European manufacturing is at a critical juncture. Disruptive forces in the form of the latest technology, legislation, and changing consumer demands are generating possibilities for novel strategies and practices for value creation. With varying levels of existing digital maturity, manufacturers are shifting across the digital age industrial revolutions (IX.0), from Industry 3.0 to Industry 4.0 and towards Industry 5.0.

Drawing on evidence from literature and practice, this session addresses how IX.0 paradigms unfold and the role of management in Industry 5.0 ambition setting for shifting from technology-centred digital transformation towards human-centric, learning-driven digital transformation.