Investigating How Knowledge Management Affects the Implementation of Industry 4.0 in the Home Appliance Industry of the Country

Due to the increase in competitive pressure and the development and advancement of technology, manufacturing companies today consider Industry 4.0 a fundamental and crucial issue for enhancing performance, as well as for maintaining and improving their competitive position. The purpose of this research is to investigate how knowledge management and its influencing factors affect the implementation of Industry 4.0 in the home appliance industry.
This research is applied in terms of purpose and utilizes a survey for data collection. In order to conduct the current research, 13 factors were initially identified by reviewing the research background. Using the interpretative structural modeling technique, the relationship between the identified factors was determined. Based on this analysis, the conceptual model of this research was presented. In the following study, the fit of the conceptual model was measured and investigated using the structural equation modeling approach and Smart PLS software. In this research, a questionnaire was used to collect data. In order to align with the developed conceptual model, a questionnaire comprising 42 questions was designed based on the research background. It was then distributed to experts, managers, and employees in the household appliances industry using a sampling method. According to the structural equation modeling approach, the required sample size in this research is determined by the relationship 5q<n<15q. In this formula, q represents the number of questionnaire questions, and n represents the sample size. According to the 42 designed questions, 250 questionnaires were distributed, out of which 217 were returned.
The results of this research showed that organizational culture, leadership, organizational innovation, organizational structure, absorption capacity, teamwork, financial resources, compatibility of information systems, flexibility of employees, vision and strategy, performance evaluation, and providing feedback. Education and Industry 4.0 technologies have been identified as effective factors in knowledge management for the implementation of Industry 4.0 in the home appliance industry of the country. The results of this research indicate that the factors influencing knowledge management in the implementation of Industry 4.0 are categorized into eight levels. Organizational culture and leadership are identified as crucial variables and form the basis of the conceptual model essential for establishing Industry 4.0 in the home appliance industry. The results of this research revealed that the variables of financial resources are at the seventh level, teamwork, organizational structure, and training at the sixth level, absorption capacity and vision and strategy at the fifth level, Industry 4.0 technologies at the fourth level, performance evaluation and providing feedback at the third level, flexibility of employees at the second level, and innovation and adaptability of information systems are placed at the first level.
The results of this study can facilitate the implementation of Industry 4.0 in the home appliance industries of the country and encourage home appliance industry managers to utilize knowledge management in Industry 4.0 more effectively.