SME

The Potential Model

The Potential Model

Supporting SMEs in selecting suitable Industry 4.0 solutions
Patrick Schumacher, Christian Weckenborg ORCID Icon, Thomas S. Spengler, David Schneider, Tobias Huth, Thomas Vietor
The implementation of Industry 4.0 solutions offers great potential for meeting growing challenges in the context of digitization. Nevertheless, particularly small and medium-sized companies are hesitant to implement Industry 4.0 solutions. Within the framework of the ERDF research project »Synus«, methods and tools were developed to support small and medium-sized companies in the evaluation and selection of Industry 4.0 solutions. This contribution presents the potential model, which enables small and medium-sized enterprises to select suitable Industry 4.0 solutions.
Industrie 4.0 Management | Volume 36 | 2020 | Edition 6 | Pages 25-29 | DOI 10.30844/I40M_20-6_S25-29
Development of a Methodology for Selecting a Traceability System

Development of a Methodology for Selecting a Traceability System

Entwicklung einer Methodik zur Auswahl eines Traceability-Systems
Nicolas Wittine ORCID Icon, Tim Trostmann, Ana Luiza Amaral Bicalho, Christian Kern, Sigrid Wenzel ORCID Icon, Robert Refflinghaus
Traceability systems are used in large companies to trace and track products. Although these systems aid to avoid quality and cost risks, they are only used hesitantly in SMEs. This is partly due to a lack of market transparency. Consequently, a methodology is needed that enables SMEs to capture their requirements using reference products and processes and to map them to available software solutions. This paper deals with a methodology that simplifies the selection process and focuses on the approach regarding the creating reference products and processes.
Industrie 4.0 Management | Volume 36 | 2020 | Edition 6 | Pages 35-38
Ten Commandments for a Successful Implementation of Digitalization Projects

Ten Commandments for a Successful Implementation of Digitalization Projects

Guidelines for Digital Transformation
Mikko Börkircher, Veit Hartmann, Tim Jeske
In many companies there is still a lack of clarity about the “right” way to implement digitalization projects. Therefore, the article describes guidelines for the successful implementation of digitalization projects. They are derived from the experience of various practical projects and include considerations of economic efficiency as well as resources and staff. Structured as “Ten Commandments for Digitalization Projects”, they are designed to support actors in the practical implementation of digitalization projects
Industrie 4.0 Management | Volume 36 | 2020 | Edition 6 | Pages 55-58
Agility as Consequence or Prerequisite of Digitization?

Agility as Consequence or Prerequisite of Digitization?

Dominic Lindner, Michael Amberg
Companies have always been in a constant state of change. This change is today closely linked to the buzzword’s “digitization” and “agility”. Agile methods, especially in complex projects, can pave the way for targeted digitization and, on the other hand, provide a more agile way of working for digital technologies. Through group discussions with managers from small and medium-sized IT companies, this article focuses on the question of whether agility is the precondition or consequence of targeted digitization. This article is aimed at decision-makers from SMEs who want to increase the degree of agility in the company in the context of increasing digitization.
Industrie 4.0 Management | Volume 35 | 2019 | Edition 4 | Pages 30-34 | DOI 10.30844/I40M_19-4_S30-34
Industry 4.0 Platforms from the Perspective of SMEs

Industry 4.0 Platforms from the Perspective of SMEs

How to tackle managerial challenges
Julian M. Müller, Johannes W. Veile, Kai-Ingo Voigt
Digitalen Plattformen im Kontext von Industrie 4.0 werden zahlreiche Potenziale zugeschrieben. Allerdings birgt deren Implementierung und Nutzung einige Herausforderungen, insbesondere für kleine und mittlere Unternehmen. Der vorliegende Beitrag untersucht die Herausforderungen durch digitale Plattformen mithilfe von qualitativ-empirischen Interviews von 83 Experten aus mittelständischen deutschen Industrieunternehmen. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass unter anderem Herausforderungen in Bezug auf Vertrauen, Konkurrenzdenken und Koordinationsaufwand existieren. Aus den Ergebnissen können strategische Handlungsempfehlungen abgeleitet werden, wie mittelständische Unternehmen den Herausforderungen begegnen können, um die Potenziale von digitalen Plattformen zu heben.
Industrie 4.0 Management | Volume 35 | 2019 | Edition 3 | Pages 63-66
Knowledge Management at SMEs by Assistance Systems

Knowledge Management at SMEs by Assistance Systems

Effizienzsteigernder Einsatz von Assistenzsystemen in KMU
Mandy Tawalbeh, Luise Weißflog, Hendrik Hopf
Industry 4.0 and digitalisation are also increasingly finding their way into everyday production processes in SMEs. The focus is e. g. on assistance systems that support employees in their work. Resulting communication is significantly facilitated and at the same time the required information is available at the appropriate workplace at the right time. The ‘Mittelstand 4.0 Kompetenzzentrum Chemnitz‘ has dedicated itself to this challenge together with two SMEs.
Industrie 4.0 Management | Volume 35 | 2019 | Edition 3 | Pages 15-18
Industry 4.0 Is Not Just Digital Change, But It Is Revolution

Industry 4.0 Is Not Just Digital Change, But It Is Revolution

Thomas Steckenreiter, Thorsten Pötter, Claus Riehle
The story behind “Industry 4.0” has a much bigger scope as it is talked about, according to the authors particularly in the management of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). For this reason the paper on one hand lists the essential prerequisites for Industry 4.0, on the other hand it describes the features of the “Digitalisation” which make the upcoming move revolutionary. A consequent digitalisation of processes in organisations in terms of automation takes away people’s effort for decision-making as well as semi-autonomous, networked artificial intelligence (AI) does. This facilitates and irritates participants of organisation equally. The digital transformation will have consequences for production and organisation therefore, i.e. this change will influence technology and corporate culture.
Industrie 4.0 Management | Volume 34 | 2018 | Edition 2 | Pages 43-47 | DOI 10.30844/I40M18-2_43-47
Big Data Analytics in Order Management

Big Data Analytics in Order Management

Tapping into untapped potential in the highly varied world of small-batch production
René Wöstmann, Fabian Nöhring, Jochen Deuse ORCID Icon, Ralf Klinkenberg, Thomas Lacker
The advancing digitization leads to new possibilities for the design and digital support of business processes. In particular, non-R&D-intensive, mostly small and medium-sized enterprises, face great challenges in realizing these potentials. In the context of this article, various application scenarios are outlined. A detailed example of a non-R&D-intensive company shows how the procurement can be supported by the analysis and forecasting of relevant data, e.g. process data or the availability and costs of components, as well as the creation of the offer.
Industrie 4.0 Management | Volume 33 | 2017 | Edition 4 | Pages 7-11
Digitization of SMEs – How Digitized are They?

Digitization of SMEs - How Digitized are They?

Wie digitalisiert sehen sich die Unternehmen und wie digitalisiert sind diese tatsächlich?
Marko Ott, Christian Leyh
Due to an ongoing digitization of everyday life and fast changes in the business environment, enterprises face numerous external and internal challenges. In order to stay compe-titive, enterprises, especially SMEs require an effective use of information and communication technology (ICT) as well as a deep understanding of ICT in general and in digital innovation in particular. In this paper, we reveal the self-assessment of 24 companies regarding their own digitization level and ICT use as well as regarding further aspects, challenges and requirements regarding the complex topic of digitization.
Industrie 4.0 Management | Volume 33 | 2017 | Edition 3 | Pages 21-25
Industry 4.0: Knowledge Transfer and Competence Profiles

Industry 4.0: Knowledge Transfer and Competence Profiles

Knowledge Transfer and Competence Profiles for the Smart Factory
Dominik T. Matt, Michael Riedl, Erwin Rauch
In the context of this article, a methodology for an efficient transfer of knowledge from research into industrial practice regarding cyber-physical production systems is presented. The methodology serves above all to sensitize small and medium-sized (SME) enterprises to the possible potentials of the so-called Industry 4.0. The starting point for this is the need-oriented and individual specification of knowledge required for a practical knowledge transfer and the development of tailor-made competence profiles of future employees in smart SMEs
Industrie 4.0 Management | Volume 33 | 2017 | Edition 3 | Pages 11-15
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