INVESTMENTS IN INDUSTRY 4.0

The paper examines the major factors influencing business decisions to invest in Industry 4.0 technologies and identifies the key barriers preventing businesses from entering this era. The article analyses various aspects of Industry 4.0, including its development, impact on sustainability, and approach to technology implementation. Particular attention is paid to the importance of investments in Industry 4.0 and the benefits and challenges examined in detail. The research aims to provide an overview of the status and trends in Industry 4.0 and identify important factors and barriers that affect the successful adoption and implementation of these technologies. The paper provides a new perspective on the transformation of manufacturing activities and suggests a basis for a deeper understanding of the role of Industry 4.0 in the current and future business environment. This analysis focuses on assessing previous investments in technology and innovation made by five selected Czech companies and their impact on the success or failure of their corporate strategies. The research focuses on the identification and detailed analysis of specific companies operating in the South Bohemia region of the Czech Republic. For this purpose, publicly available information on the costs and depreciation of these companies is used, as well as the collection of promotional materials, including brochures and documents available from the official websites of each company. Overall, the study provides a deeper understanding of the factors and barriers related to Industry 4.0 investments and their impact on corporate decision-making and strategies.