Design

As a result of dynamic markets, industrial companies often reach their limits to remain competitive. Smart connected solutions (SCS) comprise data-based and service-oriented offerings to stay successful. This paper provides practice-oriented insights into SCS maturity, challenges in building SCS business models and recommendations for action for industrial companies.

Manufacturing companies are currently facing many hurdles. It is becoming increasingly difficult for them to find qualified workers, so-called blue collar workers. Technology adoption and system usability also pose challenges in the industry, as digital time tracking and shift scheduling are far from the norm in the industrial sector. Human resources software should facilitate the daily tasks of departments in order to achieve business goals. The use of such technologies saves valuable time as processes are automated. The needs of employees are put in the foreground to improve both resource planning and communication of manufacturing companies.

In the course of digitalization, more and more digital technologies are being used in various areas of logistics. The occupational field is changing and problem-solving and abstracting skills as well as competencies in dealing with IT systems and data are increasingly required. Based on a literature review, this article provides an overview of the current situation in the logistics working world. Effects of digitalization as well as requirements and future competencies in the working world 4.0 are highlighted. Finally, a guideline for the management level is derived in order to promote the acquisition of competencies. (Only in German)

In practice, the integration of heterogeneous IoT components is often a complex and confusing process. The different ways of representing information about individual assets create the desire for a standardized representation. The administration shell (AAS) creates a digital exchange format for this purpose. This potential is to be exploited and put into practice as part of the EIT project "AASHub". The aim of the project is to develop a process for integrating information from the administration shell into the IoT platform "Contact Elements for IoT". (Only in German)

An essential component of digital value creation is the innovation of digitally networked business models. By networking different actors and service bundles, new customer value can be created. However, this networking leads to increased complexity, which makes it difficult for tradition- al industrial companies in particular to exploit these opportunities in a meaningful way. For this reason, a system is presented that reduces com- plexity through modelling and makes it possible to compare the effort and benefits of business model ideas at an early stage.

A robust and resilient supply chain is a critical success factor for the competitiveness of manufacturing companies. However, today’s supply chain faces various challenges, such as higher complexities and increasing dynamics coming from megatrends (i. e. globalization and sustainability). The medium-sized drive technology industry, with its global supply chains and high customer requirements, is particularly affected by these challenges. Therefore, digitalization initiatives are crucial. This article analyzes current digitalization projects in the drive technology industry in order to identify relevant trends and fields of application. Synthesized from the industry's target picture for higher resilience/ flexibility, greater transparency and more sustainability along the supply chain, these provide guidance for medium-sized companies and their digitalization strategies. (Only in German)

Technology is disruptive when it leads to fundamentally new business models, products and production concepts. It is not just about the technology. Disruption only occurs when new technology is used in the context of a new business model or in fundamentally changed processes. Cyber-physical systems can be used disruptively. (Only in German)

Germany is the largest European trading partner of the People's Republic of China. The main exports are chemical products, machinery, motor vehicles and electrical engineering. However, German companies are finding it difficult to gain access to the Chinese B2C-market. E-commerce, which has been expanded in recent years, can enable German companies to enter the Chinese custom- er market. The article presents the situation of e-commerce in China and shows relevant support offers of the platform operators, which, however, can lead to economic dependency. For German companies, it seems advantageous to deal with the principles of success of Chinese e-commerce in order to implement them in their traditional markets.