An intuitionistic fuzzy approach to assessing the barriers to quality 4.0 adoption in the footwear manufacturing industry: Implications for sustainability in emerging economy

Abstract

The footwear manufacturing industry substantially aids global fashion trends and economic growth. Still, it faces challenges such as excessive raw material waste, increased rework, and inadequate quality control, which hinder sustainability and competitiveness. Integrating Industry 4.0 technologies with quality management, known as Quality 4.0 (Q4.0), offers transformative potential through real-time monitoring, predictive analytics, and sustainable practices. However, adopting Q4.0 technologies is impeded by various barriers that require a thorough understanding to devise effective mitigation strategies. For that purpose, this study investigates the key barriers to Q4.0 adoption in the footwear manufacturing sector, focusing on emerging economies like Bangladesh. Using an integrated multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) approach that combines interval-valued type 2 intuitionistic fuzzy (IVT2IF) theory and the decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL) method, 16 barriers were identified, validated by experts, and analyzed for interdependencies. The results highlight “uncertainty about Return on Investment (ROI) and insufficient capital investment,” “lack of adaptive technological infrastructure,” and “difficulty in managing Industry 4.0 technologies” as the most prominent barriers, with prominence scores of 9.141, 9.068, and 8.865, respectively. “Lack of adaptive technological infrastructure” emerges as the most critical causal driver, followed by “lack of commitment from top management” and “poor inter-departmental collaboration and communication.” This research provides valuable insights for improving quality management and fostering innovation in the footwear manufacturing industry, which can guide practitioners and policymakers in overcoming barriers, promoting sustainability, and enhancing competitiveness in this manufacturing sector.