Abstract

The objective of this paper is to provide a profound insight into important
characteristics with regard to the integration of mobile technology into the area of industrial
maintenance. The aspects highlighted in the paper uncover, for instance, acceptance models
and best practices, as well as the financial impact of mobile technologies in the domain of
interest. Moreover, the paper pinpoints some important characteristics that impede full
integration of these technologies into this area. In addition, the economic benefits and the
current situation with regard to mobile integration are highlighted. In addition, relevant
literature and theories are analysed and discussed. Furthermore, the industrial integration
of mobile technologies is outlined. The results indicate that there is a tendency to place
an emphasis on the technical aspects of mobile devices rather than on understanding the
organisational context, which affects the integration of mobile technologies into this domain.
The work provides a thorough understanding of best practices and aspects to consider for the
successful integration of mobile technologies in this area. This is because the use of mobile
devices enables maintenance staff to gain access to information and services pertaining to the
task in hand in real time, as long as some form of network access is provided. Users of these
devices thus become mobile actors who dynamically interact with the physical environment
in the workplace and support information systems, leading to a faster response to events and
improved organizational performance.