The Concept of “Industry 4.0” in South-Eastern Poland in the Opinion of Entrepreneurs: A Path to Sustainable Development or a Barrier to Growth?
Abstract
Subject and purpose of the work
The study aims to present the opinions of local entrepreneurs on technological changes within the concept of “Industry 4.0” and to identify the main determinants and barriers in the process of technological change in peripheral areas.
Materials and methods
T he s tudy was conducted among 133 local entrepreneurs f rom t he districts of Brzozów, Sanok, Lesko, and Bieszczady, located in south-eastern Poland.
Results
The study found that the biggest barriers to the introduction of the Industry 4.0 concept in peripheral areas were budget constraints, employee resistance to change, and employee fears of job loss. On the other hand, the determinants for introducing the concept were the pursuit of a sustainable development policy, the existence of a local ecosystem supporting innovation, cooperation with the science sector, and investments in technological infrastructure.
Conclusions
The research showed that entrepreneurs in peripheral areas are only in the early stages of digital transformation or are not planning it at all.
© 2026 Piotr Frączek, Mateusz Kaczmarski, Łukasz Popławski, Janusz Kilar, Monika Krawczyk, Jolanta Karolczuk, Jadwiga Skotnicka, Małgorzata Potoczny, published by John Paul II University in Biała Podlaska
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.