Tecnologie 4.0 e imprese agroalimentari: il ruolo delle relazioni con i fornitori e gli ecosistemi di supporto

The chapter draws on the latest data and case studies from the Agrifood Management and Innovation Lab’s Observatory on Strategies and Innovation in Food to illustrate how the adoption of 4.0 technologies is feasible for food SMEs, provided that there is a well-structured interface with a variety of actors in their local contexts. The adoption and deployment of 4.0 technologies requires mediation by software, consulting, and research operators to scale down solutions designed for large and structured organizations and to adapt them to the peculiarities of SMEs. We document the nature and structure of these interactions to contribute to future policy choices in supporting digitalization of the sector.