy comes as a surprise, we assume a weak point either in the development or application of MMs (Fig.…”

“…In other words, syntax and semantics vary across MMs, which is why, on the one hand, companies (as applicants) do not use or apply the models, as they simply do not understand their structure and effects. On the other hand, researchers tend to develop even more and new MMs, as they do not recognize existing models as similar or comparable MM approaches (i.e., from 2016 to 2018, 18 new MMs had been developed in the domain of Industry 4.0 [21]). What is needed is an overarching, holistic conceptual framework that can unify and standardize the individual objectives and goals.…”

Developing an Industry 4.0 Readiness Model for Indian Engineering Industries

“…Industry 4.0 readiness models are important for the organizations as it will help in understanding the present position of the organization and the change that is required for the application of Industry 4.0. In the Industry 4.0 implementation sense, it can be seen as a management tool, which will help in realignment, reconfiguration and renewal of organizations capabilities and capacities [25].Furthermore, the application of Industry 4.0 will result ina creation of new business models, strategies, KPI, etc [4,6]. Thus, it is pertinent to…”

The Digital Supply Chain of the Future: Technologies, Applications and Business Models

“…Apparently, the creators of the different models have not yet succeeded in translating their abstract concepts into practicable tools. The authors try to understand the purpose behind using maturity models in practice, to identify concrete practical requirements and to deliver recommendations for future research and development of the existing maturity models [1].…”