Evolution and Key Differences in Maturity Models for Industrial Digital Transformation: Focus on Industry 4.0 and 5.0

This study conducts an Academic Literature Analysis of 75 maturity models to clarify how Industry 4.0 and Industry 5.0 are being conceptualized and assessed. We map model scope, level structures, evaluated dimensions, and enabling technologies and complement descriptive statistics with exploratory non-parametric tests on the relationship between level structure and dimensional breadth. Results show a persistent dominance of Industry 4.0 models (≈92%), alongside a recent but steady emergence of Industry 5.0 and hybrid approaches in the latest models. Structurally, five-level schemes prevail, balancing diagnostic granularity and comparability. Content-wise, Technology and Digitalization, Processes and Operations, and Management and Strategy remain core, while People and Competencies and Innovation gain relevance; Sustainability and Social Responsibility and Human–Machine Interaction appear with the rise of Industry 5.0. We contribute (i) an operational definition of “hybrid” maturity models to make the I4.0→I5.0 transition measurable, (ii) a meta-typology of maturity levels explaining the five-level preference, and (iii) an evidence-based technology cartography across models. The findings suggest that future designs should retain the digital backbone of I4.0 while integrating explicit indicators for human-centricity, sustainability, and resilience with transparent weighting and scenario-based validation.