Study of the Portuguese Challenges in the Context of European Union to Identify Adaptation Strategies for the Industry 4.0

Abstract

The adaptation of business models to the Industry 4.0 is an urgent demand and a clear concern that emerges from economic relations. However, the concepts of the Fourth Industrial Revolution and the ways of implementation are not yet assimilated at all by the agents of the productive sector and the scientific researches carried out, in many cases, present solutions that are too generic, so that the companies, in turn, find it difficult to recognize them as applicable in their particular reality. The aim of this article is to identify and describe, through research in literature and analysis of economic reports, the specificities of Portugal in the context of the European Union regarding the barriers and the conditions of adhesion to the Industry 4.0. The perspective is that the challenges presented points to priority aspects and serves as a parameter for future research work aimed at the design and development of implementation strategies that have greater adherence to the challenges faced by Portuguese industry and, therefore, have greater potential for success. The topic of Industry 4.0 is quite broad and the article may help researchers and companies to locate themselves in the universe of discussions and proposals of solutions, as well as to be oriented in the decision making about, above all, the adoption or construction of tools for the evaluation of results and performance indicators of projects, in order to increase the chances of success in the context of Portugal in the European Union environment.