Technology Acceptance and Leadership 4.0: A Quali-Quantitative Study

Area of Science:

• Organizational Behavior
• Human-Computer Interaction
• Industrial Psychology

Background:

• Industry 4.0 is rapidly transforming workplaces, necessitating effective technology acceptance.
• Technology acceptance remains a challenge, requiring research into its drivers and interventions to mitigate resistance.
• Few studies link technology acceptance to employee well-being, an area this research addresses.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore perceptions of Industry 4.0 and its impact on organizations.
• To identify job antecedents of technology acceptance among employees.
• To examine the association between technology acceptance, employee well-being, and work engagement.

Main Methods:

• A mixed-methods approach combining qualitative focus groups (14 key roles) and quantitative surveys (263 employees).
• Data collected from a single company undergoing Industry 4.0 implementation.
• Analysis focused on perceptions, job resources, technology acceptance, and work engagement.

Main Results:

• Supervisor support and role clarity were identified as significant antecedents of technology acceptance.
• Technology acceptance positively correlated with work engagement.
• The study highlights the link between job resources, technology adoption, and employee engagement.

Conclusions:

• Investments in leadership 4.0 development and communication programs are crucial for successful Industry 4.0 integration.
• Interventions should focus on enhancing job resources to foster technology acceptance and employee well-being.
• Companies navigating Industry 4.0 transformations can leverage these findings to improve technology adoption and support their workforce.