The promise of Industry 4.0 technologies for the sustainability of developing country apparel manufacturers

Gunaratne, D; Sinkovics, N; Sinkovics, RR

doi:10.4337/9781802207040.00034

The promise of Industry 4.0 technologies for the sustainability of developing country apparel manufacturers

Lookup NU author(s): Professor Noemi Sinkovics ORCiD

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This is the authors' accepted manuscript of a book chapter that has been published in its final definitive form by Edward Elgar Publishing, 2023.

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Abstract

This chapter explores the promise of Industry 4.0 technologies for the sustainability of developing country apparel manufacturers. Although there is evidence that Industry 4.0 technologies can have a positive impact on the alignment of manufacturing processes with economic, social, and environmental sustainability principles, the literature predominantly focuses on developed economies. To this end, we take stock of what is known in a developed economy context and extrapolate what this may mean in a developing economy context. Based on our analysis, we conclude that there are several firm- and individual-level constraints that restrict such manufacturers from realizing the sustainability promise of these technologies. In addition, we take the discussion of this promise a step further and examine how positive and negative spillovers from the adoption of Industry 4.0 technologies can affect sustainable development beyond firm boundaries.