Bridging Project Management Maturity and Industry 4.0 Technology Adoption: Empirical Evidence from Energy-Sector Projects

Abstract

This article investigates the association between project management knowledge-area maturity and Industry 4.0 technology maturity in energy-sector project settings, while accounting for heterogeneous project-context characteristics. Cross-sectional survey responses from 203 project professionals were analyzed using descriptive statistics, internal-consistency assessments, Pearson correlation and ordinary least-squares regressions with HC3 robust standard errors. Project management maturity exceeded technology maturity (means 3.149 and 2.266, respectively). The two constructs were positively correlated (r = 0.534) and project management maturity was positively associated with technology maturity in the unadjusted model (B = 0.580, 95% CI [0.428, 0.732], p<0.001; R² = 0.285) and the context-adjusted model (B = 0.445, p<0.001). Digital intensity also showed a positive adjusted association (B = 0.221, p = 0.002). None of four tested project-context interactions was statistically significant. The findings indicate that established managerial processes and digital capability tend to coexist, but do not establish causation or direct improvements in project-success outcomes. The article offers implications for organizational digital readiness, technology implementation and evidence-based management in energy projects.