'Industry 4.0' Readiness in UK Manufacturing with particular emphasis on Auto: Opportunities, Challenges and Implication

The Research is framed within the current transition in manufacturing to become a 'smart manufacturing' sector - often referred to as 'Industry 4.0'. There is a wave of technological changes that will have a fundamental impact on the organisation of production inside factories and along the supply chain - between firms. These include the internet, 3D printing, nanotechnology, bioscience, electronics, photonics, advanced materials and space technology. Some of these new technologies are already starting to be applied in the auto sector with disruptive changes to production and consumption. Industry 4.0 is also referred to as a 'production revolution' (OECD, http://www.oecd.org/sti/ind/next-production-revolution.htm) given the expected disruptive nature of the changes it will enfold.

This research will have two key dimensions in moving on understanding and policy development: one is to study the readiness of the UK manufacturing sector to transit to Industry 4.0 with a particular reference to the auto sector; and two is to disentangle a number of key issues around what objectives, actions, initiatives need to be considered as part of a revised industrial strategy that is supportive of a new smart, advanced and competitive automotive sector in the UK so as to secure jobs and prosperity post Brexit.

What are the main implications of Industry 4.0 trends for UK auto?
What Opportunities and Challenges does Industry 4.0 pose for UK auto? (e.g. the need to develop and embrace new technologies, skills, possibilities for shortening value chains etc.);
How ready is UK auto for Industry 4.0? What key gaps are there in developing competencies, technologies, skills and understanding of Industry 4.0 in the sector?
What are the implications for nature of industrial policy for the auto industry? (such as the role and focus of the Automotive Council, the relevance of the recent refreshed technology road maps, the position and role of the Advanced Propulsion Centre etc.)
What key policy action may be needed to build readiness for Industry 4.0 and exploit the opportunities it presents?

The research will adopt a mixed methods research design utilising both qualitative and quantitative data of primary and secondary origin. Primary data will be collected via a firms' survey that will ascertain the level of firms' readiness to adopt Industry 4.0: the questionnaire will seek to understand if firms are aware of Industry 4.0 and what might be the challenges and barriers to adopt the new technologies to transit onto Industry 4.0. The case of the auto sector in the West Midlands will be considered. Findings will provide robust evidence to inform policy design. In parallel, interviews to institutional stakeholders will shed light on the awareness and the commitment of trade associations, unions and policy makers to support firms and regions to make the transition with a special focus on skills and training; infrastructure and supply chain management. A mixed methods research will enable the researcher to better answer the research questions as well increasing the creditability of the research findings as the 'method effect' would be limited (Saunders et al, 2009). A mixed methods research approach would act as an aid to explaining relationships between both qualitative and quantitative data and allow the researcher to explore different aspects of phenomena (ibid).