Background: Manufacturing firms and their associated supply chain (SC) are increasingly faced with the task of transforming towards Industry 4.0 (I4.0). From a research perspective, the current literature predominately focuses on the diversity of emerging I4.0 technologies and their associated challenges, resulting in a lack of sufficient approaches, which facilitate the I4.0 adoption.

Purpose: This study aims to investigate the process of knowledge sharing (KS) in an I4.0 adoption proceeding within an SC context. In particular, we explore how KS can facilitate an I4.0 adoption and which factors influence this KS process.

Method: Through an exploratory single case study, we conducted semi-structured in- depth interviews with a manufacturing firm operating in the automotive industry and five different parties of its SC. A grounded theory approach was used to analyze the gathered data.

Conclusion: We identified four approaches, which, when considered in a KS partnership, facilitate the adoption of I4.0 in the SC. These are (1) Knowledge transferability through principles, (2) Upstream flow of knowledge, (3) Strategic positioning, and (4) Application-relatedness. Further, we found five factors influencing the KS process, which we classified into company-related factors (Internal capabilities, I4.0 maturity level) and relational factors (Organizational fit, Power asymmetry, Relationship quality).

Implications: With the theoretical lens of the knowledge-based view, we fill a gap in research by investigating the process of KS across an SC as a supportive capability during I4.0 adoptions. For practitioners, we present an approach that promotes the implementation of I4.0 based on existing resources.