Industry 4.0 Practices in the Amazon Region: An Operations Management Perspective

Resumo

The adoption of Industry 4.0 (I4.0) in peripheral regions, such as the Brazilian Amazon, remains underexplored. This study analyzes I4.0 practices in Amazonian manufacturing industries from an operations management perspective, assessing their implementation, the adequacy of an assessment protocol, and the maturity levels observed. A multiple-case study was conducted in two companies: a thermal power plant with continuous production and 60 employees, and a plastic injection molding company with batch production and 400 employees. A structured protocol comprising eight constructs and 57 open-ended questions was applied, combining document analysis, on-site observation (10 days per company), and 20 interviews totaling 30 hours. Data were analyzed using Bardin’s content analysis framework. The results indicate that both companies exhibit maturity levels between the computerization and connectivity stages (1–2), corresponding to Industry 2.0 and Industry 3.0, with no advanced implementation of I4.0. The thermal power plant exhibits greater sensor integration and horizontal integration than the batch production company. Basic sensors and supervisory control systems are the predominant technologies, whereas the Internet of Things (IoT), big data, digital twins, and artificial intelligence are absent. The findings indicate that the production system influences I4.0 maturity in the companies analyzed. The protocol proved suitable for the qualitative assessment of these practices, providing a replicable diagnostic tool. Social implications include differences in employees’ understanding of I4.0 and concerns about job displacement. This study contributes to operations management by expanding knowledge of digital transformation in underexplored industrial contexts.