A Framework for Assessing Industry 4.0 Readiness and Maturity of Smart Manufacturing Enterprises in Turkey

Recently, various researchers have proposed various Maturity Models (MMs) for assessing Industry 4.0 (I4.0) readiness and adoption, but few have proposed frameworks (F/Ws) for the implementation of I4.0 for smart manufacturing enterprises. This thesis focuses on the awareness, knowledge, readiness, adoption, willingness to invest, challenges, and benefits of I4.0 for Smart Manufacturing Enterprises in Turkey. The aims of this thesis are (1) to review the research related to existing I4.0 MMs and F/Ws, (2) to propose a modular MM with four dimensions, five levels, 60 second-level dimensions, and 246 sub-dimensions, and a generic F/W with four layers and seven hierarchy levels, (3) to conduct a case study by applying the proposed MM and F/W to assess and measure the I4.0 adoption of an automobile parts smart manufacturing enterprise, (4) to apply a Technology Forecasting (TF) model to expect the growth of I4.0 for the enterprise, (5) to perform a SWOT analysis to understand the weaknesses, strengths, opportunities, and threads for Turkey toward I4.0 transition, (6) to identify the I4.0 readiness/awareness, I4.0 advantages, challenges and willingness to invest by surveying 100 Turkish manufacturers, and (7) to have a detailed discussion on advantages and challenges foreseen in the transition to in the context of Turkey. Case study findings show that the enterprise’s overall maturity score was found to be 2.73 out of 5.00 i.e. it is still in the early stage of the I4.0 integration, and if the enterprise takes actions to create a roadmap toward a smooth I4.0 transition the forecasted year of full integration of I4.0 is between 2031 and 2034. Survey findings show that enhanced product quality and expanding the business into new markets are the most highlighted advantages of I4.0 whereas, the openness of employees to new technology, insufficient funds, and economic factors are the most highlighted I4.0 challenges.