This new volume explores the new paradigm that is Industry 4.0—the application of information-intensive technologies that integrate software, hardware, and biology (cyber-physical systems) for effective manufacturing and related industries. This volume focuses specifically on leadership that can respond quickly and effectively to changing conditions in the Industry 4.0 environment. It looks at leadership skills needed during the COVID-19 pandemic, skills that can be applied to many other changing conditions as well. The authors consider the role of virtual leadership in an age of working from home; present case studies that provide valuable lessons for the agile leader; and examine the crucial role of human resources in providing agile leadership to an organization. The volume aggregates original theoretical, conceptual, and empirical research on challenges and opportunities in the context on Industry 4.0.

"This book examines agile leadership methods in the 4.0 digitalized era"--

Communication between man and machine is vital to completing projects in the current day and age. Without this constant connectiveness as we enter an era of big data, project completion will result in utter failure. Agile Approaches for Successfully Managing and Executing Projects in the Fourth Industrial Revolution addresses changes wrought by Industry 4.0 and its effects on project management as well as adaptations and adjustments that will need to be made within project life cycles and project risk management. Highlighting such topics as agile planning, cloud projects, and organization structure, it is designed for project managers, executive management, students, and academicians.

Agile Business Leadership Methods for Industry 4.0 is a collection of innovative research on new leadership styles that will develop agile managers and business leaders who can improve company success in the fast-paced environments created by Industry 4.0.

Globalization has made both operations and supply chains more complex than ever before. Inputs are sourced from many locations all over the world to serve different needs and market segments throughout the planet, making it a global challenge that necessitates a global strategic response. Managing Operations Throughout Global Supply Chains is a crucial academic resource that discusses concepts, methodologies, and applications of emerging techniques for operations and supply chain management processes that promote cost efficiency. While highlighting topics such as global operations, resource planning, and business forecasting, this publication explores how organizations manage the procurement of all necessary resources at every stage of the production cycle from the original source to the final consumers. This book is ideally designed for researchers, academicians, practitioners, professional organizations, policymakers, and government officials.

Digital transformation is reshaping the business arena as new, successful digital business models are increasing agility and presenting better ways to handle business than the traditional alternatives. Industry 4.0 affects everything in our daily lives and is blurring the line between the physical, the biological, and the digital. This created an environment where technology and humans are so closely integrated that it is impacting every activity within the organizations. Specifically, contracting processes and procedures are challenged to align with the new business dynamics as traditional contracts are no longer fitting today's agile and continuously changing environments. Businesses are required to facilitate faster, more secure, soft, and real-time transactions while protecting stakeholders’ rights and obligations. This includes agile contracts which are dynamically handling scope changes, smart contracts that can automate rule-based functions, friction-less contracts that can facilitate different activities, and opportunity contracts that looks toward the future. Innovative and Agile Contracting for Digital Transformation and Industry 4.0 analyzes the consequences, benefits, and possible scenarios of contract transformation under the pressure of new technologies and business dynamics in modern times. The chapters cover the problems, issues, complications, strategies, governance, and risks related to the development and enforcement of digital transformation contracting practices. While highlighting topics in the area of digital transformation and contracting such as artificial intelligence, digital business, emerging technologies, and blockchain, this book is ideally intended for business, engineering, and technology practitioners and policy makers, along with practitioners, stakeholders, researchers, academicians, and students interested in understanding the scope, complexity, and importance of innovative contracts and agile contracting.

As contrary as it sounds, "planning" -- as we traditionally understand the term--can be the worst thing a company can do. Consider that volatile weather events disrupt trusted supply chains, markets, and promised delivery schedules. Ever-shifting geo-political tensions, as well as internal political upheaval within U.S. and global governments, derail long-planned new ventures. Technology failures block opportunities. Competitors suddenly change their product or release date; your team cannot meet the pace of innovations in your market niche, leaving you sidelined. There are myriad ways in the current business environment for a company's well-considered business plans to go awry. Most business schools continue to prepare managers to be effective in stable and predictable environments, conditions that, if they ever existed at all, are long gone. The Agility Shift shows business leaders exactly how to make the radical mindset and strategy shift necessary to create an agile, entrepreneurial organization that can innovate and thrive in complex, ever-changing contexts. As author Pamela Meyer explains, there is much more involved than a reconfiguration of the org chart and job descriptions. It requires relinquishing the illusion of control at the very foundation of most management training and business practice. Despite most leaders' approaches, "Agility is not simply accelerated planning." Unlike many agility books on the market, The Agility Shift provides specific, actionable strategies and tactics for leaders at all levels of the organization to put into practice immediately to improve agility and achieve results.

This book shows an innovative way for managers to gain a better understanding of emotions in teams and organizational units and thus positively influence agile development in the context of digital transformation of companies. Digitalization does not just lead to technical changes. It dramatically changes the way employees work with each other as well as how executives play their roles. In an agile working environment, middle management in particular loses power, influence, and relevance, and customer relationships are subject to greater affectivity. The result is an increased emotionalization of the actors, which should be recognized and understood prior to designing the emotional landscape of the organization and to developing and implementing successful business models. The author introduces various conventional and AI-based instruments based on current research for handling emotions, supported by practical concepts.

The objective of this book is to support readers facing the urgency, challenges, analysis, and methodologies to reconfiguration. It presents a comprehensive framework for reconfiguring manufacturing enterprises and provides a set of valuable conceptual frameworks and methodologies for analyzing, evaluating, and assessing reconfiguration indices. This book offers practical guidance for implementing the Fourth Industrial Revolution (Industry 4.0). It presents open-ended problems pertaining to the concepts covered in the book and provides a new approach for reconfiguring industrial systems. Not only is this book for industrialists and academics, it will also appeal to undergraduate and graduate students studying industrial, mechanical, and manufacturing engineering. Scholars and practitioners in operations management will also find this book of interest.

The world is ever-changing in unpredictable ways. Leaders, therefore, need to constantly re-examine their assumptions of what it means to be a "great" leader as old models of leadership quickly fade into irrelevance. In short, leaders need an agile mindset. But how can leaders become agile? We need to update and disrupt past definitions of leadership. To challenge ourselves and test our relevance often. We need to recognize challenges swiftly and respond decisively, especially when our environment is volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous. 8 Paradoxes of Leadership Agility shows the way by describing how leaders met challenging conundrums with agility and emerged stronger, using the Re4 Coaching Model developed by Chuen Chuen. This book addresses the gap between theory and practice through stories of leaders distilled into eight representational paradoxes that can occur in any culture, contexts, levels of seniority or industries. The Re4 Coaching Model, clearly illustrated in this book, helps leaders see their world with objective clarity, understand what has to be done and why. Through this coaching model, leaders gain the resolve and confidence to overcome challenges with authenticity. Through it, they integrate theoretical learning with practical steps and learn to thrive. Now you too can benefit from the Re4 Coaching Model as this book contains exercises with guiding questions you can use to navigate your paradoxes. It's time to grow and thrive.