Industry 4.0 and Digitization: Regions and Metropolises Facing Divergent Social and Industrial Change

This book explores the studies on regions, industries, and tendencies of industrial change and spatial concentration of competences and industrial potentials related to Industry 4.0 and digitization. It discusses the wider understanding of situations, including regional and metropolitan societies, workforces, and the divergencies of effects and opportunities. It highlights the formation of individual industry-location-nexuses and the concentration of decision-making in smart factories, leading to a polycentric de-concentration of regions. Public policies contribute to uneven development and divergent societal tendencies.

Format: Hardback
Length: 166 pages
Publication date: 16 June 2022
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

This book encompasses a comprehensive examination of various regions, industries, and trends related to industrial change and the spatial concentration of competences and industrial potentials. The chapters within this volume serve as platforms for discussions aimed at gaining a deeper understanding of the contexts surrounding Industry 4.0 and digitization. Moreover, it extends beyond the realms of technology and economy by incorporating regional and metropolitan societies, workforces, and the diverse range of effects and opportunities at play.

Industry 4.0 and digitization represent novel transformations for regions and metropolises, where technological applications can manifest as a continuation of innovative processes, albeit with regional variations. The diverse presence of competences fosters a selective process among regions, leading to the formation of individual industry-location-nexuses characterized by the convergence of industries' competences, labor force, and research. These nexuses are further supported by public policies that facilitate the adaptation of innovation and change. Regional societies composed of skilled and educated labor emerge as pivotal factors in participating in innovation and supply chains. The ability to manage smart factories remotely signifies a concentration of decision-making, while simultaneously creating a polycentric de-concentration, highlighting certain locations as central within the networks. These systematic changes continue to intensify over time. While public policies may align with innovative opportunities at the appropriate juncture, they also contribute to the perpetuation of uneven development and divergent societal tendencies.

Industry 4.0 and digitization signify a broad and selective shift in organizational structures associated with the introduction of new technologies and innovation. While certain regions and metropolises can continue to nurture both, others may face challenges in embracing these transformative forces. The interplay between public policies and regional dynamics will play a crucial role in determining the trajectory of these developments and their impact on societies.

Weight: 490g
Dimension: 246 x 174 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032273044