Industry 4.0's mediating effect on relation between competitive strategies and market performance: A case of Gaziantep machine carpet manufacturers

Parallel to the impact of all industrial revolutions on society and companies, the term of Industry 4.0 has started to become an effective factor in the competition of companies. Increasing digitalization with Industry 4.0 requires companies to update their competitive strategies. In addition to all these, while the impact of learning-oriented and / or market-oriented firms on the selected competition strategy and market performance becomes important, developing technologies and these concepts allow firms to continue their activities with a reactive and / or proactive understanding along with their internal and external elements. In this study, it was aimed to reveal the relationship between Industry 4.0 and learning orientation, market orientation, competition strategies to determine the effect of all these facts on firm market performance, and the mediating role of Industry 4.0 term of machine-made carpet manufacturers operating in Gaziantep province. Machine carpet manufacturers are known to demonstrate clustering features in the region where the study is carried out. In order to maintain its competitive advantage in machine-made carpet production, companies need to adapt to developing technologies with Industry 4.0.102 firms, in which 135 firms operate, were interviewed and the results of the study were analyzed using the structural equation model. The study shows that the sector has its own characteristics due to its structure and competitive status. According to the results of the study, it has been determined that Industry 4.0 and differentiation strategies have an impact on market performance, besides Industry 4.0 has a mediating effect on the relationship between differentiation strategy and market performance, and on the relationship between learning orientation and market performance. It was concluded that the term of learning orientation is related to Industry 4.0 and differentiation strategies.