Julian M. Müller

Privatuniversität Schloss Seeburg

Digital technologies facilitate production and processes in industrial value creation. Utilizing advanced digital technologies (e.g., additive manufacturing, artificial intelligence, digital twin, extended reality) in manufacturing offers various potentials for efficiency and sustainability. Regarding their contribution to sustainability, these pot...

Purpose Supply chains are increasingly incorporating social perspectives into their activities. It is often argued that social initiatives in supply chain management (SCM) are a response to external pressures. However, it is still undetermined whether these initiatives can improve economic performance. Additionally, it is proposed that digital tran...

Digital technologies have the potential to support the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Existing scientific literature lacks a comprehensive analysis of the triple link: “digital technologies – different industry sectors – SDGs”. By systematically analyzing extant literature, 1098 sustainable business practices are identifie...

Purpose Business Model Innovation is increasingly created by an ecosystem of related companies. This paper aims to investigate the transition of a manufacturing ecosystem toward electric vehicles from a business model perspective. Design/methodology/approach The authors investigate an automotive manufacturing ecosystem that is in transition toward...

Although Industry 4.0 was introduced a decade ago, many small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) still have not adopted several technologies. Therefore, integrating SMEs along horizontal, vertical, and end-to-end engineering dimensions remains challenging. Due to the importance of SMEs for industrial value chains, understanding SMEs' barriers and...

Rapid market changes call for demand-driven collaborations in manufacturing, which trigger supply chain evolution to more distributed supply structures. This paper explores the system dynamics of the largest European aerospace manufacturer's supply chain. We conceptualise a manufacturing ecosystem by observing the impacts of supplier development, d...

While dynamic capabilities (DCs) are recognized as an important enabler of digital transformation, research lacks knowledge about the underlying challenges and adequate responses of building these capabilities. More specifically, this study aims to shed light into successful digital business model innovation (BMI) by adopting a micro-foundational a...

This paper investigates the transformation of information sharing and multi-tier supply chain management (MSCM) from the perspective of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the context of Industry 4.0. SMEs are typically sharing less information digitally, are less active in conducting MSCM, but must be integrated in digital supplier networ...

When implementing business model innovation (BMI), managers of incumbent firms can choose between two options. They can either separate BMI from the existing business, such as in a spin-off, or integrate it into existing structures, or business units. However, extant literature offers limited evidence on the nature of both options and their specifi...

This paper analyzes how Industry 4.0 transforms supply chain collaboration and design. Therefore, we identify and analyze 151 academic articles. The study uncovers holistic strategic changes Industry 4.0 and associated technologies imply for cross-company collaboration in supply chains. These include changes in the initiation of buyer-supplier tran...

The use of enterprise social media (ESM) within purchasing and supply management has not been studied extensively so far. Therefore, based on the social network theory for an internal individual and cross-department consideration, five in-depth cases consisting of 22 expert interviews were conducted with European manufacturing companies. The result...

This paper analyses extant literature on how Industry 4.0 impacts Social Capital in Buyer-Supplier Relationships. We conduct a systematic literature review and identify 36 academic articles that are analysed in the research process. The study uncovers strategic changes Industry 4.0 implies for Social Capital in Buyer-Supplier Relationships. These i...

Purpose While it is known that digital transformation facilitates data flow in supply chains, its importance on green supply chain management (GSCM) has not been investigated concisely. This paper aims to expand the theory of digital transformation in GSCM by investigating the interconnections between these concepts and providing an integrative vie...

The goal definition of teaching can be openly shaped by the constitutional freedom of science. Nevertheless, at the macro level, the lecturer must subordinate herself or himself to organisational guiding ideas and perspectives, which can also bound or limit this freedom. Guiding ideas differ, depending on the respective places of teaching and the t...

Purpose While there are several readiness assessments regarding digital transformation (DT) and Industry 4.0 in extant literature, this study aims to contribute to (a) a better understanding of digital readiness in supply chain (SC) aspects and (b) elaborate on differences between small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and large enterprises. De...

The integration of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) within the concept Industry 4.0 represents one of its main challenges, as they play a vital part in industrial value chains that shall be digitized from suppliers to the end customer. However, what the implementation stages for Industry 4.0 in SMEs should be as well as the respective reso...

Research on Industry 4.0 has only begun to analyse its environmental and social impacts, while technological and economic analyses dominate the current academic debate. However, merging the current debate for a more sustainable industrial value creation with the developments in the context of Industry 4.0 is vital given its benefits beyond merely e...

The identity of sustainable entrepreneurs progresses and is primed by certain identity dimensions, including society, community, or competition as their frames of references, their social motivation and their self-evaluation. Because sustainable entrepreneurs aim to achieve the goals of generating profit and create social and/or ecological value at...

Due to drivers like Industry 4.0, reshoring recently receives more attention. In order to increase understanding, in this novel field of research, k-means clustering is performed to find groups of enterprises, which differ regarding their reshoring incentives. Based on these clusters, manufacturing enterprises are classified by the combination of a...

Industry 4.0 and sustainability are trending topics in the industry and scientific research. However, there is currently no comparable study, which summarizes the impacts of Industry 4.0 on all three dimensions of the Triple Bottom Line at the same time. This chapter aims to present a comprehensive overview of Industry 4.0 in the context of the Tri...

Dieser Beitrag untersucht den Einfluss von Industrie 4.0 auf die Anzahl von Geschäftsmodellinnovationen produzierender, deutscher kleiner und mittlerer Unternehmen (KMU) mittels quantitativen Häufigkeitsanalysen von qualitativen Expertenbefragungen. Es werden 70 Experteninterviews durchgeführt und strukturiert analysiert, um den Innovationsstatus e...

The concept of Industry 4.0, internationally also often referred to as the Industrial Internet of Things, enables data-driven business models to be implemented in industrial value creation. Further, the concept of Industry 4.0 aims to generate sustainable value in industrial contexts. However, both concepts, Industry 4.0-enabled data-driven busines...

Research on Industry 4.0 has only begun to analyse its environmental and social impacts, while technological and economic analyses dominate the current academic debate. However, merging the current debate for a more sustainable industrial value creation with the developments in the context of Industry 4.0 is vital given its benefits beyond merely e...

Purpose of this paper: Industry 4.0 implies a further digitization and interconnection of industrial value creation. Given its interconnecting character, Industry 4.0 has the potential to transform logistics and entire supply chains. When it comes to inter-company exchange, Industry 4.0 brings numerous challenges but in spite of its relevance, rese...

Industry 4.0 has been studied in the existing literature from the perspective of supply chain management or the triple bottom line of sustainability, but both perspectives have not yet been sufficiently combined. In response, this paper summarizes the current state of the literature on Industry 4.0-related potentials in the context of the triple bo...

Industry 4.0 implies a future digitalized and interconnected industrial value creation and has the potential to transform buyer-supplier relationships. Despite its importance, there is still little research about Industry 4.0 from a supply chain management perspective. Addressing this research gap, the paper sheds light on expected buyer-supplier r...

This paper investigates the supplier relationship management (SRM) of BMW in the sector of electromobility and considers the special requirements and standards in high voltage components of the electric and electronic (E-E) industry. Two research questions associated with the standards of the E-E industry and SRM are examined by applying a case stu...

Purpose The study analyses how Industry 4.0 and underlying digital technologies influence the design of ecosystems in global value chains (GVCs). Design/methodology/approach A qualitative-exploratory research design is used. It deploys a multiple case study based on semi-structured interviews with 73 German managers of multinational enterprises. A...

Purpose This study analyzes how technological changes in the context of Industry 4.0 influence buyer-supplier relationships (BSRs). Design/methodology/approach The study is explorative in nature; hence, an empirical qualitative research design is applied. It bases on 45 expert interviews with managers from German and Austrian industrial companies...

Digital information sharing within supply chains is seen as a central prerequisite to implement Industry 4.0, relating to one of its core characteristics, horizontal and vertical interconnection. Besides the technical implementation, aspects such as lacking trust, unclear benefits for suppliers and different perceptions of Industry 4.0 hamper digit...

The introduction of electric vehicles requires contributions from multiple industries and confronts the involved actors with unprecedented challenges. While research that has been conducted on business models and innovation ecosystems has gained attention, little research has been conducted on how actors can align business models to overcome bottle...

Numerous eWOM platforms have made it easy for consumers to share product-related information. The aim of the study is to investigate the influence of three commonly used eWOM types on consumer brand attitude. By manipulating the valence of the communicated messages, we shed light on the interaction of different eWOM types and provide insights on th...

21th International Working Seminar on Production Economics Description The concept of Industry 4.0 has been increasingly analysed in the literature, but the experience of SMEs worldwide with regards to the implementation of Industry 4.0 technologies has not been thoroughly examined. Since the national priorities and socio-political circumstances th...

Technological innovations often lead to redesigns in the business models of established companies, requiring them to incorporate new external knowledge into internal activities. Against this background, this study integrates the concepts of business model design, absorptive capacity, and innovation strategy into a novel research model, which analyz...

Industrial value creation is facing increased demands for increased sustainability. Industry 4.0 is expected to generate such potentials, but practice shows that to achieve those, several challenges need to be overcome. This is especially true for small and medium-sized enterprises, which play an important role for industrial value creation, but re...

Industry 4.0 describes a concept for horizontal and vertical interconnection on the basis of cyber-physical systems and the internet of things. The implementation within single factories has been given predominant consideration so far, but the implications across entire supply chains are less understood. Likewise, lean management principles have be...

Zahlreiche Forschungsergebnisse im Bereich Geschäftsmodellinnovationen haben gezeigt, dass über 90 Prozent aller Geschäftsmodelle der letzten 50 Jahre aus einer Rekombination von bestehenden Konzepten entstanden sind. Grundsätzlich gilt das auch für digitale Geschäftsmodellinnovationen. Angesichts der Breite potenzieller digitaler Geschäftsmodellin...

Based on digitalization and interconnectedness, Industry 4.0 causes a structural change in the value creation processes, and thus reinforces the transformation of business processes and business models. One way for companies to cope with this development and its associated challenges is to apply digital platforms in the value creation process. As t...

Battery technologies represent a highly relevant field that is undergoing conversions in the context of, for instance, battery electric vehicles or stationary power storage for renewable energies. Currently, lithium-ion batteries represent the predominant technology that has, however, a considerable environmental impact that could hinder the emerge...

Purpose Industry 4.0 is assumed to yield extensive industry-spanning opportunities. However, exploiting these opportunities requires a targeted implementation of Industry 4.0. The purpose of this paper is to generate a deeper understanding of relevant implementation action. Existing recommendations are mostly general, highly aggregated and difficul...

Für eine erfolgreiche Umsetzung von Industrie 4.0 ist die unternehmensübergreifende Vernetzung zwischen vor‐ und nachgelagerten Wertschöpfungsstufen unerlässlich. Dazu gehört für ein Unternehmen insbesondere die Integration der vorgelagerten Wertschöpfungsstufen. Es ergeben sich zahlreiche aktuelle Anforderungen an Lieferanten sowie Herausforderung...

Deutsche Industrieunternehmen sehen sich heutzutage nicht nur der Globalisierung, sondern insbesondere einem intensiveren Wettbewerb, verstärkter Marktvolatilität und kürzeren Innovationszyklen sowie einer steigenden Komplexität gegenüber. Der Druck auf die Entwicklung neuer Produkte und Dienstleistungen steigt. Zur Bewältigung dieser vielfältigen...

The automotive industry today faces three major transitions: the emergence of autonomous driving, electric powertrain replacing the internal combustion engine, and changes in possession of automobiles, e.g., increased usage of car sharing. As all three transitions are fostered by technologies that drive digital transformation of automobiles, the Te...

Industrie 4.0 ist derzeit sowohl in der Praxis, als auch in der Forschung ein viel diskutierter Begriff. Im Bereich der Forschung wird bislang jedoch primär die technische Umsetzung hinsichtlich Chancen und Risiken von Industrie 4.0 für Unternehmen des verarbeitenden Gewerbes betrachtet. Im vorliegenden Beitrag werden ökonomische Risiken aufgezeigt...

Industrie 4.0 soll zahlreiche Potenziale für die industrielle Wertschöpfung bieten, die vor allem kurz- bis mittelfristig jedoch durch Risiken in der Umsetzung begleitet werden. Dabei finden sich derzeit in der Forschung nur wenige Untersuchungen zu den Risikodimensionen von Industrie 4.0, denen allesamt ein ganzheitlicher Überblick fehlt. Auf Basi...

Based on digitalization and interconnectedness, Industry 4.0 causes a structural change in the industrial value creation and thus reinforces the transformation of business processes and business models. One way for companies to cope with this development and its associated challenges is applying digital platforms in the value creation process. As t...

Digital platforms are expected to bring significant changes to value creation. Whereas its implications are better understood for consumer markets, industrial or business-to-business contexts are lagging behind in academic research. In response to this research gap, this paper attempts to generate a first insight into economic, but also ecological...

Purpose Industry 4.0 is expected to significantly transform industrial value creation. However, research on business models affected through Industry 4.0, and on small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), remains scarce. In response, the purpose of this paper is to address both aspects, further elaborating on the role that SMEs can take toward Ind...

Digital platforms are expected to have the potential for a multitude of purposes forindustrial enterprises, for instance when integrated within the concept of Industry 4.0. Despite itsrelevance for industrial value creation, little research on platforms in the industrial context hasbeen undertaken so far. Owing to the lack of research in this field...

The concept of "Industry 4.0" is expected to bring a multitude of benefits for industrial value creation. However, the associated risks hamper its implementation and lack a comprehensive overview. In response, the paper proposes a framework of risks in the context of Industry 4.0 that is related to the Triple Bottom Line of sustainability. The fram...

Industry 4.0 is often regarded from a perspective that focuses on a single enterprise rather than on entire supply chains or ecosystems. However, Industry 4.0, and especially its impact on business models, is to be analyzed especially within a supply chain or ecosystem in order to fully unfold its benefits. In response to this research gap, this pa...

Industry 4.0 implies a future digitalized and interconnected industrial value creation and has the potential to transform buyer-supplier relationships. These relationships differ among industry sectors because of industry-specific circumstances. This paper sheds light on future buyer-supplier relationships in the context of Industry 4.0 focusing on...

Industry 4.0 and sustainability are trending topics in the industry and scientific research. However, there is currently no comparable study, which summarizes the impacts of Industry 4.0 on all three dimensions of the Triple Bottom Line at the same time. This chapter aims to present a comprehensive overview of Industry 4.0 in the context of the Tri...

Industry 4.0 is a concept for future industrial value creation, aiming to generate economic, ecological and social benefits, relating to the Triple Bottom Line of sustainability. This shall be achieved through horizontal and vertical interconnection on the basis of cyber-physical systems and the Internet of Things. So far, the majority of scientifi...

Through digital interconnection along the value chain, the concept of Industry 4.0 aims to generate data transparency that results in the generation of Big Data. To approach the expected potentials, several barriers exist in the context of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs). On the one hand, large enterprises are much better prepared to prof...

The Industry 4.0 phenomenon, internationally known as the Industrial Internet of Things, is expected to enable data-driven business models across the manufacturing sector. While data-driven business models in business-to-customer (B2C) markets are flourishing, driven by trends such as on-demand services, improved resource allocation, niche advertis...

Industry 4.0 aims to generate not only economic, but also ecological and social benefits. So far, the majority of scientific papers has dealt with technological foundations or showcases within the concept, whereas economic, and especially ecological and social aspects have been considered less, but are of high importance, as particularly social con...

The article investigates the role of business model innovation by Industry 4.0 solution providers and their impact on process innovation of their customers. Industry 4.0 solution providers are hereby seen as the enablers and providers of Industry 4.0 technologies, which provide access to several potentials of Industry 4.0 technologies to their cust...

The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) confronts industrial manufactures with economic, ecological, as well as social benefits and challenges, referring to the Triple Bottom Line of sustainability. So far, research has mainly investigated its dimensions in isolation or economic aspects have not been compared with ecological and social perspective...

Cross-company networking is essential to successfully implement Industry 4.0. In this context, numerous new demands on suppliers arise leading to integration challenges that require specific integration strategies. While these topics are important in business practice, an aggregated holistic overview is still missing. Therefore, this article examin...

Logistik 4.0 bietet ökonomische Potentiale für die Intra-und die Interlogistik, da eine Steigerung in Effizienz, Geschwindigkeit, Flexibilität und Reaktionsfähigkeit sowie Qualität von Logistikprozessen erreicht werden kann. Logistik 4.0 kann dabei helfen Fehllieferungen und Leerfahrten zu vermeiden sowie Transportrouten zu optimieren oder ganz zu...

Within Industry 4.0, digital platforms are expected to bring potentials for a multitude of purposes. However, many industrial manufacturers expect challenges in creating and managing digital platforms. Owing to the lack of research, the paper investigates potentials and challenges of Industry 4.0 platforms and derives strategic implications. The sa...

Recently, there is a trend to narrow corporations' focus, leading to an increasing number of divestitures. In general, divestitures are disposals and demergers of one or more business units. One specific form of divestitures are spin-off transactions. Thereby, shares of a corporation's business unit are distributed on a pro-rata basis to the shareh...

The future of doing business becomes more challenging due to strengthened volatility of global markets, shortened technology and innovation cycles, and an increasing demand for highly individualized products and services (Hirsch-Kreinsen & Weyer 2014; Spath et al. 2013). Given the finely-structured distribution of value creation and the numerous in...

The new manufacturing paradigm ‘Industry 4.0’ or ‘Industrial Internet of Things’ (IIoT) refers to digitized and connected industrial value creation. In this context, future value creation is located in completely digitized, intelligent, connected, and autonomous factories and production networks. This development is assumed to yield extensive indus...

Die Potenziale, die zur Umsetzung von Industrie 4.0 führen, sind für viele Industrieunternehmen derzeit noch unklar. Folgerichtig analysiert dieser Beitrag die Potenziale, die das produzierende Gewerbe dazu veranlassen, Industrie 4.0 zu implementieren. Dies geschieht als branchenübergreifender Vergleich in fünf Industriezweigen: Während im Maschine...

This study investigates the necessity of customer segmentation in industrial buying regarding Digital, Social Media, and Mobile Marketing (DSMM) from the perspective of a German sensor supplier. First, we conduct a systematic literature review, extracting 37 articles in which our team of researchers jointly with a team of sales representatives of t...

The implementation of Industry 4.0 has a far-reaching impact on industrial value creation. Studies on its opportunities and challenges for companies are still scarce. However, the high practical and theoretical relevance of digital and connected manufacturing technologies implies that it is essential to understand the underlying dynamics of their i...

By employing Cyber-Physical-Systems and real-time interconnection in industrial value creation, the term Industry 4.0 expresses expectations towards a fourth industrial revolution. Current research in context of Industry 4.0 mainly focuses on production itself or on production-related logistics processes. However, interconnection across the entire...