Prioritization of strategies to overcome the barriers in Industry 4.0: a hybrid MCDM approach

Over the past few years, Industry 4.0 has received significant global attention owning to its capability to enhance the sustainability and future competitiveness of the manufacturing sector. However, manufacturers are experiencing numerous difficulties while implementing Industry 4.0 due to the sheer number of barriers. In light of this, the present study aims to identify the Industry 4.0 barriers and prioritize the strategies to overcome these barriers for the successful implementation of Industry 4.0. Based on the extensive literature review and discussion with experts, a total of twenty-three Industry 4.0 barriers and eighteen strategies were identified and finalized. This research proposes a hybrid framework using Modified Stepwise Weight Assessment Ratio Analysis and Weighted Aggregated Sum Product Assessment methods to propose the strategies to overcome the Industry 4.0 barriers. In order to demonstrate the practical applicability of the proposed framework, an empirical case investigation of an Indian auto component manufacturing company has been carried out. The findings of this study reveal that “Commitment from top management towards Industry 4.0 implementation” is the top-ranked strategy, followed by ‘Framing of a strategic roadmap for Industry 4.0 implementation’ and  “Align people, process and technology for effective change management” to mitigate the impact of Industry 4.0 barriers. The proposed framework offers a systematic approach for the practitioners to understand and analyze the various barriers and strategies to overcome these barriers for successful implementation of Industry 4.0.