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Empirical framework for Cobot deployment in emerging manufacturing industries using interpretive structural modeling and structural equation modeling
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DOI：10.1080/17509653.2026.2667266.png)
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Abstract
En 中文
Industry 5.0 marks a transformative era in manufacturing, with Collaborative robots (Cobots) positioned at the core of this paradigm shift. Cobots are designed to work alongside human operators to enhance productivity and efficiency in manufacturing environments, yet they face several deployment barriers, including technological limitations, integration complexities, financial constraints, and workforce adaptation issues. This study identifies the barriers to Cobot deployment in developing countries, with a focus on Pakistan’s manufacturing sector, using a sequential exploratory design that integrates qualitative analysis, ISM – MICMAC modelling, and SEM validation. Interviews with industry stakeholders identify five thematic categories of barriers: social, organizational, ethical, economic, and regulatory. The findings reveal both commonly reported barriers and three novel, context-specific barriers: lack of business case (B7), lack of vendor support (B11), and lack of infrastructure and energy reliability (B8). The integrated ISM – MICMAC – SEM framework identifies the hierarchical relationships among barriers and validates their overall influence. This novel framework serves as a decision-support tool enabling engineering managers and policymakers to prioritize strategies and strengthen organizational readiness for Cobot deployment. The empirically grounded framework addresses a key literature gap and provides a theoretical foundation for future research.
Keywords:
Industry 5.0
collaborative robots
Interpretive Structural Modeling (ISM)
MICMAC analysis
structural equation modeling (SEM)
O33
L23
C44
C38
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C52
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2.6
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237
Citations:
739
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