posted on 2023-08-30, 19:53authored byChris Ivory, Lewis Walsh
In this article we argue that established thinking around the slow adoption of industry 4.0 amongst small and medium manufacturing enterprises (SMEs) in the North Sea Region requires further reflection and re-formulation. It is argued that the diffusion metaphor presently shaping thinking around policy intervention overly focuses attention on firm characteristics and behaviour while focusing too little attention on the specific strategic economic context(s) within which firms make adoption decisions. This article highlights two contextual aspects that shape firm strategic choices: interpretative flexibility and uncertainty about further future technology change.