Introduction

2021 brought new challenges to the manufacturing industry, including the residual economic impacts of the pandemic and evolving and multi-layered supply chain disruptions, and several trends in 2022 will accelerate digital transformation to address these issues. Economic demands and an increasingly competitive landscape will push manufacturing leaders to adopt Industry 4.0 strategies that address workplace safety and worker productivity and bridge gaps in communication. Adapting to these industry trends will remain critical in the coming year.

Digital technologies are increasingly adopted across countries, unlocking new efficiencies and business models across several sectors, including manufacturing. However, successfully incorporating such technologies in creating new business solutions requires effective and synchronized collaboration from all parts of the organization, from strategic planning to finance, operations, and engineering. Researchers from the IFm studied how technologies are accepted and incorporated across organizations to understand how these collaborations are done effectively.

Increased investment in data-driven business tools

Digital transformation will remain a priority in 2022, with manufacturers across the globe adopting a more cost-conscious mindset and constantly seeking to be more productive. Technological tools that enable agility are critical, and companies are increasingly shifting their spending toward digital solutions to enhance productivity and reduce waste (Fidelity, 2022).  Many companies are moving towards expenditures for digital solutions to improve risk management and make them more resilient during tough times.

Tools that capitalize on data from frontline workers will be instrumental for frontline workers and most industry professionals to better understand and acknowledge where they may be falling short. More organizations are driving progress and can begin seeing positive outcomes due to more resilient, reliable, advanced, efficient, and predictive processes on the shop floor (Boire, 2017).  Manufacturers will proactively address future issues by collecting data for greater transparency and insights into operations.

As we enter the new year, digital is no longer optional. Organizations are increasingly gaining insight through mobile-connected worker applications, and those amid a digital transformation are already earning an edge over those who rely on outdated methods and processes. As we enter the new year, digital is no longer an option. Data captured from digital means provides a leading indicator that supports real-time visibility for decision-making, continuous engagement, and workforce engagement.

In a recent global survey, over half of the workers wished they could better access technological solutions. According to IDC, 70% of organizations have accelerated digital technologies, and mobile-connected businesses will transform how businesses operate. Companies that leverage mobile-connected applications will be resilient in the face of future challenges and accelerate digital transformation. This will address real-time findings in safety and operations to determine and implement overall trends for process efficiency.

Understanding the obstacles

The primary issue most manufacturers encounter is that as the industry shifts toward more voluntary technologies, some legacy processes will impede the excellent functioning and adoption of more advanced techniques (Foster, 2022). From some legacy processes, it is a matter of cost that will permit the wide-ranging concerns to be addressed. These include;

Security concerns: In a world of data breaches and proprietary information, security plays a significant role in impeding the adoption and implementation of the fourth industrial revolution (4ir). Many manufacturers wait for high-security standards before opening their factories to free-flowing data (Boire, 2017).

Cost barriers: As with most innovations, implementation costs run high until the technology becomes commonplace. However, early adopters of Industry 4.0 have been investing significantly in technology, while others are waiting for standards to emphasize affordability (Zahraa & Elhajj, 2021).

Integration obstacles: Legacy processes and technologies are vital to manufacturing operations. By tapering with them or seeking to replace them, one must prepare for proof of concepts. In the AI and machine learning age, every executive wants to pull the trigger and implement new-age technology.

How can companies overcome barriers to technology adoption?

To overcome the challenge posed by technological advancement, businesses should consider creating programs to inform, upskill and educate the workforce. Such programs should be designed to ensure that lower-skilled employees obtain a higher-value skillset. Business leaders should equally explore ideas for keeping highly experienced employees past retirement to ensure knowledge transfers.

1. Employers should prioritize learning by doing. Rather than train employees specifically for tasks, learning by doing will ensure a gradual and consistent adoption and implementation of technology. It provides that employees who will be otherwise left behind can learn on the job. This is especially crucial in multi-product environments (Egelman et al., 2016).
2. Communication: Implementing new approaches to production should be communicated to employees to ensure that they understand the nature, timing, and challenges that may entail transitioning to new technologies and applying this across the value chain. Adopting new and improved digital communication channels such as Zoom, Slack, and other streamlined interactions can facilitate engagement and collaboration.
3. Tutorials: Tutorials are an easy and effective way of teaching employees how to use a new technique, tool, or technology. Video tutorials are an effective way of teaching, allowing a different form of engagement that enables employees to learn faster. A significant quantity of research has been done on the subject, and employees in the manufacturing sector stand to benefit.
4. Team building exercises: One of the most significant challenges with implementing technology is how team members respond to it. Team building exercises are an effective way to reinforce capacity and facilitate a faster pace of learning between employees.
5. Simulations: The challenge with new technology is how it is implemented. For example, BIM uses three-dimensionaldigital modeling and intelligent structured data to combine all the components that make up a construction project in the development stage.
6. Masterclasses:MasterClasses are an immersive online experience that allows everyone to learn from the world’s best-leading practitioners in a field. The instructor creates every class to enable them to grasp and understand a topic better. This is an effective and novel way of training employees, providing them with the skills and competencies to use and apply various technology-related tools.
7. Change management:An essential part of successfully implementing new technologies is for mid and senior-level managers to understand and better prepare to manage change. By designing a step-by-step implementation of the latest technology, it will be easier to facilitate the integration of new technologies.
8. Augmented reality:Use augmented and advanced reality to train the workforce and integrate this into manufacturing processes, lowering the cost of training over the long run. Create local partnerships with colleges and educational institutions. Training the workforce and introducing technological advancements will support workplace digitalization and reduce the risk of barriers emerging more sustainably.
9. Ensure employees are included in the design and implementation of a strategic plan. This will ensure that employees gradually upskill themselves in preparation for upcoming changes.

Conclusion

The extent and rate of adoption drive the success of technological innovations. This article finds some barriers to technology adoption that can be mitigated with pre-planned and objective training that accounts for the levels of skills and employee-specific factors.

Reference.

1. Zahraa Bassyouni. Z and Elhajj. I. H. (2021). Augmented Reality Meets Artificial Intelligence in Robotics: A Systematic Review. Front Robot AI, Vol (8), PMID: 34631805;

2. Fidelity. (2022). Investing in automation in a changing world: Growth in automation is being driven by many factors, including social distancing. Fidelity Viewpoints. https://www.fidelity.com/learning-center/trading-investing/investing-in-automation

3. Foster. J. (2022). Why Manufacturing Automation Should Dominate The 2022 Business Agenda. Forbes Technology Council. https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestechcouncil/2022/01/25/why-manufacturing-automation-should-dominate-the-2022-business-agenda/?sh=e369e00176ef

4. Massimiliano. C  and  Presidente, Giorgio. P. (2021). Automation and Manufacturing Performance in a Developing Country. Policy Research Working Paper; No. 9653. World Bank, Washington, DC. © World Bank. https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/handle/10986/35566 License: CC BY 3.0 IGO.”

5. Boire. R. (2017). Artificial intelligence(AI), automation, and its impact on data science. Conference: 2017 IEEE International Conference on Big Data (Big Data). DOI:10.1109/BigData.2017.8258349

6. C. D., Epple. D., Argote. L. and Fuchs. E. R.H. (2016). Learning by Doing in Multiproduct Manufacturing: Variety, Customizations, and Overlapping Product Generations. https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2015.2352

This article was first published on Medium

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