Industry 4.0 Strategies for Agri Clinic Company: A Detailed Case

This case study explores Agri Clinic Company's journey in adapting to Industry 4.0. It begins by introducing the concept of Industry 4.0 and its impact on businesses, particularly in the agricultural sector. The study then delves into Agri Clinic Company's current digital status, examining its use of technology in human resource management, asset management, product design, and investment evaluation. It emphasizes the importance of developing a leadership team aligned with Industry 4.0 principles, focusing on competition, hierarchy, technology, hyper-connectivity, and transparency. The case outlines Agri Clinic Company's vision and strategy for leveraging cyber-physical systems, IoT, and data analytics to enhance its services, including providing farmers with advanced equipment and consultancy. A SWOT analysis identifies the company's strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. Finally, it discusses the implementation of supporting measures and concrete goals with monitoring policies to ensure successful adoption of Industry 4.0 principles.

Industry 4.0– Agri Clinic Company 0
Title: Industry 4.0– Agri Clinic Company
Assignment Name:
Student Name:
Course Name and Number:
Professor:
Date:

Industry 4.0– Agri Clinic Company 1
Contents
Introduction................................................................................................................................2
Agri Clinic Company & Industry 4.0.........................................................................................2
Analysis of the Digital Status Quo & Industry 4.0....................................................................3
Developing a Leadership Team for Industry 4.0.......................................................................4
Industry 4.0 Vision & Strategy..................................................................................................6
The vision for Agri Clinic Company.....................................................................................6
The strategy of Agri Clinic Company....................................................................................6
SWOT Analysis.........................................................................................................................7
Implementation of Supporting Measures...................................................................................8
Concrete Goals & Monitoring Policies......................................................................................9
Implementation & Monitoring of Goals..................................................................................10
Conclusion................................................................................................................................11
References................................................................................................................................12

Industry 4.0– Agri Clinic Company 2
Introduction
The industrial world has witnessed humongous changes in the last two decades and
with the advancement in technology, the business has gained several advantages. The
combination of knowledge and technology has helped in elevating the level of convenience in
the life of a human being with products that have increased the efficiency of each activity
around us. The fourth industrial revolution which is popularly known as the Industry 4.0, is
based on the aspect of knowledge and technology. The field of manufacturing has attained
maximum benefit in with the Industry 4.0. The manufacturing processes have been upgraded
with automation that has made the process of manufacturing flexible along with the facility of
mass production in a customized manner. The Industry 4.0 is going to bring bigger changes
with the advancements in the field of technology. With the new machinery that functions
independently and works on command, the main transition in the working of the organization
will be from operating to communicating. The organizations will be able to produce products
according to the specific requirement of the customers as the Industry 4.0 elevates the
possibility of self-customization, self-cognition, and self-optimization. In this assignment, the
different aspects associated with Industry 4.0 are explored and examined. The various aspects
related with Industry 4.0 that is from strengths and weaknesses to opportunities and threats,
which the industrial world is and will experience are examined in the small business Agri
Clinic Company.
Agri Clinic Company & Industry 4.0
The Agri Clinic Company is a small organization that has the main purpose of
enhancing the standard of agricultural production, which provides the farmers of Kuwait with
the opportunity to increase their incomes. The services offered by the organization include
the supply of agricultural equipment on rent like tractors, tillers, sowing machinery, combine
harvesters, and also much other small equipment that facilitate better production. Along with

Industry 4.0– Agri Clinic Company 3
this, the organization also offers genuine advice to the farmers that will help in enhancing the
quality of their crop. The organization provides useful insights on different fertilizers,
irrigation methods, protection of plants and crops, various nutrients, and also provide useful
learning for attaining better management skills especially post the process of harvesting. The
Agricultural consultancy was included as a unique and differentiated approach as very few
organizations provide this service in Kuwait. Also, the organization wants to adapt to the
strategies of Industry 4.0.
The agricultural sector in Kuwait is limited due to the deficiency of water. Also, the
arable land reduces the farmer’s choices to produce a different variety of crops. To top it all
maximum of the land that was suitable for farming was destroyed by the Iraqi troops. Thus,
with the agricultural sector, having such a limited approach, the government of Kuwait
initiated a number of plans and programs that would offer support to the farmers of Kuwait,
which will ultimately help in making a bigger contribution in the country’s gross domestic
product. The Agri Clinic Company is a small business that has been developed with the help
of the Kuwait government various agricultural programs (Alonso-Garcia, Gomez-Gil and
Arribas, 2011).
Analysis of the Digital Status Quo & Industry 4.0
For developing a path towards Industry 4.0, it is crucial that the organization Agri Clinic
Company examines the different technologies that are being used in the organization’s
functioning. The different functions of the organization include –
 Human Resource Management
The human resource management of today’s organization is works on the
main domain of information technology. The various operations conducted require a
secured environment and thus, the organization Agri Clinic Company require

Industry 4.0– Agri Clinic Company 4
technological systems that would help in better human resource management
(Bawany, 2018).
 Asset Management.
The various different operations and activities that the organization has to
conduct for asset management like creating a record of all the equipment and various
important activities that are conducted for maintaining them, and many other activities
too. For the organization to lead in Industry 4.0, the organization will require cloud
computing.
 Designing and Conceiving New Products
The organization is required to increase the standard of innovation in the
organization to adapt to the terms of Industry 4.0 and thus this innovation will be
required in designing and conceiving new products for the Agri Clinic Company. The
organization should adapt to the smart factory (Cranefield, 2018).
 Evaluation of Investments
The finance team of the organization will require technology that will help in
regular evaluations of investments that the organization incurred in various
organizational activities. This includes investments made on manufacturing,
marketing, supply management, and many more.
Developing a Leadership Team for Industry 4.0
For the organization, to build an organization that effectively adapts to the different new
addition made by the Industry 4.0, it is crucial that in the organization Agri Clinic Company a
new leadership is formulated that is in sync with the Industry 4.0. In the electronically
connected world of Industry 4.0, the traditional approaches of leadership will require massive
alteration and modification, which is essential for building effective management in the
organization. Till now, the leadership from Industry 1.0 to 3.0, have focused on maximizing

Industry 4.0– Agri Clinic Company 5
the productivity of individuals or employees. But in the leadership of Industry 4.0, the focus
is laid on two important aspects, which are the maximization of individual’s productivity and
also on elevating the performance of the team (Herold, 2018). The Industry 4.0 leadership
focuses on building the leaders that have the capabilities and abilities to manage and change
according to the circumstances and the environment in the future (Gomez-Gil et al., 2011).
Thus, the five environmental changes that are crucial in developing a leadership team for the
organization are –
 Competition
The team members should have the abilities to react fast to the competition
that emerges in the market and put a threat to the organization.
 Hierarchy
This is a factor that dominates the decision-making process. Thus, the
organization should be free from hierarchy to facilitate a fast decision-making
process. This will help in developing a team that adapts quickly to changes
(Kuvshinov and Tret’yakova, 2015).
 Technology
The organization will require to harness the skills of individuals as this will
also help in maximizing the technological advancements in the organization.
 Hyper-Connectivity
The team should have the capabilities to take benefits from the opportunities
that are offered by hyperconnectivity. For a leadership team of Industry 4.0, it is
crucial that the teammates should have the abilities to utilize every ounce of
opportunity for the success of the organization (Lewin, 2017).
 Transparency

Industry 4.0– Agri Clinic Company 6
The organization runs on this trait today and tomorrow. The organizational
functions in Industry 4.0 are governed by effective communication between human
resource and also the technology. Thus, it is important for the leadership team to have
a high level of transparency (Onik, Miraz and Kim, 2019).
Industry 4.0 Vision & Strategy
With the changes introduced by the Industry 4.0, there are humongous changes that
will occur in the energy sector and also the manufacturing sector. With the introduction of
advanced robots and artificial intelligence that will govern the functioning of an organization
with cloud computing, data capture, Internet of Things, data analytics, sophisticated sensors,
smartphones, digital fabrication, and many other technological additions that have become an
integral part of personal and professional life. All of this will change the vision and strategy
of organizations (Peralbo-Molina and Luque de Castro, 2013).
The vision of Agri Clinic Company
For leading and adapting to Industry 4.0, the organization’s vision is to build a
workforce that has the abilities to utilize knowledge and technology to the fullest for the
success of the organization. The vision also includes the abilities to utilize cyber-physical
systems, internet of things, Smart factory, internet services, M2M, smart product, cloud
computing, and big data, for conducting the functions of the organization for developing
better management.
The strategy of Agri Clinic Company
For leading the organization to Industry 4.0, the strategy of Agri Clinic Company is to
have a differentiated approach in the market. This can be conducted by –
 The organization with their consultancy service should inform the customer about the
different new equipment that helps in monitoring of weather in protecting the crops

Industry 4.0– Agri Clinic Company 7
like Pycno, ALLMETEO, and Smart Elements. Also, other new technological devices
for developing a farm log and other important farming sensors (Santana-Fernández,
Gómez-Gil and Del-Pozo-San-Cirilo, 2010).
 The organization should offer the farmers with appropriate training that will help
them in improving the quality of their plants and crops. Though the organization
offers equipment, they should also provide training so, the farmers know the right
techniques to use the equipment.
 The organization should have a set target that will also require the evaluation of
different investments. The organization have to receive a return on investments thus,
it is crucial that the Agri Clinic Company should develop better terms with the
organizations that are supplying it with the different equipment and the customers to
him it is supplying the equipment (Shamim et al., 2016).
 The main strategy of the organization is to offer customized service to the customers
and transform them into loyal customers of the organization.
SWOT Analysis
Strengths –
 The organization is offering a wide range of equipment. Thus, the organization is
catering to the needs of different customers.
 The organization is offering products that are modern like the sensors and cameras,
which many of the organizations in the market are not offering.
 Also, the consultancy service will provide the organization with an upper hand in the
market. The customers will seek the organization's special advice about different
aspects of agriculture.
Weaknesses –

Industry 4.0– Agri Clinic Company 8
 The organization is attempting to shift the customers from traditional farming
methods with their advice on some of the products. Thus, this may not cater to
customers who strictly follow the methods of traditional farming.
 The organization is a small organization that is trying to create a niche thus, the brand
awareness of the organization is negligible. This also means that the credibility of the
organization in the opinion of the customers is very low.
Opportunities –
 The farmers of Kuwait have very limited options, thus with the consultancy service,
the organization are helping the farmers to utilize the land according to its attributes.
This differentiated service will help in attaining a huge market share in less time.
 The organization is adapting to the rules and trends of Industry 4.0, which also means
that the organization has developed a workforce that will easily adapt to any
technological addition. This will be beneficial for the organization in the long run to
attract more customers and in other organizational management (Tarasov, 2018).
Threats –
 The Agri Clinic Company is a small organization and thus, it faces huge competition
from the bigger organization that can easily shift the customers from one organization
to another with a single tactic.
 The Agri Clinic Company is stepping into the market so, all the equipment and
services it is offering the customers have to be of high quality. A single mistake can
tarnish the image of the organization in the market.
Implementation of Supporting Measures
Some of the supporting measures that the organization Agri Clinic Company should
include for attracting the customers are –

Industry 4.0– Agri Clinic Company 9
 The organization should create brand awareness and should increase their credibility
in the market. For this, the organization can create events that will invite the farmers
and the organization can inform the farmers about the new technological devices that
can help the farmers in better production. This will help in building a strong image of
the organization in the market. Also, this will work as an effective promotional
activity too.
 The organization should develop a forum that will help in taking the feedback from
the customers. This will enable continuous improvement in the organization, as they
will address all the issues posted by the customers (Van Rooyen and Becker, 2018).
 The organization should also explore the lands of Kuwait to find the best suitable
lands for farming. This will work in collaboration with the differentiated approach of
the organization. Also, this service will help in catering to a section, who wants better
lands to practice farming.
 The organization also have to build better links with the organizations that are
supplying the Agri Clinic Company with different technological devices. This will
help in gaining a new product first in the market (Vieira, O’Dwyer and Schneider,
2016).
Concrete Goals & Monitoring Policies
The concrete goals and monitoring possibilities of the organization to lead to Industry 4.0
and also to create a solid niche in the market are –
 Offering the customer with the best products.
The organization Agri Clinic Company should have the main goal of offering
customers with the best equipment and valuable advice. This is the only way through
which an organization will able to develop a customer base. For the startup

Industry 4.0– Agri Clinic Company 10
organization, the services offered to the customers determine the transformation of a
potential customer into a loyal one. The organization requires the funds for getting
access to different technologies that will transform the working of the organization in
sync with the trends of Industry 4.0 (Yonghua, 2016).
 Creating an environment that is governed by two aspects knowledge and
technology.
The organization should have the main aim of elevating the level of
technology use in the organization. Thus, the various different technological
operations should be conducted with the main aim of stepping towards the Industry
4.0 that will help in increasing the level of efficiency in the organization (Contreras,
Garcia and Diaz, 2017).
 The level of customization should be increased.
The main aim of the organization should be to increase the level of
customization, self-optimization, and self-cognition in the organization. This is
required in the organization as in the future, it is the fight of customization between
organizations (Sanders, Elangeswaran and Wulfsberg, 2016).
 The organization needs to adapt to technologies that help in monitoring
organizational activities from time to time.
The organization needs to monitor the different changes that will help in
creating an organization that is governed by the Industry 4.0 trends. Thus, it is crucial
that it should be ensured that the workforce of the organization is provided with
necessary training to learn the operations of different devices and should develop the
skills to address any issues that arise while incorporating any technology in the
organization functions (Su et al., 2017).

Industry 4.0– Agri Clinic Company 11
Implementation & Monitoring of Goals
For the Agri Clinic Company, the set concrete goals have to be implemented effectively,
along with continuous monitoring of all the activities conducted by the organization to attain
the goals. Thus, some of the recommendations for better implementation and monitoring are
–
 The main focus of the organization for better implementation of all the different
activities in the organization is to provide clear instructions to the employees and to
inform the concept of Industry 4.0 and making them learn the key tactics that should
be practiced for better implementation. The concept of Industry 4.0 means that the
employee should be given proper training that help them in utilizing their knowledge
and available technology to the best of their abilities to attain the set goals of the
organization (Vaidya, Ambad and Bhosle, 2018).
 For monitoring the goals, it is crucial that the organization should examine the work
of the team from time to time. Also, evaluating the increase in the productivity of the
team will facilitate better monitoring (Xu, Xu and Li, 2018).
Conclusion
Thus, with the various different technologies and skilled labor, the organization Agri
Clinic Company will able to create a niche for itself in the market with their differentiated
approach. Also, the organization will be able to transform the operations of the organization
to the level of Industry 4.0. With the adaptation of Industry 4.0 working style, the
organization will be able to tackle the future changes in a simpler manner, as the workforce
will have the required skills to deal with the changes and to address any issue in a more
logical manner. This will help the organization in overall development, as the organization
will conquer the market and will also attain efficient management.

Industry 4.0– Agri Clinic Company 12
References
Alonso-Garcia, S., Gomez-Gil, J. and Arribas, J. (2011). Evaluation of the use of low-cost
GPS receivers in the autonomous guidance of agricultural tractors. Spanish Journal of
Agricultural Research, 9(2), p.377.
Bawany, S. (2018). What you need to lead in the Industry 4.0. [online] Human Resources
Online. Available at: https://www.humanresourcesonline.net/what-you-need-to-lead-in-the-
industry-4-0/ [Accessed 12 Feb. 2019].
Cranefield (2018). Industry 4.0 Impact on Organisations, Leadership and Management.
[online] Business Essentials. Available at:
http://www.businessessentials.co.za/2018/06/07/industry-4-0-impact-on-organisations-
leadership-and-management/ [Accessed 12 Feb. 2019].
Contreras, J., Garcia, J. and Diaz, J. (2017). Developing of Industry 4.0 Applications. [online]
Online-journals.org. Available at:
https://online-journals.org/index.php/i-joe/article/view/7331 [Accessed 12 Feb. 2019].
Gomez-Gil, J., Alonso-Garcia, S., Gómez-Gil, F. and Stombaugh, T. (2011). A Simple
Method to Improve Autonomous GPS Positioning for Tractors. Sensors, 11(6), pp.5630-
5644.

Industry 4.0– Agri Clinic Company 13
Herold, G. (2018). Industry 4.0: Leadership in the Fourth Industrial Revolution. [online]
Stanton Chase Montreal. Available at: https://www.stantonchasemontreal.com/en/industry-
40-leadership/ [Accessed 12 Feb. 2019].
Kuvshinov, M. and Tret’yakova, E. (2015). The development of the concept of management
concept of the companies organizational. Economy in the industry, 1(3), p.14.
Lewin, N. (2017). Leadership 4.0: training for revolution. [online] Manufacturingglobal.com.
Available at: https://www.manufacturingglobal.com/leadership/leadership-40-training-
revolution [Accessed 12 Feb. 2019].
Onik, M., Miraz, M. and Kim, C. (2019). A Recruitment and Human Resource Management
Technique Using Blockchain Technology for Industry 4.0. [online] arXiv.org. Available at:
https://arxiv.org/abs/1812.03237 [Accessed 12 Feb. 2019].
Peralbo-Molina, Á. and Luque de Castro, M. (2013). Potential of residues from the
Mediterranean agriculture and agrifood industry. Trends in Food Science & Technology,
32(1), pp.16-24.
Sanders, A., Elangeswaran, C. and Wulfsberg, J. (2016). Industry 4.0 implies lean
manufacturing: Research activities in industry 4.0 function as enablers for lean
manufacturing. [online] jiem.org. Available at:
http://www.jiem.org/index.php/jiem/article/view/1940 [Accessed 12 Feb. 2019].
Santana-Fernández, J., Gómez-Gil, J. and Del-Pozo-San-Cirilo, L. (2010). Design and
Implementation of a GPS Guidance System for Agricultural Tractors Using Augmented
Reality Technology. Sensors, 10(11), pp.10435-10447.

Industry 4.0– Agri Clinic Company 14
Shamim, S., Cang, S., Yu, H. and Li, Y. (2016). Management approaches for Industry 4.0: A
human resource management perspective. 2016 IEEE Congress on Evolutionary
Computation (CEC).
Su, S., Rudas, I., Zurada, J., Er, M., Chou, J. and Kwon, D. (2017). Industry 4.0: A Special
Section in IEEE <italic>Access</italic>. IEEE Access, 5, pp.12257-12261.
Tarasov, I. (2018). Industry 4.0: Concept & Development. Business Strategies, 1(5), pp.43-
49.
Van Rooyen, M. and Becker, T. (2018). High-temperature tensile property measurements
using digital image correlation over a non-uniform temperature field. The Journal of Strain
Analysis for Engineering Design, 53(3), pp.117-129.
Vaidya, S., Ambad, P. and Bhosle, S. (2018). Industry 4.0 – A Glimpse. Procedia
Manufacturing, 20(1), pp.233-238.
Vieira, R., O’Dwyer, B. and Schneider, R. (2016). Aligning Strategy and Performance
Management Systems. Organization & Environment, 30(1), pp.3-26.
Xu, L., Xu, E. and Li, L. (2018). Industry 4.0: state of the art and future trends. International
Journal of Production Research, 56(8), pp.2941-2962.
Yonghua, Z. (2016). Research on the Application of Information Technology in Food and
Agriculture Related Industry. Advance Journal of Food Science and Technology, 10(11),
pp.814-820.

Industry 4.0– Agri Clinic Company 15