| Abstract [eng] |
The aim of the thesis is to investigate the factors influencing the suitability of Industry 4.0 technologies for adoption in marketing functions within the SMEs. Statements to be defended in the thesis: 1) Industry 4.0 technologies can be categorised in two groups by their adoption suitability in marketing functions within SMEs. Industry 4.0 technologies, such as Artificial Intelligence and Big Data, can be referred to as the universal Industry 4.0 technologies (suitable for adoption in a wide group of marketing functions), meanwhile such Industry 4.0 technologies as 3D printing or Chatbots can be considered as niche Industry 4.0 technologies; 2) The greatest variety of Industry 4.0 technologies can be adopted in the product marketing function within SMEs, out of the four marketing functions (product, price, place, and promotion); 3) The perceived characteristics of the Industry 4.0 technology in different manner impact the perceived usefulness and the perceived ease of use. While the perceived compatibility positively impacts both variables, the perceived usefulness is also positively impacted by the perceived relative advantage and the perceived trialability. Meanwhile, the perceived ease of use is positively impacted by the perceived observability and is negatively impacted by the perceived complexity; 4) The perceived ease of use mediates the impact of the perceived usefulness on the attitude towards the suitability of the Industry 4.0 technology for adoption in the marketing function within SMEs; 5) Marketing functions (product, price, place, and promotion) and Industry 4.0 technologies (universal and niche) do not moderate the interaction between the attitude towards the Industry 4.0 technology suitability for adoption in the marketing function within SMEs and the behavioural intention to adopt the Industry 4.0 technology in the marketing function within SMEs; 6) Top management support positively moderates the interaction between the attitude towards the Industry 4.0 technology suitability for adoption in the marketing function within SMEs and the behavioural intention to adopt the Industry 4.0 technology in the marketing function within SMEs. |
