Challenges of implementing industry 4.0 in achieving sustainable development goals: a case of Indian manufacturing organization

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study is to identify the implementation challenges of Industry 4.0 and circular supply chain during a pandemic in order to achieve sustainable development goals. Based on the literature review and discussion with experts, combined challenges of implementing Industry 4.0 for developing a circular supply chain were identified. A combination of ANP and Fuzzy TOPSIS approaches has been adopted for the proposed research as the network model with dependence and feedback improves rankings derived from the alternatives and can make better decisions for optimal challenges. The ANP approach has been utilized to evaluate the weights of the criteria using Super Decisions software 2.10 version for reliability and accuracy of the results, while Fuzzy TOPSIS approach has been used to prioritize the alternatives. A case example of an XYZ barrel manufacturing organization has been selected for the illustration of the proposed research. Four experts from the manufacturing organization were selected to review the preliminary draft of the questionnaire. The main findings are identifying and prioritizing 5 major challenges and 15 criteria for implementing Industry 4.0 technologies in circular supply chain during the pandemic. The results of the study demonstrate that organizational is the major challenge, while sustainable development challenge is the least prioritized. Data security and privacy, technological development and big data and analytics are the essential criteria for implementing Industry 4.0 and circular supply chain principles. The findings of the research may help academicians, researchers, and industrialists in their decision-making to ensure the smooth implementation of Industry 4.0 and to develop a circular supply chain.

KEYWORDS:

• Sustainable Development Goals
• industry 4.0
• circular supply chain
• analytic network process
• Fuzzy TOPSIS

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Supplemental data

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed online at https://doi.org/10.1080/15567036.2023.2226098

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Abhishek Sahu

Abhishek Sahu is currently a research scholar in Delhi Technological University in the Department of Mechanical Engineering.

Saurabh Agrawal

Saurabh Agrawal is an Associate Professor in Delhi School of Management at Delhi Technological University, Delhi.

Girish Kumar

Girish Kumar is a Processor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Delhi Technological University.