Business model innovation and ambidexterity in Industry 4.0

Framing of the research. The Fourth Industrial Revolution (I4.0) is dramatically affecting firms’ strategies, disrupting their business models. In particular, a bunch of digital technologies like IoT (Internet of Things), cloud platforms, big data, artificial intelligence and data analysis are offering firms the possibility to manage products functions, remotely and globally, kick-starting the design of innovative business models. Purpose of the paper. Using studies that have analyzed the link between business model innovation and ambidexterity as theoretical background, the aim of the paper is to investigate how incumbent BtoB manufacturing firms develop an I4.0 disrupting business model by addressing the related duality between exploration and exploitation (ambidexterity). Methodology. The paper fulfils its purposes by the means of a qualitative investigation, discussing empirical evidence coming from a cross-case analysis of 25 Italian SMEs and medium-large enterprises, selected cro...