Transformation of Manufacturing Processes and Business Models in the Industrial Sector through Digitalization

Digitalization in the industrial sector serves as a key driver for transforming manufacturing systems and value creation principles. However, the scientific understanding of the relationship between technological changes and the evolution of business models remains fragmented. This article presents research aimed at identifying the systematic patterns of this process, focusing on overcoming the “organizational gap” between technological potential and strategic adaptation. The relevance of this work is underscored by the need to shift from isolated technological solutions to comprehensive transformation models in the context of global competition. The objective of the study was to identify mechanisms for transforming manufacturing processes and business architectures under the influence of Industry 4.0 digital technologies. A comprehensive set of methods was employed to achieve this: a systematic review of international scientific publications, comparative analysis of statistics, patent analysis, and evaluation of industry reports. The main findings revealed a dualism in transformation. A threshold effect of digitalization was established: significant productivity growth (r=0.68) occurs only after achieving an integral technology maturity index greater than 0.65. At the same time, the transformation of business models shows a weak dependence on the volume of IT investments (r=0.31) but a strong correlation with strategic management (r=0.79) and change competencies (r=0.72). Dominant archetypes of new business models were identified: results-oriented services (58% of successful cases), platform ecosystems (32%), and data-centric models (24%). Industry specifics were confirmed as a key moderator: in discrete manufacturing, the correlation between digitalization and profitability is maximal (r=0.71), whereas it is minimal in continuous processes (r=0.29). The practical significance of this research lies in concrete recommendations for overcoming the identified organizational gap between technological potential and strategic adaptation. Industry leaders are advised to shift their focus from purely technological implementations to deeply adapting management systems to digital realities, including reviewing structures, KPIs, and corporate culture. A key imperative becomes the development of industry-specific transformation trajectories that account for fundamental differences between discrete and continuous manufacturing. Additionally, the formation of dynamic digitalization strategies is suggested, integrating constant monitoring of progress through indicators measuring the depth of changes in business models. Prospects for further research are naturally linked to in-depth longitudinal analysis of intra-company transformation processes to establish causal relationships, as well as the development of comprehensive models for institutional adaptation capable of effectively mitigating resistance from organizational structures.