Relationship Between the Level of Technology Adoption and the Level of Digital Maturity to Industry 4.0 in Portuguese Companies

Introduction: Digital transformation has become a key driver of competitiveness and sustainable growth in the Industry 4.0 era. While technology adoption and digital maturity have been extensively studied, limited empirical evidence exists regarding how different levels of technology adoption influence digital maturity, particularly when organizational and regional characteristics are considered. This study investigates the relationship between technology adoption levels and digital maturity in Portuguese companies operating within the Industry 4.0 context.

Methods: Data were collected from 140 Portuguese companies using a standardized questionnaire and analysed through ordinal logistic regression to examine the relationship between technology adoption, company size, geographical location, and digital maturity. Standardized data collection procedures and predefined criteria for constructing the technology adoption and digital maturity measures were applied to reduce potential response and measurement biases.

Results: The findings indicate that higher levels of technology adoption are significantly associated with higher levels of digital maturity. However, important regional and organizational disparities were also identified. Companies located in the Dão Lafões region tend to exhibit higher digital maturity levels, while smaller companies face greater challenges in progressing towards more advanced maturity stages. The higher maturity observed in Dão Lafões may reflect contextual factors, such as regional support initiatives and characteristics of the regional industrial structure, although these factors were not directly tested in the regression model. Overall, the findings demonstrate that technology adoption, although essential, is not sufficient on its own to ensure digital maturity.

Conclusions: Achieving higher levels of digital maturity requires combining technology adoption with complementary organizational capabilities, including investment in research and development, workforce training, organizational culture, and change management. The findings provide practical guidance for managers and policymakers in designing digital transformation strategies adapted to different regional and organizational contexts. Given the sampling approach and self-reported nature of the survey data, the findings should be interpreted with appropriate caution. Future research should extend the analysis through sector-specific investigations and longitudinal studies to examine how technology adoption and digital maturity evolve over time.