Business Model Innovation of Industry 4.0 Solution Providers Towards Customer Process Innovation

The article investigates the role of business model innovation by Industry 4.0 solution providers and their impact on process innovation of their customers. Industry 4.0 solution providers are hereby seen as the enablers and providers of Industry 4.0 technologies, which provide access to several potentials of Industry 4.0 technologies to their customers. In particular, the role of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that provide solutions that are based on Industry 4.0 technologies for their customers are investigated, which in turn can improve and innovate their own processes. Frist, the article presents an overview of the current state of research and a brief theoretical background. Second, the article bases its findings on an empirical study of 111 Industry 4.0 providers from Germany that are SMEs. Analyzing the results of questionnaires, correlations between Industry 4.0 solutions and two perspectives are examined: benefits for the solution providers and benefits for process improvements and innovations of the customers. Subsequently, the article discusses these findings, closing the article with both managerial and research implications.