This article explores the significance of simulation-based analysis in understanding the effectiveness of material handling strategies. By utilizing simulation models, businesses can optimize production processes, streamline flows, and enhance overall logistics efficiency. In today’s competitive market landscape, the significance of product manipulation cannot be overstated. It directly influences consumer perception and plays a pivotal role in gaining a competitive advantage. Simulation-based analysis has emerged as a powerful tool for optimizing production processes and enhancing logistics efficiency. Robotics sorting and loading offer increased accuracy, speed, and efficiency over manual processes. Their implementation boost productivity, cuts costs, and enhances working conditions. In today’s competitive market, effective product handling shapes consumer perception and competitiveness. VR simulation-based analysis optimizes manufacturing, logistics, and robotics, driving efficiency. Through advanced VR simulation models, businesses streamline operations, adapt to market dynamics, and embrace automation, enhancing competitiveness.

This research concentrates on the upcoming trends and changes within operations management generated by the digital transformation. The main aim is to investigate how the digital transformation influences on operations management practices. The individual in-depth interviews with selected experts and operations managers from Polish industrial medium enterprises were conducted to derive practical insights. Although most studies have emphasized on technological aspects of the Industry 4.0 concept, rather insufficient attention has been paid to operations management. Key expected outcomes of the digital transformation within planning, controlling, organizing, and staffing are the main findings of the article and they build a reference point to inspire scientists to conduct further research in this direction and improve the management methods in the Industry 4.0 environment. The research results are relevant to both practitioners and academics. The implications of this study can be useful in the development of a new approach to operations management, new business models, and finally can increase the overall effectiveness of the Industry 4.0 implementation. This study proposal is a part of a wider debate and should help to investigate the possibility of applying existing and creating new management methods for a successful digital transformation.

Purpose: The main purpose of this research was to develop a strategy supporting effectively the implementation of the Logistics 4.0. concept dedicated to small and medium transport enterprises. Design/Methodology/Approach: The research process consisted of the theoretical and the empirical parts. The analysis of the current literature about the main assumptions of the Logistics 4.0 and methods of strategy building was conducted in the theoretical part. The model of the strategy map based on the Balanced Scorecard method was developed in the empirical part. Findings: The proposed model supports the implementation of new solutions that use new technologies for modern communication and information transfer as well as limiting the main threats associated with them. Implementation of the Logistics 4.0 is a real challenge especially for small and medium enterprises due to the high costs of new technologies introduction and the necessary infrastructure. Therefore, solutions that support the implementation of the Logistics 4.0 are particularly important, increasing the effectiveness of its implementation and reducing the risk of liquidity loss. The model allows the implementation of Logistics 4.0 to be easily monitored and controlled and efficiency to be increased. Practical Implications: The proposed model is a simple solution that can be easily applied in small and medium transport enterprises in practice. Its implementation costs are low. Originality/Value: The presented research is a part of a large own study which main goal is to investigate the possibility of applying existing management methods and developing new methods for the effective implementation of the Industry 4.0 concept in practice.

The development of the Industry 4.0 concept offers completely new technologies' enablers using high level of automation and digitalization. There is a huge challenge for enterprises not only due to the application of modern technologies (such as Internet of Things, Big Data Analytics, Cloud Computing, etc.) related to the creation of Cyber-Physical Systems but also for a human resources development. Scientists and practitioners pay a lot of attention to technological changes in enterprises, but relatively little research is conducted on the issue of human resources development. The problem becomes more interesting in light of the Industry 4.0 era which resulted in changes in the employment structure, requirements for future industrial employees and managerial staff and also to the approach to the education process. The changing demand for skills is a quite well-researched topic in economics and management, but the changing skill demand for the Industry 4.0 is just the newest case of a quite old debate. The case of Industry 4.0 seems to be a particular case for the general change in skill demand due to digitalization. The main aim of the paper is to indicate the key areas of required knowledge and skills of employees essential to implement the Industry 4.0 concept. They are identified on the basis of a critical literature analysis and the conducted survey of selected industrial enterprises. The results of this research are particularly important for adapting the employee training system and the education process for students.

The growing Industry 4.0 concept requires to introduce modern technologies and also change industrial management. The aim of the article is to present the new business model Canvas which includes identified needed changes in industrial management resulting from the implementation of the Industry 4.0 strategy. This model allows the Industry 4.0 strategy in manufacturing companies to be effectively implemented. Furthermore, it helps to gain competitive advantage on the market through a great increase in flexibility and efficiency and quickly produce personalized products using advanced technologies, wireless networks and mobile devices.

The new Industry 4.0 concept causes many challenges for modern industrial enterprises. New technical and technological solutions require the selection and purchase of modern machines, devices, and software, which generated high costs. At the same time, their economic use is fast with such dynamic technical and technological development. Thus, there is a fundamental question about the need for a completely new approach to cost measurement, planning, budgeting, and overall business management. The costs must be constantly monitored and controlled. The indirect costs of the enterprise increase significantly and the role of depreciation costs in the total costs of the enterprise increases. Cost measurement requires new methods adapted to the changing reality. This chapter presents the results of research on the aspects of business management related to the implementation of the Industry 4.0 concept in industrial enterprises. The aim of the research was to build a new procedure of the implementation of the concept Industry 4.0 based on the most important problems of an implementation process and main areas of needed, identified changes.

Implementation of advanced technologies related to the Industry 4.0 concept, application of mobile networking and adjustment of the company offer to current customer's demands are necessary to gain a competitive advantage on the market. Currently, customers expect personalized products tailored to their individual needs, tastes and lifestyle. However, they want to pay a similar price to mass production. For these market trends, there is a growing need to introduce completely new approach that enable the implementation of mass customization. The reconciliation of conflicting low-price requirements and the rapid manufacturing of personalized products are possible only through the use of advanced digitization, wireless and mobile networking, ensuring rapid improvement of mobility, flexibility and efficiency. The article presents a new approach to mass customization manufacturing which bases on the results of research conducted in industrial enterprises. The main aim of research was to develop an operating procedure for mass customization. The implementation of the proposed approach in practice should allow the rapid manufacturing of personalized products using wireless and mobile networking that increases mobility, flexibility and production efficiency to be ensured. Particular attention has been paid to the benefits of modern mobile technologies and networking, digitization and advanced manufacturing systems.

Abstract Changes are considered essential to every industrial enterprise since changes are unavoidable part of the existence and management of all types of organizations. It can be seen that, comparing to the past, variety of changes in organizations is increasing, increases their frequency, and the speed with which they need to be implemented. Appropriate chosen and applied management practices can help to manage the implementation of changes in the organization and employees to perform their work without growing concerns over changes. The aim of the paper is to present the results of research aimed at identifying the degree of conservatism and progressivism in attitudes towards change with respect to different generational groups of employees. A questionnaire method was used to collect data. The research sample consisted of employees of industrial enterprises and employees working in the public sector with a total of n = 79. Quantitative statistical methods and thought processes were used to process and interpret the obtained data. Processing of collected data was done in Microsoft Excel.

In recent years, the concept of Industry 4.0, called the fourth industrial revolution, has become increasingly popular. Application of automation, data exchange, cloud computing and the Internet of Things can transfer enterprises into a new reality and give an unprecedented greater opportunity to effectively compete with current market moguls and gain competitive advantage on the market. The following questions arise: How to successfully implement the concept of Industry 4.0? How to manage emerging, new supply chains to make their efficiency very high? High volatility and unpredictability of the environment of modern enterprises causes the need for frequent changes of strategy in order to use the emerging market opportunities and avoid threats. As a result of the development and popularization of the Industry 4.0 concept, this trend is intensifying. For this reason, there is a need to create new solutions, methods and procedures to support the supply chain management in such a way that its efficiency is very high and dynamic, continuously growing. The article proposes a new approach to supply chain management, the main objective of which is to support the process of implementing the Industry 4.0 concept. The application of the Balanced Scorecard method to the management and control of modern supply chains has been proposed. Thanks to the introduction of significant areas to the strategy map the proposed approach effectively supports the Industry 4.0 implementation eliminating some threats and allows to effectively manage the emerging modern supply chains based on building and control the implementation of a frequently updated strategy.

The fourth industrial (r)evolution called Industry 4.0 transfers production to a different dimension of productivity, flexibility and also mobility. Enterprises using advanced technologies such as Mobile Technologies, Big Data Analytics, Cloud Computing, Internet of Things, etc. and using intelligent resources (e.g. mobile devices, mechatronic machines, means of transport) communicating with each other via the Internet in real time can produce customized products quickly and at low cost. On the one hand the Industry 4.0 concept creates great benefits for the client, and on the other hand raises challenges for industrial enterprises. There is a need to improve existing and create new business models that will combine the potential of many enterprises and together create innovative, very modern production networks based on mobile technologies and the Internet of Things. The article presents the results of research about the creation of innovative production networks operating in the environment of advanced technologies within the Industry 4.0. The aim of the research is to develop the concept of creating temporary Cyber Industry Networks based on e-business platforms that integrate dispersed enterprise resources through mobile devices and mobile software, creating a temporary network in the situation of emerging business opportunities. The main benefit of such networks is the ability to manufacture products through geographically dispersed corporate resources. The Cyber Industry Network allows business processes through the integration of mobile technologies in real time to be managed, and enables to reduce costs, improve flexibility, and as a result increase the competitiveness of manufacturing enterprises.

The new Industry 4.0 concept gives new development opportunities to large enterprises. It allows you to build a competitive advantage in the market and significantly increases their competitiveness. However, a question arises as to what about small and medium enterprises? They have incomparably less opportunities to raise capital to modernize and automate their infrastructure. They are unable to create together fully automated factories of the future.The article attempts to identify the possibilities of building production networks by small and medium-sized enterprises, which will be able to jointly create modern factories as part of the Industry 4.0 concept. This creates many new opportunities for the development of small and medium enterprises, but it is also a huge challenge. The aim of the article is to identify the most important problems that SMEs have to overcome in order to build modern production networks together.

This work considers the problem of choosing the right strategy for clothes distribution in a rental company warehouse. The basic criterion for the clothing arrangement assessment is, among others, optimization of employees’ working time, and thus ergonomics. It is assumed that the incoming orders stream is known.

The globalization process and the marginalization of Europe in world production prompted the German economy to implement the Industry 4.0 concept called the fourth industrial revolution. As a part of the proposed concept, a close connection of physical objects with the information network should be made. Enterprises will connect by intelligent resources communicating through the modern Internet of Things technologies, big data, and cloud computing. Therefore modern enterprises have a new further challenge which means a need to build and cooperate within cyber-physical systems. The aim of the article is to present key challenges for Polish small and medium-sized manufacturing enterprises oriented to the cooperation within the industry 4.0 concept. Furthermore, the results of surveys conducted on a selected group of Polish production companies in the metal sector are shown. These results present the condition of Polish enterprises, their concerns and expectations regarding the implementation of the Industry 4.0 concept. The paper contains also the new idea to create the Cyber Industry Network (CIN) which means a kind of the on-line available platform for exchanging production capacity of small and medium enterprises and allows for the efficient combining of free resources to realize joint production projects.

The macroeconomic situation in the steel market has a large impact on the functioning of enterprises producing steel and steel-based products. Currently, global steel production continues to increase in 2017, seeing a rise of about 5.3 % over 2016. The absolute leader in steel production is China (about 49 % of global production), alongside countries of the European Union, Japan, India and USA. Overproduction is the biggest problem in the steel industry, which may affect the price level. Recently protectionism is a new threat which has appeared on the steel market. Furthermore, the philosophy of functioning of modern enterprises has also changed after the recent economic crisis. There is a growing need for new methods and tools to support business management. Also, the new concept of Industry 4.0 has attracted more and more attention all around the world, the main goal of which is to increase the competitive advantage of the enterprise. The assumptions of this concept are related to the development of the Internet of Things, cloud technology and big data. It offers great opportunities, but is also a big and difficult challenge. The purpose of the article is to identify the most important challenges that have the greatest impact on the management of enterprise in the steel industry and future perspectives. Particular attention was paid to the methods which increase the enterprise efficiency and effectiveness. Also, the main benefits and threats resulting from the introduction of the Industry 4.0 concept are identified.

The future factory empowers managers with new capabilities and enables the realization of sophisticated approaches based on the collaboration of devices, network services within the single enterprise and among enterprises. This is a key issue especially for the maintenance. Technical systems are no longer passive, but became active entities that can do self-monitoring, proactively inform third party services about their status or maintenance needs and therefore greatly enhance existing efforts for remote and autonomous maintenance. Influence of the Industry 4.0 approach on working mode is nowadays the issue widely discussed. Does it lead to the insensate production where there is no place for human factor?

In recent years many factors have led to the need to change the approach to management of the modern metallurgical enterprise. The most important of these are the increasing differences between the dynamics of the development of metallurgical companies in the European Union countries and countries known as developing countries (e.g. China, India, etc.). In addition, the recent economic crisis has shown that corporate governance philosophy based primarily on financial ratios is insufficient and does not ensure its long-term existence in the market and future development. So new concepts are sought, which aim at dynamic growth of the competitiveness of European companies. One of the new propositions is the concept of the industry 4.0, which primarily uses web development, technical progress, and is based in a sense on the cooperation of various enterprise which build production networks. The paper outlines the main assumptions of the Industry 4.0 concept for metallurgical companies and identifies new challenges in the management of a metallurgical enterprise in line with the industry 4.0. The main goal of the article is to present a new solution called a management map of the Industry 4.0, which makes changes in the company much easier and more effective conducted and prepared them for the practical application of the Industry 4.0 concept.