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Article
Publication date: 18 June 2024

Ava Santana Barbosa, Joanna Carneiro Delgado, Letícia Conceição Quintela de Alcântara, Carlos Jefferson de Melo Santos and Angelo Marcio Oliveira Sant’Anna

This paper aims to propose a framework to assess the readiness of Brazilian small and medium service companies to use Industry 4.0 technologies to improve the efficiency of…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to propose a framework to assess the readiness of Brazilian small and medium service companies to use Industry 4.0 technologies to improve the efficiency of processes, reinforcing the idea that evaluating and planning the implementation is as important as the use, without the need for big investments.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper presents two applications on the readiness level of small and medium enterprises, with support from researchers and stakeholders. The literature seems to focus more on the maturity level than on providing a sequence of operational steps or decision support. It would lead to better implementation of I4.0 technologies in assessing the company’s readiness level to adopt them.

Findings

The authors analyze the relevant case studies in Brazilian small and medium service enterprises based on the proposed framework to investigate the main challenges and hardships for Industry 4.0 readiness in the current scenario and outline directions to increase their readiness for adopting key Industry 4.0 technologies. Moreover, the case studies consolidate a fundamental advantage to small and medium enterprise service: a guided implementation provides more knowledge about products, processes and I4.0 technologies, even in unsuccessful case studies.

Practical implications

The need was identified when studying market trends with the digital transformation provided by Industry 4.0 technologies and, in parallel, the difficulties of small and medium service companies in adapting to this new scenario. Through the proposed framework, an action plan can be drawn up with well-defined objectives, goals and activities so that the service enterprises can increase their Industry 4.0 readiness level within three months.

Originality/value

A relevant aspect is that this study is based on feedback from stakeholders and managers, which makes the analyses and conclusions from empirical points of view without relevant theoretical knowledge of the relationship between I4.0 technologies. Therefore, the proposed framework made it possible to diagnose the organization’s external and internal environments, allowing the ideal condition and the current situation of the companies to be compared, as argued in the Industry 4.0 readiness literature review.

Details

International Journal of Lean Six Sigma, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2040-4166

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 31 August 2022

Chung Van Dong and Hoan Quang Truong

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has been negatively affecting international trade between countries; however, there is a lack of empirical studies on developing…

Abstract

Purpose

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has been negatively affecting international trade between countries; however, there is a lack of empirical studies on developing countries such as Vietnam. This article aims to investigate how the COVID-19 cases and related deaths and policy response by Vietnam and trading partners to the pandemic affect Vietnam's export activities.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors use the monthly trade data from the General Department of Vietnam Customs and employ the Poisson pseudo-maximum-likelihood (PPML) estimator to empirically investigate the effects of COVID-19 and policy response to the pandemic on Vietnam's exports at aggregate and sectoral levels over a 33-month period.

Findings

In the first year of the pandemic (January–December 2020) as well as the whole study period (January 2019–September 2021), trading partners' COVID-19 burden adversely affected Vietnam's aggregate exports, and the effect of COVID-19 deaths is significantly larger than that of COVID-19 cases. In the first year of the pandemic, estimates show a negative effect of Vietnam's COVID-19 cases on its exports, while no evidence reveals the impact of Vietnam's COVID-19 deaths. However, during the entire study period, there are remarkable adverse effects of Vietnam's COVID-19 deaths on its exports. The effect of the COVID-19 burden in Vietnam and in its trading partners differs significantly across major subsectors. In the first year, there is a positive role of government response to the pandemic by Vietnam and its trading partners in Vietnam's aggregate exports, while in the whole study period, only a positive effect of Vietnam's government response is found. Economic support and free trade agreements (FTAs) have a positive effect on Vietnam's exports. In the first year of the pandemic, Vietnam's export losses due to COVID-19 outweighed its export gains from the pandemic. However, Vietnam's exports have significantly improved over the nine months of 2021.

Research limitations/implications

Efforts should aim to reduce the number of COVID-19 deaths rather than focus on reducing the number of COVID-19 cases. The application of stringency measures by both exporters and importers should be minimized, or at least those measures need to be combined with health methods, such as testing policy and contact tracing, short-term investment in healthcare and especially investments in vaccines. In addition, economic support, particularly debt relief, needs to be widely applied to assist firms, especially those involved in international trade. The expansion of FTA networks and diversifying export destinations may be helpful in maintaining production networks and export activities.

Practical implications

In the long-term period, the application of stringency measures by both exporters and importers should be minimized, or at least those measures need to be combined with health methods such as testing policy and contact tracing, short-term investment in healthcare and especially investments in vaccines. In addition, economic assistance, particularly debt relief, needs to be widely applied to assist firms, especially those involved in international trade activities.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, the paper is among the first studies empirically investigating the impacts of COVID-19 and policy response to the pandemic on aggregate and sectoral exports from Vietnam. The paper also measures the absolute value of export gain and export loss due to the pandemic between Vietnam and trading countries.

Details

International Journal of Emerging Markets, vol. 19 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1746-8809

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 7 November 2022

Buddhini Ginigaddara, Srinath Perera, Yingbin Feng, Payam Rahnamayiezekavat and Mike Kagioglou

Industry 4.0 is exacerbating the need for offsite construction (OSC) adoption, and this rapid transformation is pushing the boundaries of construction skills towards extensive…

Abstract

Purpose

Industry 4.0 is exacerbating the need for offsite construction (OSC) adoption, and this rapid transformation is pushing the boundaries of construction skills towards extensive modernisation. The adoption of this modern production strategy by the construction industry would redefine the position of OSC. This study aims to examine whether the existing skills are capable of satisfying the needs of different OSC types.

Design/methodology/approach

A critical literature review evaluated the impact of transformative technology on OSC skills. An existing industry standard OSC skill classification was used as the basis to develop a master list that recognises emerging and diminishing OSC skills. The master list recognises 67 OSC skills under six skill categories: managers, professionals, technicians and trade workers, clerical and administrative workers, machinery operators and drivers and labourers. The skills data was extracted from a series of 13 case studies using document reviews and semi-structured interviews with project stakeholders.

Findings

The multiple case study evaluation recognised 13 redundant skills and 16 emerging OSC skills such as architects with building information modelling and design for manufacture and assembly knowledge, architects specialised in design and logistics integration, advanced OSC technical skills, factory operators, OSC estimators, technicians for three dimensional visualisation and computer numeric control operators. Interview findings assessed the current state and future directions for OSC skills development. Findings indicate that the prevailing skills are not adequate to readily relocate construction activities from onsite to offsite.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this research is one of the first studies that recognises the major differences in skill requirements for non-volumetric and volumetric OSC types.

Details

Construction Innovation , vol. 24 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1471-4175

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 26 September 2023

Upinder Kumar, Mahender Singh Kaswan, Rakesh Kumar, Rekha Chaudhary, Jose Arturo Garza-Reyes, Rajeev Rathi and Rohit Joshi

The main aim of this study is to review different aspects of Industry 5.0 (I5.0) along with Kaizen measures to foster this novel aspect of industrial sustainability. The study…

Abstract

Purpose

The main aim of this study is to review different aspects of Industry 5.0 (I5.0) along with Kaizen measures to foster this novel aspect of industrial sustainability. The study makes a comprehensive study to explore the implementation status of I5.0 in industries, key technologies, adoption level in different nations and barriers to I5.0 adoption together with mitigation actions.

Design/methodology/approach

To do a systematic study of the literature, the authors have used preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analysis (PRISMA) methodology to extract articles related to the field of the study.

Findings

It has been found that academic literature on the I5.0 is continuously growing as the wheel of time is running. Most of the studies on I5.0 are conceptual-based, and manufacturing and medical industries are the flag bearer in the adoption of this novel aspect. Further, due to I5.0's infancy, many organizations face difficulty to adopt the same due to financial burden, resistive nature, a well-designed standard for cyber-physical systems (CPS) and an effective mechanism for human–robot collaboration. Further studies also provide avenues for future research in terms of the identification of collaborative mechanisms between machines and wells, the establishment of different standards for comparison and the development of I5.0-enabled models for different industrial domains.

Originality/value

The study is the first of its kind that reviews different facets of I5.0in conjunction with Kaizen's measures and application areas and provides avenues for future research to improve an organization's environmental and social sustainability.

Article
Publication date: 20 February 2023

Nadia Safura Zabidin, Sheila Belayutham and Che Khairil Izam Che Ibrahim

The purpose of this study is to explore the knowledge, attitude and practices (KAP) of Industry 4.0 between the academicians and industry players in construction engineering…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to explore the knowledge, attitude and practices (KAP) of Industry 4.0 between the academicians and industry players in construction engineering, further suggesting a mechanism to narrow the gap between the distinct parties.

Design/methodology/approach

This study was conducted through structured online and face-to-face interviews, using KAP survey, and semi-structured interviews. This constructive research was conducted among Malaysian construction industry players and academicians from the construction engineering department in public universities.

Findings

The findings exhibit the similarities and differences of KAP between academics and industry on Industry 4.0 in construction engineering. In general, both categories of respondents have displayed more similarities than differences in all aspects, except for knowledge. The better knowledge profile of Industry 4.0 among the academicians reflects the nature of the academic works that constantly seek new knowledge, thus suggesting the establishment of an industry-academic (I-A) knowledge equilibrium framework to leverage the knowledge profile between both parties.

Research limitations/implications

This exploratory study that showcases the perspective of the academia and industry practitioners on Industry 4.0 acts as a cornerstone for bridging the gap between the two distinct sectors within the same field.

Practical implications

The gap between the academic and industry was highlighted, further establishing the I-A knowledge equilibrium framework that could also be applied to other fields of study.

Originality/value

The originality of this paper was the profiling of the KAP of Industry 4.0 for the academicians and industry players in construction engineering, further distinguishing the gap between both parties.

Details

Construction Innovation , vol. 24 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1471-4175

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 18 April 2024

Ramads Thekkoote

This paper uses the complex proportionality assessment (COPRAS) method to examine the driving factors of Industry 4.0 (I4) technologies for lean implementation in small and…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper uses the complex proportionality assessment (COPRAS) method to examine the driving factors of Industry 4.0 (I4) technologies for lean implementation in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

Design/methodology/approach

Adopting I4 technology is imperative for SMEs seeking to maintain competitiveness within the manufacturing sector. A thorough understanding of the driving factors involved is required to support the implementation of I4. For this objective, the multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) tool COPRAS was used to efficiently analyze and rank these driving elements based on their importance. These factors can help small and medium-sized firms (SMEs) prioritize their efforts and investments in I4 technologies for lean implementation.

Findings

This study evaluates and prioritizes the nine I4 factors according to the perceptions of SMEs. The ranking offers significant insights into the factors SMEs consider more accessible and effective when adopting I4 technologies.

Originality/value

The author's original contribution is to examine I4 driving factors for lean implementation in SMEs using COPRAS.

Details

The TQM Journal, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1754-2731

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 13 June 2023

Mohammadreza Akbari, Seng Kiat Kok, John Hopkins, Guilherme F. Frederico, Hung Nguyen and Abel Duarte Alonso

The purpose of the article is to contribute to the body of research on digital transformation among members of the supply chain operating in an emerging economy. This paper…

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of the article is to contribute to the body of research on digital transformation among members of the supply chain operating in an emerging economy. This paper researches the digital transformation trends happening across Vietnamese supply chains, by investigating the current adoption rates, predicted impact levels and financial investments being made in key Industry 4.0 technologies.

Design/methodology/approach

By using a semi-structured online survey, the experiences of 281 supply chain professionals in Vietnam were captured. Subsequently, statistical techniques examining variances in means, regression analysis and Monte Carlo simulation were applied.

Findings

The findings of this study offer a comprehensive understanding of Industry 4.0 technology in Vietnam, highlighting the prevalent technologies being prioritized. Big data analytics and the Internet of things are expected to have the most substantial impact on businesses over the next 5–10 years and have received the most financial investment. Conversely, Blockchain is perceived as having less potential for future investment. The study further identifies several technological synergies, such as combining advanced robotics, artificial intelligence and the Internet of things to build effective and flexible factories, that can lead to more comprehensive solutions. It also extends diffusion of innovation theory, encompassing investment and impact considerations.

Originality/value

This study offers valuable insights into the impact and financial investment in Industry 4.0 technologies by Vietnamese supply chain firms. It provides a theoretical contribution via an extension of the diffusion of innovation theory and contributes toward a better understanding of the current Industry 4.0 landscape in developing economies. The findings have significant implications for future managerial decision-making, on the impact, viability and resourcing needs when undertaking digital transformation.

Details

The International Journal of Logistics Management, vol. 35 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0957-4093

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 14 August 2024

Mahsa Fekrisari and Jussi Kantola

This paper aims to identify potential barriers to Industry 4.0 adoption for manufacturers and examine the changes that must be made to production processes to implement Industry…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to identify potential barriers to Industry 4.0 adoption for manufacturers and examine the changes that must be made to production processes to implement Industry 4.0 successfully. It aims to develop technology by assisting with the successful implementation of Industry 4.0 in the manufacturing process by using smart system techniques.

Design/methodology/approach

Multiple case studies are used in this paper by using the smart system and Matlab, and semi-structured interviews are used to collect qualitative data.

Findings

Standardization, management support, skills, and costs have been cited as challenges for most businesses. Most businesses struggle with data interoperability. Complexity, information security, scalability, and network externalities provide challenges for some businesses. Environmental concerns are less likely to affect businesses with higher degrees of maturity. Additionally, it enables the Technical Director’s expertise to participate in the measurement using ambiguous input and output using language phrases. The outcomes of the numerous tests conducted on the approaches are extensively studied in the provided method.

Originality/value

In this research, a multiple-case study aims to carry out a thorough investigation of the issue in its actual setting.

Details

The TQM Journal, vol. 36 no. 9
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1754-2731

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 12 October 2023

Maja Sajdak and Michał Młody

This paper aims to identify the basis of the technological anxiety phenomenon by defining the differences and similarities in terms of barriers of the implementation of Industry…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to identify the basis of the technological anxiety phenomenon by defining the differences and similarities in terms of barriers of the implementation of Industry 4.0 technologies across industrial processing sector.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper presents a qualitative, exploratory research, and the authors apply the cross-case study method. The study is based on interviews with representatives of 11 medium-sized and large companies from industrial processing sector; specifically, the authors focus on three industries: automotive, food and furniture.

Findings

The research showed that there are similarities as well as differences in terms of identified barriers between individual industries. Taking into account the various dimensions of technological anxiety, similarities are visible, in particular, in the case of Internal processes and infrastructure and human resources, while in the other two dimensions, i.e. strategic planning and standards and security, differences between the sectors were noted.

Practical implications

The developed list of barriers can be a starting point for middle and senior managers of manufacturing companies to understand the sources of technological anxiety. The planning and introducing preventive and protective tools during Industry 4.0 implementation may reduce the occurrence of technological anxiety and thus ensure a smoother adoption of technologies 4.0, while respecting the organizational culture.

Originality/value

This work contributes to in-depth understanding of multifaced technological anxiety phenomenon. This paper classifies dimensions of existing barriers, increases the awareness on the difficulties during transformation process and, thus enables the improvement of the use of company’s internal potential.

Details

Competitiveness Review: An International Business Journal , vol. 34 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1059-5422

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 25 July 2024

Sahar Valipour Parkouhi, AbdolHamid Safaei Ghadikolaei, Hamidreza Fallah Lajimi and Negin Salimi

One of the achievements of the fourth industrial revolution is smart manufacturing, a manufacturing system based on Industry 4.0 technologies that will increase systems'…

Abstract

Purpose

One of the achievements of the fourth industrial revolution is smart manufacturing, a manufacturing system based on Industry 4.0 technologies that will increase systems' reliability, efficiency and productivity. Despite the many benefits, some barriers obstruct the implementation of this manufacturing system. This study aims to analyze these barriers.

Design/methodology/approach

One of the measures that must be taken is to identify and try to remove these barriers, which involves identifying the stakeholders and components of technology associated with each barrier. As such, the primary purpose of this paper is to present a systematic literature review in the field of smart manufacturing with a focus on barriers to implementation related to the stakeholders and components of technology.

Findings

This research conducted a systematic literature review in Scopus and Web of Science databases and considered the studies published until 2021 were examined. The central question of this paper is answered based on this literature review, in which 133 related studies and 15 barriers were identified.

Practical implications

The significant gap observed in the literature review is that no research has been conducted to determine the stakeholders and components of technology related to the barriers, making it a potentially worthwhile subject for future research. In addition, the results of this study may help managers to implement smart manufacturing.

Originality/value

This study provides two main originalities. The former is helpful information for managers to make effective decisions when they face smart manufacturing barriers. The latter is related to identifying critical research gaps through systematic literature review.

Details

Journal of Science and Technology Policy Management, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2053-4620

Keywords

1 – 10 of over 5000