A maturity model for assessing the implementation of Industry 5.0 in manufacturing SMEs: learning from theory and practice

Abstract

Digitalization is facing the transition from Industry 4.0 to Industry 5.0, enlarging the technocentric vision of technologies to embrace sustainable, resilience and human-centered design objectives. Although aware of the benefits of digitalization, many companies have not yet undertaken this process or are only at the beginning stages, seeking support and expertise. Firstly, it is important to understand the company's current technological level and, therefore, establish an improvement strategy. Over time, several authors have made efforts to develop maturity models capable of assessing a company's Industry 4.0 technological level. However, given the recent shift toward Industry 5.0, it is necessary to understand how such tools can effectively address the three pillars of Industry 5.0 when evaluating digital maturity. This study contributes to the literature on Industry 5.0 by proposing a tool to assess the maturity of companies in Industry 5.0 practices, focusing on sustainability, resilience and human centricity in manufacturing processes. This Industry 5.0 Maturity Model consists of a self-assessment questionnaire, designed to assess the current maturity level of the company across seven maturity dimensions (double assessment Industry 5.0 integrated and pillar-based), and a roadmap that outlines improvement strategies and operational information to enhance the company’ maturity across these dimensions. The proposed maturity model is applied in a multiple case study to collect empirical evidence from four Italian SMEs operating in the manufacturing industry. The results show a good Industry 5.0 maturity, with differences across the various dimensions influenced by the characteristics of the analyzed sectors and products. The low level of embedded technologies leaves room for future improvements in products and services, aligned with sustainability, resilience and human-centric perspectives. Theoretical and practical implications of the study are also discussed.