Abstract
The 4th Industrial Revolution (4IR henceforth) is fundamentally reshaping the way we live and work. Each industrial revolution has evolved to solve major problems in society. This study views unmatched demand and oversupply as the major problems in the fashion industry and posits that 4IR technologies are being deployed to solve these problems by addressing three prime goals—hyper-personalization, environmental sustainability, and productivity. Based on a literature review and analyses of global industry cases, this study examines what, why, and how the 4IR technologies address these three prime goals. By comparing successful cases that do not utilize the 4IR technologies with those that do, this study highlights that innovative business models that address the unmet needs of the consumers are more important than technology adoption per se. Drawn from ample global cases, the findings can offer strategic directions for fashion firms preparing for unforeseeable changes that are further being accelerated by the Covid-19 pandemic. This study concludes with insights into how 4IR is shaping the fashion industry and raises thought-provoking questions for the industry and academia.
Highlights
The 4th Industrial Revolution (4IR ) is fundamentally reshaping the way we live and work
Definition and literature on three prime goals Environmental sustainability In this study, among the three dimensions of sustainability, we focus on environmental sustainability, concerned with protecting and preserving ecological health, because environmental harm is a major consequence of unmatched demand and oversupply (Elkington, 1998)
Meeting the prime goals utilizing 4IR technologies This section gives an overview of the application of 4IR technologies relevant to the fashion industry: robotics and intelligent manufacturing, 3D printing and knitting, virtual and augmented reality, and artificial intelligence
Summary
The 4th Industrial Revolution (4IR ) is fundamentally reshaping the way we live and work. Inventions and new technologies contributed to the enhancement of industries and human lives through mechanization during the 1st Industrial Revolution, mass production and electricity during the 2nd, and IT systems and automation during the 3rd. As with the previous industrial revolutions, numerous technologies have enabled the 4th Industrial Revolution: robotics, intelligent manufacturing, augmented and virtual reality, and artificial intelligence, to name a few. The focus of every industrial revolution in history was never the development of technologies itself. Rather, it was about enhancing the quality of human life through enhanced productivity, which was made possible by inventions and innovative technologies. What are the aims of the 4th Industrial Revolution in the
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