Purpose

The provision of Industry 4.0 solutions demands a vast range of technology domains. To provide these solutions, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) may need the support of different supply chain actors through an inbound open innovation strategy. The authors study the contribution of four types of supply chain actors for inbound open innovation: suppliers, competitors with complementary technologies, R&D centers and customers. The authors analyze how these four actors moderate the effect of integrated Industry 4.0 solutions on three main competitive strategies: cost, focalization and differentiation.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors conducted a survey on 77 SMEs from the automation sector, using OLS regression with moderating effects. They considered the integration of 15 technologies and 7 classic automation activities in the provision of Industry 4.0 solutions. The authors also studied three competitive outputs – technology cost reduction (cost), customer loyalty (focalization) and technology innovation (differentiation) – as well as four supply chain actors (moderators).

Findings

Expanding the provision of Industry 4.0 technologies increases customer loyalty and technology innovation. Collaboration with competitors (complementary technologies) leverage these results and reduce technology costs. Integration between customers and R&D centers elevates costs but R&D centers can foster long-run innovation.

Originality/value

This study is the first to empirically investigate inbound open innovation in the supply chain for technology development in the context of Industry 4.0. The authors discuss how these actors contribute to four inbound open innovation activities: technology scouting; horizontal technology collaboration; vertical technology collaboration; and technology sourcing.

中文翻译：

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工业 4.0 技术提供：供应链合作伙伴在支持技术供应商方面的调节作用

目的

提供工业 4.0 解决方案需要广泛的技术领域。为了提供这些解决方案，中小型企业 (SME) 可能需要通过入站开放式创新战略获得不同供应链参与者的支持。作者研究了四种类型的供应链参与者对入境开放式创新的贡献：供应商、具有互补技术的竞争对手、研发中心和客户。作者分析了这四个参与者如何调节集成工业 4.0 解决方案对三个主要竞争战略的影响：成本、集中和差异化。

设计/方法/方法

作者使用具有调节作用的 OLS 回归对自动化行业的 77 家中小企业进行了调查。他们在提供工业 4.0 解决方案时考虑了 15 项技术和 7 项经典自动化活动的集成。作者还研究了三个竞争性输出——技术成本降低（成本）、客户忠诚度（聚焦）和技术创新（差异化）——以及四个供应链参与者（主持人）。

发现

扩大工业 4.0 技术的提供可提高客户忠诚度和技术创新。与竞争对手的合作（互补技术）利用这些结果并降低技术成本。客户和研发中心之间的整合会提高成本，但研发中心可以促进长期创新。

原创性/价值

本研究首次对工业 4.0 背景下的技术开发供应链中的入境开放创新进行了实证研究。作者讨论了这些参与者如何为四项入站开放式创新活动做出贡献：技术探索；横向技术合作；垂直技术合作；和技术采购。