Purpose Given the challenges that Industry 4.0 poses, the purpose of this paper is to propose a comprehensive assessment model suitable for evaluating small- and medium-size enterprises’ (SMEs) digital readiness levels, discuss the results of an assessment of 20 manufacturing SMEs using the proposed model and highlight priorities needed to undertake a successful journey towards Industry 4.0. Design/methodology/approach The research adopts an empirical approach using multiple case studies. Starting with a literature review about maturity and readiness-assessment models for Industry 4.0, the study’s model has been built and validated through two pilot case studies, with the final model used in an extensive case studies research with 20 enterprises. Findings The SMEs used in this research present an intermediate readiness level with respect to Industry 4.0. They are aware of the phenomenon, but management is still taking the first steps towards identifying the most appropriate strategy to approach this Fourth Industrial Revolution. Companies need to exploit all opportunities that data availability provides in terms of knowledge creation and decision-making support, in all forms, through investments in people skills and expertise and through an infrastructure that can support data gathering, analysis and sharing. Originality/value The Italian industrial landscape comprises mainly SMEs, mostly needing support to understand their path towards Industry 4.0. Therefore, the proposed model specifically focuses on SMEs, given its modularity, ease of understanding and fit to SMEs’ organisational structure. Furthermore, insights from 20 Italian SMEs are examined, and a list of priorities is highlighted.

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This paper illustrates the results of an empirical study involving 21 engineer-to-order (ETO) companies, operating in the machinery-building industry. The study investigates the needs and requirements of such companies in terms of software support for governing the businesses, with particular emphasis on production planning and control (PPC) processes. An empirical analysis investigated two main aspects: (i) the set of business activities performed by the companies in the analysed industry and (ii) the relevant, high-level software functionalities required for the execution of such activities. As an answer to the observed compelling need for reviewing the general approaches to PPC in machinery-building companies, we develop an empirical, high-level production planning and scheduling reference framework, encompassing all the activities involved in the order fulfilment process.

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Product-Service System lifecycle is characterized by several phases from the initial concept to the final disposal. However, as for conventional products, the profit generation and the market success of PSSs critically depend on the decisions taken during the initial lifecycle stages, when PSSs are conceptualized, designed, developed and engineered. These are hence the phases deserving more attention in order to manage the intrinsic complexity of such systems, taking it in account during the entire PSS life cycle design phase. According to this, one of the main gaps detected in the PSS design process is the lack of methods able to support the early integration of service features during the product design. In this specific context DfX approaches, where X= x-bility stands for enhancing products design considering at the same time service features to be embedded on it (x) according to certain performance measures (-bility), are supposed to significantly contribute. The Serviceability point of view appears to be a critical aspect of the design of product-oriented PSS that has not been improving yet: significant enhancement in this products' characteristic will only occur if some changes will arise in the way they are designed. Indeed companies still need guidelines able to enhance the PSS design process in a more systematic way. On this basis, due to the main gap of integrating service features in the product design process, the paper presents and defines DfX approaches enlightening, among the several target properties they have been called to improve so far, the most suitable DfX streams detected to solve the reported PSS design issue and to define Design for Product Service Supportability (DfPSS)

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