Understanding AI adoption in manufacturing and production firms using an integrated TAM-TOE model

• Published in: Technological forecasting & social change 2021-09, Vol.170, p.120880, Article 120880
• Main Authors: Chatterjee, Sheshadri, Rana, Nripendra P., Dwivedi, Yogesh K., Baabdullah, Abdullah M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acceptance; Adoption of innovations; Artificial Intelligence; Automation; Biotechnology; Business schools; Computer science; Context; Industrial applications; Industry 4.0; Internet of Things; Leadership; Leadership support; Manufacturing; Manufacturing and production firms; Manufacturing engineering; Mobile communication systems; Model testing; Nanotechnology; Organizations; Quantum computing; Robotics; Social factors; TAM; Technology Acceptance Model; Technology utilization; Three dimensional printing; TOE framework; Wireless communication systems
• ISSN: 0040-1625; 1873-5509
• DOI: 10.1016/j.techfore.2021.120880

•This study identifies factors influencing adoption of Industry 4.0 in digital manufacturing.•The extended TAM-TOE based model was used to develop the proposed research model.•Survey based data were collected from 340 employees of SMEs.•All relationships except organizational readiness, organizational compatibility and partner support on perceived ease of use were supported.•Leadership support acts as a countable factor to moderate such an adoption. This study aims to identify how environmental, technological, and social factors influence the adoption of Industry 4.0 in the context of digital manufacturing. The Industry 4.0 era has brought a breakthrough in advanced technologies in fields such as nanotechnology, quantum computing, biotechnology, artificial intelligence, robotics, the Internet of Things, fifth-generation wireless technology, fully autonomous vehicles, 3D printing and so on. In this study, we attempted to identify the socioenvironmental and technological factors that influence the adoption of artificial intelligence embedded technology by digital manufacturing and production organizations. In doing so, the extended technology-organization-environment (TOE) framework is used to explore the applicability of Industry 4.0. A conceptual model was proposed that used an integrated technology acceptance model (TAM)-TOE model and was tested using survey-based data collected from 340 employees of small, medium and large organizations. The results highlight that all the relationships, except organizational readiness, organizational compatibility and partner support on perceived ease of use, were found to be significant in the context of digital manufacturing and production organizations. The results further indicated that leadership support acts as a countable factor to moderate such an adoption.