Human Work in the Shift to Industry 4.0: A Road Map to the Management of Technological Changes in Manufacturing

Abstract

<p>The fourth industrial revolution tempts manufacturing companies to transform into smart factories,which in turn affects the human work. We examine this complexity from the perspective of humanfactors and ergonomics (HF/E) by analysing the organisational capabilities needed when seekingand selecting new technology solutions, and designing and implementing them into local appli-cation. This qualitative study focuses on manufacturing companies that have pioneered adoptinghigh technologies in their processes. Empirical material was collected from 15 Finnish manufacturingcompanies of different sizes. Particular attention is paid to how HF/E are present when companies (1) sense new opportunities for technological development of their production, (2) seise these opportu-nities through design actions, and (3) shift the solutions into use. Analyses revealed that companies,regardless of their size and the technology being implemented, do not fully understand the fun-damentals and value of HF/E, resulting in technology and production-oriented solutions in whichhuman skills and capabilities are often neglected. A novel road map is proposed for integratingHF/E expertise and knowledge when seeking, selecting, and utilising new production technolo-gies. This study increases understanding of the role of HF/E when adopting new technologies inmanufacturing. The road map improves possibilities for fact-based decision-making.<br></p>