Determinants of Industry 4.0 Technology Adaption and Human - Robot Collaboration

Abstract

Abstract Aim of the paper is to analyse specific factors of human-robot collaboration and adoption to Industry 4.0 technologies in relation to working in mixed teams and in virtual work environment. Based on literature review and current findings in unified theory of technology acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) model and its extensions, new endogenous factors might be included/considered, in a UTAUT model, namely emotional attitude (trust towards technology, perceived threat) and new moderators such as a location of organization and type of workplace-based training in organization. Team identification and self-extension process are intended as drivers for development of positive attitudes in human-robot collaboration and prerequisites of sustainable human-robot interaction. Regarding the findings in human-robot collaboration, the authors suggest including the type of personality and the attitudes towards Human-Robot collaboration among the extended factors of technology adoption within Industry 4.0 strategy. Emotional attachment acts as a relevant factor of successful Human-Robot collaboration that can be maintained by a support of team identification and self-extension process. For the development of positive attitudes in human-robot collaboration, principles of personalized design can be applied, e. g. engaging the workers in designing specific features of the robot. It can be supposed that specific models of technology adoption - as UTAUT/UTAUT2 will require new extensions in a context of work analysis in a virtual work environment, e.g. health and psychological assumptionsIn the paper, subjective assessment of the increase in well-being of the workers after the adoption of Industry 4.0 technologies is identified as one of the new Industry 4.0 outcomes within the human capital definition of Industry 4.0.