Sustainability 4.0 in services: a systematic review of the literature

Abstract

PurposeThis paper aimed to identify the impact that Industry 4.0 can have on the service sector and how its combination can generate benefits for Sustainability 4.0 in the context of the Triple Bottom Line.Design/methodology/approachA Systematic Literature Review (RSL) was developed using the following combinations of keywords on the Web of Science and Scopus databases: Industry 4.0 And Sustainability, Industry 4.0 And Service, and Industry 4.0 And Sustainable Development, in which 24 papers were selected.FindingsAs a result, the authors found 100 benefits for sustainable development, which were further categorized into 54 advantages for the economic area, 25 for the social segment and 21 for environmental aspects. In this way, the results can help private companies understand the use of these technologies aimed at sustainable growth, plus bolstering the government to conduct public policies to encourage these practices in technology organizations.Practical implicationsAs a practical implication, this study offers insight into the evolution of sustainable development. It enables the emergence of works that wish to explore the service sector, providing relevant information for decision-making and influencing managers and policymakers on the importance of applying Industry 4.0 toward the sustainability of the service sector and its applications.Originality/valueThe originality of this study lies in expanding the understanding generated by 4.0 technologies, by diverting attention from the manufacturing and agricultural sectors, which have abundant literature on the subject. With this, this work demonstrated that modern technologies have greater possibilities of an action directed at the service sector, in addition to being able to contribute to Sustainability 4.0 from the perspective of the sustainability tripod.

Evaluation of the Benefits Generated by Sustainability 4.0: A Study of the Perception of Banking Sector Customers

“…Finally, the third part assessed customer perception regarding industry 4.0 (I4.0), sustainability, and the benefits provided by these technologies in the banking sector. This last stage, based on the study by [13] in the services sector, totaled 55 questions. The 55 questions were divided into 23 questions related to the economic dimension, 18 questions linked to the social dimension, and 14 questions related to the environmental dimension.…”

“…Finally, based on the studies of [13] who carried out a systematic review of the literature to understand the impact of industry 4.0 (I4.0) on the services sector and its contribution to sustainability 4.0, under the principles of the triple bottom line (economic, social, and environmental dimensions). The research by the authors identified 100 general benefits at this intersection, which were categorized into 54 benefits for the economic dimension, 25 for the social dimension, and 21 for the environmental dimension.…”

“…With the evolution of services and the arrival of industry 4.0 technologies, a new concept of sustainability emerges, sustainability 4.0. Globally, sustainability 4.0 in the service sector was defined by [13] as the integration of technologies enabling industry 4.0 and the triple bottom line (TBL) (social, environmental, and economic dimensions) of sustainability. For [41] sustainability 4.0 in the fashion industry is a new mentality that is based on the positive correlation between the enabling technologies of industry 4.0 and the three dimensions established by TBL, aiming for sustainable solutions in the production chains.…”

“…That said, the question arises: "What is the perception of bank customers regarding the benefits that Sustainability 4.0 (S4.0) can generate?" According to [13], sustainability 4.0 can be defined with the integration of technologies enabling industry 4.0 and the social, environmental, and economic dimensions of sustainability. Thus, this article is relevant in three main aspects.…”

“…Therefore, this paper aims to evaluate customer perceptions regarding the benefits generated by sustainability 4.0 in the banking sector. For this, a questionnaire prepared based on the study by [13] was applied to a sample of 90 customers of commercial and investment banks located in the state of Pernambuco, located in the northeast of Brazil.…”