The core topic of the dissertation is the influence of networking of the real with the digital world on the everyday working life of people who work in the industry. The author investigates determining factors for diffusion of these networking technologies in industry 4.0 that change the relationship between (wo)man and machine, as much as the way of working of skilled workers at average employment level. She differentiates between three criteria for the diffusion: Scope of application, level of application and type of application. Skilled workers also play an active role in the diffusion process because only their trust in new technologies increases acceptance, as well as the level of diffusion, and therefore determines the success of technical innovations.