Industry 4.0 Framework Based on Organizational Diagnostics and Plan–Do–Check–Act Cycle for the Saudi Arabian Cement Sector

Abstract

Industry 4.0 (I4.0) is an extension to the three stages of industry that reshapes it into a combination of physical and digital worlds. The I4.0 paradigm shift coupled with emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, the internet of things (IoT), autonomous vehicles, and digital twins (DTs), have brought and will continue to bring profound changes that impact entire systems across all industries. Despite I4.0’s many advantages, it also brings a host of problems and disruptions. These problems and disruptions must be identified to maximize its potential. Saudi Arabia is undergoing significant transformation as it has initiated several plans to develop the industrial sector and enhance its contribution to the national economy. Despite Saudi Arabia’s 2030 vision, the industrial sector has still not fully grasped the breadth and depth of the new revolution due to its novelty. This is particularly true in the cement industry, one of the most vital industries in the region. Due to its many unique systemic complexities, the cement industry has faced numerous challenges due to the lack of a comprehensive framework for mitigating disruptions and leveraging I4.0 benefits. Accordingly, the paper conducts an exploratory study on I4.0 for Saudi Arabian cement companies. Therefore, this paper provides an overview of I4.0 for Saudi Arabia’s cement companies. The paper analyzes key findings and proposes a plan–do–check–act (PDCA) framework for I4.0 implementation based on a system thinking approach to guide cement companies to strategically embrace the new phenomenon and maximize their key performance indicators.