Identification of cause and effect relationships among barriers of Industry 4.0 using decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory method

Abstract

Purpose

Industry 4.0 is regarded as a modern industrial phase wherein convergence between horizontal and vertical production systems, along with their interactions, would enable industries to obtain excellent industrial efficiency. This research thus explores the barriers relevant to Industry 4.0 and their cause and effect relations using the decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL) technique, and this will assist in the implementation of Industry 4.0 in manufacturing industries.

Design/methodology/approach

A comprehensive literature review is carried out to outline the barriers for the Industry 4.0 implementation. The investigative techniques used in this research were conducted utilizing a questionnaire as an instrument for collecting data. The data collected were analysed using the method DEMATEL.

Findings

The findings indicate that key barriers to implementing Industry 4.0 include their cause and effect relationships. Reported “implementation costs” have been a critical barrier for Industry 4.0 implementation. Prioritization of barriers and their cause and effect relationships was achieved so that decision-makers could concentrate on overcoming such barriers for Industry 4.0 implementation.

Practical implications

The research is intended to assist executives in recognizing the barriers to Industry 4.0 implementation in their manufacturing industries. Furthermore, the strong functional and empirical importance of emerging and digital manufacturing technologies ensures that understanding the necessary barriers to implementation is important.

Originality/value

This is one of the first few empirical studies in the field of Indian manufacturing industries that uses the DEMATEL method framework as a foundation for recognizing cause-effect interactions among the barriers that affect Industry 4.0.

Citation

Nimawat, D. and Gidwani, B.D. (2021), "Identification of cause and effect relationships among barriers of Industry 4.0 using decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory method", Benchmarking: An International Journal, Vol. 28 No. 8, pp. 2407-2431. https://doi.org/10.1108/BIJ-08-2020-0429