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Systems
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Sustainable Business Model Innovation in the Era of Industry 4.0
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Sustainable Business Model Innovation in the Era of Industry 4.0

A special issue of Systems (ISSN 2079-8954). This special issue belongs to the section "Systems Practice in Social Science".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2025 | Viewed by 7695

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Anna Lewandowska

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Management, University of Information Technology and Management, 35-225 Rzeszów, Poland
Interests: innovation; SME innovation; innovation strategies; entrepreneurship and SME; business process management; sustainability
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Justyna Berniak-Woźny

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Faculty of Interdisciplinary Studies, SWPS University, 03-815 Warszawa, Poland
Interests: business process management; sustainability; sustainable business models; Industry 4.0; Industry 5.0; digital transformation; green transformation
Dr. Naveed Ahmad

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Riphah Institute of Hospitality and Culinary Arts, Riphah International University, Islamabad 44000, Pakistan
Interests: sustainable behavior; innovation; CSR; services; tourism and hospitality; creativity; SMEs

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The advent of Industry 4.0 technologies, characterised by the convergence of digital, physical, and biological systems, has opened new avenues for businesses to enhance their sustainability. As organisations seek to align with the global push toward sustainability, combining sustainable business model innovation with Industry 4.0 offers transformative potential. By leveraging cutting-edge digital technologies—such as artificial intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), and big data analytics—companies can embed sustainability into their core operations, optimise supply chain efficiencies, and drive innovation toward circular economy models. This shift supports environmental and social goals and enhances competitiveness and long-term value creation in an increasingly volatile global market.

This Special Issue explores how businesses integrate Industry 4.0 tools into sustainable business models and how these innovations contribute to societal and environmental impact. It also discusses future trends and strategies to help organisations achieve economic growth while fostering sustainability.

Potential topics include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Sustainable business model innovation in the context of Industry 4.0;
  • Digital transformation for sustainability;
  • Circular economy principles and Industry 4.0 integration;
  • Cross-functional collaboration in sustainable innovation;
  • Industry 4.0 technologies driving sustainability;
  • Circular economy business models in the digital age;
  • Digital platforms and their role in advancing sustainability;
  • AI, IoT, and big data for sustainable operations;
  • Business strategies for Industry 4.0 and sustainability alignment;
  • The role of SMEs in sustainable innovation within Industry 4.0.

References:

  1. Jesus, G.M.K.; Jugend, D.; Fiorini, P.d.C.; Mendes, G.H.d.S. Open innovation to scale up the circular economy: Exploring the mediating role of Industry 4.0 technologies. Creativity Innov. Manag. 2024. https://doi.org/10.1111/caim.12629.
  2. Ji, F.; Zhou, Y.; Zhang, H.; Cheng, G.; Luo, Q. Navigating the Digital Odyssey: AI-Driven Business Models in Industry 4.0. J. Knowl. Econ. 2024. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13132-024-02096-4.
  3. Khan, I.S.; Ahmad, M.O.; Majava, J. Industry 4.0 innovations and their implications: An evaluation from sustainable development perspective. J. Clean. Prod. 2023, 405. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2023.137006.
  4. Lewandowska, A.; Berniak-Woźny, J.; Ahmad, N. Competitiveness and innovation of small and medium enter-prises under Industry 4.0 and 5.0 challenges: A comprehensive bibliometric analysis. Equilibrium 2023, 18, 1045–1074. https://doi.org/10.24136/eq.2023.033.
  5. Lewandowska, A.; Cherniaiev, H. R&D Cooperation and Investments concerning Sustainable Business Innovation: Empirical Evidence from Polish SMEs. Sustainability 2022, 14, 9851. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14169851.
  6. Lewandowska, A.; Stopa, M. Do SME?s innovation strategies influence their effectiveness of innovation? Some evidence from the case of Podkarpackie as peripheral region in Poland. Equilibrium 2019, 14, 521–536. https://doi.org/10.24136/eq.2019.025.
  7. Lewandowska, A.; Pater, R.; Cywiński, Ł. Determinants of business innovation in the Regional Innovation System context. Policy implications for a less developed region. Stud. Reg. Lokal. 2019, 1, 5–27. https://doi.org/10.7366/1509499517501.
  8. Ludbrook, F.; Michalikova, K.F.; Musova, Z.; Suler, P. Business Models for Sustainable Innovation in Industry 4.0: Smart Manufacturing Processes, Digitalization of Production Systems, and Data-driven Decision Making. J. Self-Gov. Manag. Econ. 2019, 7, 21. https://doi.org/10.22381/jsme7320193.
  9. Ghobakhloo, M. Industry 4.0, digitization, and opportunities for sustainability. J. Clean. Prod. 2019, 252, 119869. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.119869.
  10. Müller, J.M. Business model innovation in small- and medium-sized enterprises. J. Manuf. Technol. Manag. 2019, 30, 1127–1142. https://doi.org/10.1108/jmtm-01-2018-0008.
  11. Paiola, M.; Grandinetti, R.; Schiavone, F. Business model innovation and ambidexterity in Industry 4.0. Sinergie Ital. J. Manag. 2024, 42, 71–94. https://doi.org/10.7433/s123.2024.04.
  12. Ong, Y.L.; Hsiao, B.; Huan, N.H. Industry 4.0 and Digital Green Innovation with the Mediating Role of Digital Green Knowledge Creation: An Evidence from Vietnam. J. Inf. Syst & Oper. Manag. 2022, 16, 196–211.

Dr. Anna Lewandowska
Dr. Justyna Berniak-Woźny
Dr. Naveed Ahmad
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Systems is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • innovation
  • sustainability
  • sustainable business innovation
  • industry 4.0
  • digital technology
  • circular economy
  • SMEs
  • collaboration
  • smart technology
  • competitiveness

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

23 pages, 372 KiB  
Article
Rewiring Sustainability: How Digital Transformation and Fintech Innovation Reshape Environmental Trajectories in the Industry 4.0 Era
by Zhuoqi Teng, Han Xia and Yugang He
Systems 2025, 13(6), 400; https://doi.org/10.3390/systems13060400 - 22 May 2025
Abstract
This study investigates the long-run impact of digital transformation and fintech innovation on environmental sustainability across OECD countries from 1999 to 2024. Drawing on a novel empirical framework that integrates panel fully modified ordinary least squares, the system-generalized method of moments, and machine [...] Read more.
This study investigates the long-run impact of digital transformation and fintech innovation on environmental sustainability across OECD countries from 1999 to 2024. Drawing on a novel empirical framework that integrates panel fully modified ordinary least squares, the system-generalized method of moments, and machine learning estimators, the analysis captures both linear and nonlinear dynamics while addressing heterogeneity, endogeneity, and structural complexity. Environmental sustainability is measured by per capita CO2 emissions, while digital transformation and fintech innovation are proxied by secure internet servers and G06Q patent applications, respectively. The findings reveal that both digital infrastructure maturity and fintech-driven innovation significantly reduce carbon emissions, suggesting that technologically advanced digital ecosystems serve as effective instruments for climate mitigation. Robustness checks via the system-generalized method of moments confirm the stability of these relationships, while machine learning models—Random Forest and XGBoost—highlight digital variables as top predictors of emissions reduction. The convergence of results across estimation methods underscores the reliability of the digital–environmental nexus. Policy implications emphasize the need to embed sustainability metrics into digital strategies, promote green fintech regulation, and prepare labor markets for Industry 4.0 transitions. These findings position digital and fintech innovation not merely as enablers of economic growth, but as structural levers for achieving environmentally sustainable development in high-income economies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Business Model Innovation in the Era of Industry 4.0)
25 pages, 669 KiB  
Article
Empowering Smart Cities Through Start-Ups: A Sustainability Framework for Incubator-City Collaboration
by Justyna Berniak-Woźny, Piotr Sliż and Jędrzej Siciński
Systems 2025, 13(4), 219; https://doi.org/10.3390/systems13040219 - 22 Mar 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 843
Abstract
The rapid advancement of Industry 4.0 and Industry 5.0 technologies presents unprecedented opportunities to align start-up incubators with smart cities’ sustainability goals, fostering innovation and addressing complex urban challenges. This study introduces the Smart City-Incubator Sustainability Framework (SCISF)—a structured conceptual model that integrates [...] Read more.
The rapid advancement of Industry 4.0 and Industry 5.0 technologies presents unprecedented opportunities to align start-up incubators with smart cities’ sustainability goals, fostering innovation and addressing complex urban challenges. This study introduces the Smart City-Incubator Sustainability Framework (SCISF)—a structured conceptual model that integrates sustainable business model innovation, digital transformation, and circular economy principles into incubator practices. Through an integrative literature review, conceptual framework development, and empirical application, the research identifies six key components essential for aligning incubators with smart city objectives: strategic vision alignment, technological integration, circular economy practices, public engagement, scalability, and impact monitoring. The framework’s empirical application to the Gdańsk Entrepreneurship Foundation (GEF) incubator demonstrates its effectiveness in assessing incubator contributions to urban sustainability. The findings highlight strengths in public engagement and strategic vision, alongside opportunities to enhance Industry 5.0 integration, cross-sector partnerships, and ESG-driven impact reporting. By bridging the gap between city objectives and start-up ecosystems, the SCISF provides actionable insights for policymakers, urban planners, and incubator managers to foster smart, circular, and resilient urban environments. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Business Model Innovation in the Era of Industry 4.0)
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18 pages, 500 KiB  
Article
Influence of Consumer Trust, Return Policy, and Risk Perception on Satisfaction with the Online Shopping Experience
by Francisco Hipólito, Álvaro Dias and Leandro Pereira
Systems 2025, 13(3), 158; https://doi.org/10.3390/systems13030158 - 26 Feb 2025
Viewed by 2788
Abstract
This study examines the interplay of consumer trust, return policies, and risk perception in shaping satisfaction with online shopping experiences in a business to consumer e-commerce context. Employing a conceptual model tested through Partial Least Squares-Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM), it evaluates how these [...] Read more.
This study examines the interplay of consumer trust, return policies, and risk perception in shaping satisfaction with online shopping experiences in a business to consumer e-commerce context. Employing a conceptual model tested through Partial Least Squares-Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM), it evaluates how these factors individually and collectively influence consumer satisfaction. The findings confirm that consumer trust reduces perceived risk and enhances shopping satisfaction. Contrary to expectations, attractiveness of free returns has no significant impact on either risk perception or satisfaction, while clear return policies positively influence satisfaction but not risk perception. Additionally, the study reveals a quadratic relationship between risk perception and satisfaction, suggesting that an optimal level of perceived risk maximizes satisfaction, deviating from prior research advocating for minimal perceived risk. These results offer new insights into consumer behavior in online retail, highlighting the nuanced role of risk and emphasizing the strategic importance of trust and return policies. The paper concludes by discussing managerial implications and suggesting directions for future research. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Business Model Innovation in the Era of Industry 4.0)
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37 pages, 544 KiB  
Article
Digital Transformation for Sustainability in Industry 4.0: Alleviating the Corporate Digital Divide and Enhancing Supply Chain Collaboration
by Qi Li, Weijian Tian and Hua Zhang
Systems 2025, 13(2), 123; https://doi.org/10.3390/systems13020123 - 17 Feb 2025
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1418
Abstract
The swift advancement of digital technologies under Industry 4.0 has significantly transformed business operations and supply chain management. These advancements hold the potential to improve efficiency, reduce waste, and foster sustainable development; however, they also create challenges due to the uneven adoption of [...] Read more.
The swift advancement of digital technologies under Industry 4.0 has significantly transformed business operations and supply chain management. These advancements hold the potential to improve efficiency, reduce waste, and foster sustainable development; however, they also create challenges due to the uneven adoption of digital technologies across enterprises. (1) Background: The adoption of digital technologies across supply chains is uneven, resulting in a digital divide between enterprises. This disparity disrupts supply chain collaboration and alignment with sustainable practices. (2) Methods: This research examines how the corporate digital divide affects the supply–demand imbalance by employing a quantitative method to identify obstacles and strategies for improving collaboration. This research employs a quantitative approach, specifically multiple regression analysis, to investigate how the digital divide among enterprises affects the supply–demand imbalance and to identify strategies for overcoming collaboration barriers. The research utilizes firm-level data from the Chinese stock market and accounting research databases and performs robustness checks, including methods such as the instrumental variable approach and the Heckman two-stage model, to ensure the validity of the findings. (3) Results: The study finds that the corporate digital divide exacerbates imbalances in both upstream and downstream chains. Elevating supply chain resilience has effectively alleviated this relationship. Specifically, the strengthening of resource resilience and process resilience has effectively alleviated the impact of the corporate digital divide on the supply–demand imbalance in the upstream supply chain, while the enhancement of system resilience and product resilience has effectively mitigated the impact of the corporate digital divide on the supply–demand imbalance in the downstream supply chain. Heterogeneity analysis indicates that the impact of the digital divide in supply chain enterprises on supply–demand imbalance varies under different conditions of network centrality, supply chain concentration, government digital focus, and enterprise nature. (4) Conclusions: To foster sustainability in Industry 4.0, enterprises must bridge the corporate digital divide and enhance supply chain collaboration. It is recommended to mitigate upstream supply chain disruptions caused by the digital divide by improving resource and process resilience while alleviating downstream impacts through strengthened system and product resilience. Furthermore, fostering collaborative digital development among enterprises is essential for optimizing supply chain sustainability. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Business Model Innovation in the Era of Industry 4.0)
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31 pages, 994 KiB  
Article
Artificial Intelligence and the New Quality Productive Forces of Enterprises: Digital Intelligence Empowerment Paths and Spatial Spillover Effects
by Xiumin Li, Haojian Tang and Zishuo Chen
Systems 2025, 13(2), 105; https://doi.org/10.3390/systems13020105 - 9 Feb 2025
Viewed by 1914
Abstract
The 20th CPC Central Committee stressed that the key to high-quality economic development is to cultivate new quality productive forces, and AI plays a key role in cultivating new quality productive forces. This paper takes A-share listed enterprises in China from 2013 to [...] Read more.
The 20th CPC Central Committee stressed that the key to high-quality economic development is to cultivate new quality productive forces, and AI plays a key role in cultivating new quality productive forces. This paper takes A-share listed enterprises in China from 2013 to 2022 as a sample, constructs comprehensive level indicators of AI from the strategic side, application side, and innovation side of enterprises’ AI, and empirically examines the impact, mechanism, and spatial spillover effect of AI development on enterprises’ new quality productive forces from the perspective of digital intelligence empowerment and the spatial perspective. The results of this study show that AI can significantly promote the development of new productivity, and the development of AI within enterprises can promote the improvement of new productivity levels of neighboring enterprises or regions. At the same time, the role of AI in promoting the development of new quality productive forces is more obvious when the enterprise is a private enterprise, the managers have a digital background, and the enterprise is located in an industry with fierce market competition or a strategic industry. The purpose of this paper is to reveal the mechanism and spatial spillover effect of AI in promoting the new quality productive forces of enterprises and to provide a new theoretical basis and research perspective for enterprises to cultivate new quality productive forces. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Business Model Innovation in the Era of Industry 4.0)
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