Title: Exploring the knowledge domain and future research directions in Industry 4.0 for small and medium enterprises: a scientometric analysis

Authors: Reza Shamseddini; Moslem Alimohammadlou; Habib-Allah Ranaei Kordshouli; Mohammad Hossein Ronaghi

Addresses: Faculty of Economics, Management, and Social Sciences, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran ' Faculty of Economics, Management, and Social Sciences, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran ' Faculty of Economics, Management, and Social Sciences, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran ' Faculty of Economics, Management, and Social Sciences, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran

Abstract: Industry 4.0 represents a new manufacturing paradigm in which there is a convergence between progressive information technologies and manufacturing technologies. As such, Industry 4.0 can create good opportunities for small and medium enterprises (SMEs). The purpose of this study is to investigate the current status and the future directions of research concerned with Industry 4.0 for SMEs. To accomplish this, the study conducts a scientometric analysis of the records indexed on the Web of Science database to identify the research frontiers, current hot topics, and future directions of studies exploring Industry 4.0 for SMEs. The analysis is processed in CiteSpace software. The findings show that Industry 4.0 has a significant function in transforming SMEs' manufacturing and business models. Also, the result of this study can help future studies to have an insight into the frontiers of research exploring Industry 4.0 for SMEs and to clearly choose their research directions.

Keywords: Industry 4.0; SMEs; scientometric.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMTM.2023.133684

International Journal of Manufacturing Technology and Management, 2023 Vol.37 No.5/6, pp.408 - 431

Received: 13 Dec 2021
Received in revised form: 28 Apr 2022
Accepted: 21 Jul 2022
Published online: 29 Sep 2023 *

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