ASSESSING SME READINESS AND GOVERNMENT SUPPORT IN INDUSTRY 4.0 USERS’ ADOPTION: EVIDENCE FROM JIANGSU’S MANUFACTURING SECTOR

Abstract

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are vital to China’s industrial upgrading, yet their readiness to adopt Industry 4.0 (I4.0) technologies remains uncertain. Drawing on the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) and the Task-Technology Fit (TTF) frameworks, this study investigates the determinants of users’ adoption of I4.0 technologies and the mediating role of government intervention within Jiangsu Province’s manufacturing SMEs. Using 199 responses extracted from a larger 403-sample survey, structural equation modeling was employed to examine direct and mediated effects. Results show that performance expectancy exerts the strongest direct influence on user adoption, while effort expectancy and social influence are also significant. Although GI does not directly predict users’ adoption, it is substantially shaped by performance, usability, facilitating conditions, and technology compatibility, suggesting that policy support operates indirectly by enabling organizational readiness rather than directly altering users’ adoption behaviour. The findings highlight that SME users’ adoption is performance-driven and policy-enabled, offering actionable insights for governments seeking to foster digital transformation.