Realizing the Full Potential of Digital Innovation: Exploring Maturity Levels for Integrating Interorganizational Value Chains

Abstract

Maturity models, with their defined levels, help organizations recognize the need for change and implement measures to integrate digital Industry 4.0 (I4.0) innovations, thereby enhancing their value chains’ performance. However, fully realizing the potential of I4.0 necessitates effective interorganizational collaboration, an area in which empirical research remains limited. In this study, we expand on existing research on business-process maturity models by investigating their application in an interorganizational context. Through an examination of 21 existing models and a survey of 188 manufacturing firms, we identified four distinct maturity levels for digital interorganizational value chain capabilities. Statistical analysis has validated these levels, consistent with our initial pilot study’s results. These results contribute to the development of a comprehensive interorganizational maturity model, offering valuable insights for scholars and practitioners to realize the full potential of digital I4.0 innovations. This approach necessitates robust collaboration among interorganizational entities to attain the best value chain performance.