Implementing industry 4.0 in the manufacturing sector: Circular economy as a societal solution

The fourth industrial revolution, Industry 4.0 (I4.0), has disrupted the notions of economic transactions, value generation and appropriation to become a central interest among academics and practitioners. I4.0 is predicted to create new frontiers for society's sustainable growth by encouraging the development of a circular economy. However, significant obstacles prevent its widespread application. Therefore, this research investigates the broader social problems associated with the implementation of I4.0 and the potential solutions. The research takes the form of a comprehensive and systematic literature review that uses bibliometric analysis to consider papers published between 2011 and 2020. Fifty-two research articles from 32 different journals were thoroughly reviewed to fulfil the research objective. This innovative and novel study explores I4.0 technologies in terms of the potential to solve societal problems, the associated social challenges they present and the related opportu-nities. The paper concludes by discussing possible future research directions.

Automated summary

The fourth industrial revolution, Industry 4.0, has attracted significant attention as it disrupts economic transactions, value generation, and appropriation. Despite its potential to promote sustainable growth, there are obstacles hindering its widespread implementation. Therefore, this research aims to explore the social problems associated with Industry 4.0 and potential solutions through a comprehensive literature review.