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The Influence of the US-China Trade War on Industry 4.0 Adoption in the EU : a Case Study on Dutch Machinery Manufacturing Companies
Lensink, A.J. (2025) The Influence of the US-China Trade War on Industry 4.0 Adoption in the EU : a Case Study on Dutch Machinery Manufacturing Companies.
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| Abstract: | The growing adoption of Industry 4.0 technologies is changing global manufacturing. However, increasing geopolitical tensions, caused by the US-China trade war introduces complexity for navigating Industry 4.0 adoption. This geopolitical uncertainty is especially present in international operating companies such as in the machinery manufacturing sector. This qualitative study investigates how the US-China trade war influences the adoption of Industry 4.0 among EU-based machinery manufacturing companies, by focusing on the Netherlands. Interviews were held with respondents at five machinery manufacturers in the Netherlands. The interview data is enriched by including the national policy on Industry 4.0 adoption. The Gioia methodology is used for data coding and analysis to identify key drivers, barriers and other influences. The findings show that geopolitical uncertainty is a catalyst for Industry 4.0 adoption. Companies see Industry 4.0 technologies as a means to differentiate and improve competitiveness. Company characteristics such as firm size remain influential. The effect of policy framework through national policy such as WBSO is mostly effective, but regulatory conditions and compliance requirements pose implementation challenges which weigh on international competitiveness. The adoption of Industry 4.0 in machinery manufacturing companies in the EU is shaped by geopolitical dynamics. Firms are leveraging Industry 4.0 technologies to respond to global uncertainty, which makes it not merely a modernization trend, but a way to strategically position for the future. |
| Item Type: | Essay (Master) |
| Faculty: | BMS: Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences |
| Subject: | 85 business administration, organizational science |
| Programme: | Business Administration MSc (60644) |
| Link to this item: | https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/106964 |
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