Abstract:

This study proposes a research model for investigating the expected effects of new business model design based on digital technologies related to logistics and production processes in manufacturing enterprises on corporate performance. The study's main goal is to create a unique evaluation scale that addresses the concepts of Industry 4.0 and the circular economy. The research aims to identify the barriers to adopting both approaches and the triggering factors in their implementation. A wide-scoped generic questionnaire was created by adapting the existing knowledge in the literature. A team of experts assessed the content validity of the proposed scale. The 36 industry practitioners who replied to the survey contributed to the end of the pilot data collection procedure. Based on the exploratory factor analysis results, the three proposed sub-dimensions of Industry 4.0 and the circular economy scale were loaded as expected. This scale development, which is based on “sustainable logistics”, “smart manufacturing operations”, and “obstacles to transformation”, has been the subject of a preliminary study. On the basis of the knowledge obtained from this exploratory research, it may be possible to conduct large-scale surveys in the future based on the novel scale presented in this study.

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