Identifying and Ranking Factors Affecting the Improvement of Manufacturing Flexibility in International High-Tech SMEs Based on Industry 4.0

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Master's student, Department of Management, Faculty of Management and Economics, University of Guilan, Rasht, Iran.

2 Professor, Department of Management, Faculty of Management and Economics, University of Guilan, Rasht, Iran.

3 Associate Professor, Department of Management, Faculty of Management and Economics, University of Guilan, Rasht, Iran.

10.48308/jimp.15.2.74

Abstract

Introduction: Nowadays, in order to compete and respond to the growing expectations of customers, attention to advanced manufacturing and production systems is essential. Flexibility in production is one of these advanced production and operations concepts used by some industries to improve performance and efficiency. The Fourth Industrial Revolution enables independent data collection and analysis, as well as interaction between products, processes, suppliers, and customers through the Internet. Combining Industry 4.0 technologies with a flexible manufacturing system can help manufacturers increase speed, efficiency, and coordination. Considering that most manufacturing companies are small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), increasing production flexibility at a reasonable cost and upgrading production to the highest quality to meet customer needs is felt more than ever in SMEs, especially international high-tech companies focusing on the commercialization of new technologies. This research was conducted with two objectives: identifying and ranking the most important factors affecting production flexibility in international high-tech SMEs based on Industry 4.0.
Methods: The present research is mixed-method (quantitative and qualitative) in terms of type and methodology. In the qualitative part, six main criteria and twenty-eight sub-criteria were identified through library resources and literature review. After identifying the criteria and sub-criteria, a Delphi questionnaire was used in two rounds to determine the most important factors. In the first round, 14 experts and in the second round, 11 experts in the field of Industry 4.0 and flexible production participated. For ranking the criteria and sub-criteria using the SWARA method, 21 experts—including university professors and production specialists from international high-tech SMEs—were selected. The samples were chosen using the snowball method. The designed questionnaires were distributed electronically, and the responses were collected using a Likert scale.
Results and discussion: The criteria and sub-criteria identified through the Delphi method were provided to experts for ranking. Based on the average weight assigned and the relative importance of each criterion and sub-criterion, their ranking was determined using the SWARA method. The most important identified criteria include: supply chain intelligence and integration, robotics, Internet of Things, data mining and cloud computing, and digital twins. The developing technologies of Industry 4.0 have the potential, through the identified criteria and sub-criteria, to strengthen flexible manufacturing systems and increase industrial production efficiency.
Conclusion:  Identifying the factors affecting increased production flexibility in international high-tech SMEs and analyzing the data after ranking using the SWARA method were conducted with the aim of helping managers of high-tech companies to recognize and apply appropriate management tools. Presenting the results of this research assists managers in making significant changes and implementing new measures in manufacturing companies to enter global markets with lower costs and fewer errors, thereby achieving more successful business development. Utilizing these capabilities in dynamic and competitive environments can also lead to greater success in increasing exports and internationalization.

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