Territorial coupling in Industry 4.0: assessing the impact of geographical proximity to automotive industry on the digital entrepreneurs in Poland

The debate in economic geography and regional studies on industrial upgrading and new development paths has intensified with the transformative role of Industry 4.0 (I4.0). Research typically focuses on the adoption of I4.0 technologies by manufacturing firms, often neglecting the providers of I4.0 services and products. This paper examines the importance of geographical proximity to automotive customers for digital entrepreneurs in Poland. Employing geostatistical analysis, surveys, interviews, and network analysis, the study unveils varying degrees of territorial coupling among I4.0 providers, based on the type of solutions offered. It reveals that the strength of territorial coupling differs among digital entrepreneurs, depending on the nature of their solutions. The study empirically confirms a locational dichotomy between IT-centric and manufacturing-centric I4.0 technologies, with a pronounced tendency for high-tech services to cluster in metropolitan areas.