sustainability

Article
Development of a Structural Model for the Adoption of
Industry 4.0 Enabled Sustainable Operations for
Operational Excellence
Sumit Gupta 1 , Basai Prathipati 1 , Govind Sharan Dangayach 2 , Posinasetti Nageswara Rao 3
and Sandeep Jagtap 4, *

1 Department of Mechanical Engineering, Amity School of Engineering and Technology, Amity University,
Noida 201313, UP, India
2 Department of Mechanical Engineering, Malaviya National Institute of Technology, J.L.N. Marg,
Jaipur 302017, RAJ, India
3 Department of Technology, University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, IA 50614-0178, USA
4 Sustainable Manufacturing Systems Centre, School of Aerospace, Transport & Manufacturing,
Cranfield University, Cranfield MK43 0AL, UK
* Correspondence: [email protected]

Abstract: In the current competitive scenario, SMEs need to adopt advanced technology in order to
comprehend the dynamics of Industry 4.0 and the sustainable operations for operational excellence.
The present study discusses the relationship between Industry 4.0 with sustainable operations and
operational excellence. A research model is proposed and assessed through structural equation
modelling (SEM). The current research shows that if SMEs adopt Industry 4.0 practices and the use of
advanced robotics in order to minimize human intervention, as well as smart logistics that react to
changes in production capacity, virtual reality and dynamic simulation techniques, then SMEs can
Citation: Gupta, S.; Prathipati, B.; significantly achieve sustainability in manufacturing operations. Furthermore, this study will help
Dangayach, G.S.; Rao, P.N.; Jagtap, S. companies to attain an operational excellence with greater efficiency and productivity. Therefore,
Development of a Structural Model SMEs need to focus on sustainable manufacturing practices.
for the Adoption of Industry 4.0
Enabled Sustainable Operations for Keywords: Industry 4.0; sustainable operations; operational excellence; small and medium enter-
Operational Excellence. Sustainability prises (SMEs); digitalization
2022, 14, 11103. https://doi.org/
10.3390/su141711103

Academic Editors: Kapila Liyanage

and Ali Bastas 1. Introduction

Received: 23 July 2022

Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are the backbone of the majority of the world’s
Accepted: 2 September 2022
industrial economy. The small and medium enterprise sector contributes towards Industry
Published: 5 September 2022
4.0. It has a potential to reduce the amount of uncertainty associated with the innovation
process. The small and medium enterprise (SME) sector boosts the gross domestic product
Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral
(GDP) in developing nations [1]. Indian SMEs contribute to the Indian GDP and help
with regard to jurisdictional claims in
to generate about 24% of the employment in the country [2]. Furthermore, the SME
published maps and institutional affil-
sector helps to contribute to the development of the global economy and helps to create
iations.
employment for a wider range of age groups in different industry sectors, i.e., automobile,
pharmaceutical and construction [3].
Industries are going through a disruption in the manufacturing and supply chain due
Copyright: © 2022 by the authors.
to the lack of supplies of raw materials, manufacturing resources and the unavailability
Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. of labor because of COVID-19 [4–6]. In order to sustain business practices during such
This article is an open access article types of situations, industries need to revisit and restructure their supply chain practices
distributed under the terms and through the implementation of smart and sustainable manufacturing systems [7]. The SME
conditions of the Creative Commons sector now has to compete with global industries by adopting new emerging Industry
Attribution (CC BY) license (https:// 4.0 technologies and maintain sustainability in business practices [8,9]. Furthermore,
creativecommons.org/licenses/by/ Industry 4.0 provides a safer and healthier working environment for workers compared
4.0/). with traditional manufacturing systems. The cyber physical systems in Industry 4.0 help to

Sustainability 2022, 14, 11103. https://doi.org/10.3390/su141711103 https://www.mdpi.com/journal/sustainability

Sustainability 2022, 14, 11103 2 of 10

complete the customer demands within a minimum amount of time [10]. In India, SMEs
have very limited technological innovations and a lack of skilled labor, which may be a
hinderance to the implementation of Industry 4.0 [11,12].
Indian SMEs are also facing sustainability issues in their business practices and are
under pressure because of volatile customer demands and the necessity to meet their
demands within a shorter timeframe. The customers focus more on customized and
greener products that produce less carbon emissions throughout the product’s life cycle [13].
In order to compete with global industries, Indian industries must also upgrade their
manufacturing systems using Industry 4.0 and sustainable operations [14]. The main
reason behind the limited adoption level of these practices is the higher investment costs for
Industry 4.0 and sustainable operations [3]. Furthermore, the incomplete implementation of
these practices results in market losses and a lack of resources. Indian SMEs are struggling
to adopt advanced manufacturing systems and require more attention in the current
digital era. This study focuses on adopting Industry 4.0 practices in order for Indian
SMEs to achieve operational excellence and sustainable operations. This study intends
not to generalize the outcomes but to emphasize the adoption of Industry 4.0 practices for
operational excellence.
The structure of this paper is as follows; Section 2 represents a review of the literature.
Section 3 describes the development of research hypotheses. Section 4 discusses the research
methodology. Section 5 focuses on the data analysis and interpretation. Section 6 presents
the results and discussion. Section 7 provides the managerial implications and Section 8
presents the conclusion.

2. Literature Review
In the last few years, policymakers, academics and industry professionals have shown
a growing interest in Industry 4.0 and in sustainable operation methods. Research that has
been published lately in this field demonstrates a similar level of interest for these methods
among practitioners in developing countries. To the contrary, there is less information
accessible on sustainable operations and Industry 4.0 tools, techniques and methods in
developing nations. A limited number of articles is available in the various databases, that
are not fully accessible to the policymakers and to industries. Therefore, it is essential to
find the relevant literature to review for this study. In order to do this, we have used the
following search terms for our literature article collection: “sustainable manufacturing”
AND “Industry 4.0” OR “cyber-physical systems” OR “circular economy” OR “digital
twin” OR “4th industrial revolution” OR “I4.0” The above-discussed search terms are used
for the article collection. The literature suggested that in the competitive global market,
many industries move away from the concept of a linear economy, towards a more circular
economy, which helps to enhance their organizational performance [15]. However, some
industries adopt lean and green practices using Industry 4.0 for sustainability [16].
Organizations can adopt the circular economy in Industry 4.0 in order to achieve
sustainability with new emerging technologies [1]. However, the adoption level of these
technologies is limited with regards to sustainability within the developing economies,
due to a weak infrastructure and lack of skilled labor [17]. Nevertheless in past studies, it
has been found that sustainable operations and Industry 4.0 can contribute to operational
excellence [18].

2.1. Industry 4.0

The way companies approach production, enhancement and distribution are all un-
dergoing profound changes as a result of Industry 4.0. Cyber physical systems, digital
twins and additive and cloud manufacturing are just a few of the new technologies that
manufacturers are adopting and implementing in their plants and other areas of business.
Information analysis and real-time systems, which keep tabs on the manufacturing process
and are adjusted as needed, are crucial to the success of Industry 4.0. By using IoT, indus-
tries can share their information between the different points, which helps to maintain
 Sustainability 2022, 14, 11103 3 of 10

transparency within the organization [19]. The role of 3D printing is significant in Industry
4.0 as it helps to support sustainability by generating less scrap and carbon emissions
during the production phase [20]. Using big data, helpful information from large datasets
can be extracted and used for intelligent decision-making [21,22]. Studies have provided a
roadmap for the implementation of Industry 4.0 in the last few years, but these studies are
very generalized [23].

2.2. Sustainable Operations

At present, in order to maintain sustainable manufacturing practices, product manufac-
turing in an industry should be eco-friendly and more socially viable [24]. Manufacturing
plans and systems based on configurable sustainable manufacturing are more efficient in
energy savings and generate less carbon emissions [25]. Furthermore, the digitalization
process helps to keep track in real-time of supplies within the organization, resulting in
the transparency of the supply chain [15]. In the last few years, few authors have reported
on the framework development for Industry 4.0, and some of them highlighted the green
and sustainability aspect of Industry 4.0 [26–28]. However, due to different geographical
regions and industry sectors, these frameworks cannot be generalized.

2.3. Operational Excellence

Wahab et al. [29] suggested that operational excellence does things better, faster and
more efficiently. Operational excellence has a much wider meaning and it is a key lever
for improving profitability and competitive advantages. Operational excellence is likely to
be improved over the course of the fourth industrial revolution [30]. However, as per the
literature review, it was found that no study has investigated the operational excellence
through the adoption of Industry 4.0 and sustainable operation practices in Indian SMEs.
Indian SMEs, in order to achieve operational excellence, must recognize the signifi-
cance of both Industry 4.0 and sustainable operations. Sustainable operations and Industry
4.0 may provide even better outcomes. A variety of Industry 4.0 and sustainable opera-
tions are discussed in this study. There is little literature on the topic of Industry 4.0 and
sustainable operations in the Indian context. This study aims to address this gap and the
following research questions are proposed:
RQ1: What is the role of Industry 4.0 in sustainable operations?
RQ2: How can operational excellence be achieved with Industry 4.0 and sustainable
operations?
This study analyses the connection between Industry 4.0 techniques and sustainable
operations in order to attain operational excellence in SMEs in India, based on research
Sustainability 2022, 14, x FOR PEER REVIEW 4 of 11
gaps in the literature and the research questions formulated. Figure 1 depicts the theoretical
framework of this investigation.

Figure
Figure1.1.Proposed
Proposedtheoretical
theoreticalmodel
modeland
andhypotheses.
hypotheses.

3. Development of Hypotheses
On the basis of the literature review, some existing evidence and research questions
RQ1, RQ2 and RQ3, the hypotheses have been established.
RQ1: What is the role of Industry 4.0 for sustainable operations?
Sustainability 2022, 14, 11103 4 of 10

3. Development of Hypotheses
On the basis of the literature review, some existing evidence and research questions
RQ1, RQ2 and RQ3, the hypotheses have been established.
RQ1: What is the role of Industry 4.0 for sustainable operations?

3.1. Industry 4.0 and Sustainable Operations

Currently, industries are adopting circular economy practices instead of linear prac-
tices [31]. However, industries should have an economic perspective and be able to balance
environmental and social perspectives in order to achieve sustainability [32]. Industry 4.0
practices and sustainable manufacturing practices depend on the industrial sectors and
geographical regions. So, we have carried out this study on the Indian industries.
H1. There is a positive impact of Industry 4.0 on sustainable operations.
RQ2: How can operational excellence be achieved with Industry 4.0 and sustainable
operations?

3.2. Industry 4.0, Sustainable Operations and Operational Excellence

In order to achieve global competitiveness in the era of Industry 4.0 manufacturing,
organizations need to include all of their employees into their practices and create a new
roadmap for new operational pathways. In these industries, the aspects of human resource
that are aligned with optimization can be matured with other similar approaches. Industry
4.0 technologies help to maintain sustainability for operational excellence [33].
H2. There is a positive impact of Industry 4.0 on operational excellence.
H3. There is a positive impact of sustainable operations on operational excellence.
Hypothesis H1 connects Industry 4.0 with sustainable operations, while H2 connects
Industry 4.0 with operational excellence. Hypothesis H3 connects sustainable operations
with operational excellence. The structural model is used in order to validate the hypoth-
esis and to learn whether it is supported or not. The same is used in order to develop
conclusions, which are then backed up by referencing to the existing state of the manufac-
turing sector.

4. Research Methodology
The present study emphasizes the adoption of practices related to Industry 4.0, as well
as to sustainable operations in order to achieve operational excellence. It is cross-sectional
and the data is collected through a survey. In the initial phase, a number of Indian SMEs
were selected for the collection of data. Once the surveys were returned, the responses
were collected and analyzed.

4.1. Construction of Questionnaire

The survey (Supplementary Materials) was distributed to 850 SMEs in the National
Capital Region (NCR) of Delhi. These included the manufacturers of metal, automotive
components, electronic and electrical parts and the makers of industrial equipment. The
survey was created using a 5-point Likert scale. The survey was divided into two sections.
Section A consisted of general information including the company name, type of company,
work experience, number of employees and sales. Section B included the information about
the research constructs and their items regarding Industry 4.0 practices, their sustainable
operations and operational excellence. The details of the research constructs and items are
given in Table 1.
Sustainability 2022, 14, 11103 5 of 10

Table 1. Research constructs and items.

SNo. Construct Items Code Item Name Literature Source

Installation of cyber devices to
IN1
machine/physical components
Use of advanced robotics in order to
IN2
minimize human intervention
Smart logistics that react to changes in
IN3
production capacity and demands
Industry 4.0 Data collection from machines using big data
1 IN4 [26,27,34]
Practices (IN) and cloud computing
IN5 Real-time simulation of collected data
Training of workforce using virtual reality
IN6
and dynamic simulation techniques
Integration of assets located at
IN7
individual plants
Adoption of flexible and reconfigurable
IN8
manufacturing systems
Use of renewable materials in product design
SO1
and manufacturing
Modification of production processes in order
SO2
to reduce the use of energy and water
Enhancement of product life through
SO3
design changes
Measurement of the carbon footprint of
SO4
Sustainable the company
2 [24,25,35]
Operations (SO) Use of optimal and efficient logistics
SO5
transportation
Minimization of waste production across the
SO6
supply chain
Remanufacturing and recycling of returned
SO7
products/goods
Reduction in the emission of solid, liquid and
SO8
vapour byproducts/wastes
OE1 Improved process management
OE2 Increase in the flexibility of operations
Operational Timely delivery of customer goods
3 OE3 [36–38]
Excellence (OE) and services
OE4 Increase in proficiency and company profits
OE5 Better performance management

4.2. Data Collection and Analysis

A database of 850 SMEs of the NCR of Delhi was created. The database includes
the various sectors of SMEs, namely the manufacturers of metal, automotive components,
electronic and electrical parts and the makers of industrial equipment. The data was
collected using an online survey format. Out of 850 sampled SMEs, 145 usable responses
with a response rate of 17.05% were received. According to Aggarwal et al. [39], this
response rate is satisfactory.
The statistics of the respondent companies were analyzed using descriptive statistics
and it was found that out of 145 usable responses, a maximum of 46 (31.7%) responses were
received from automotive component manufacturers. Similarly, 38 (26.2%) responses came
from electronic parts manufacturers, 25 (17.2%) responses came from electrical parts manu-
facturers, 21 (14.4%) responses came from makers of industrial equipment and 15 (10.3%)
responses came from manufacturers of metal components. A maximum of 56 (38.6%)
respondent companies reported to have between 101 and 200 employees. Of the highest re-
sponses, 77 (53.1%), were received from local SMEs. A maximum of 49 (33.7%) respondent
SMEs have an annual turnover in the range of INR 51 to 100 million.
Sustainability 2022, 14, 11103 6 of 10

5. Data Analysis and Interpretation

In order to analyze the collected data, IBM SPSS 22.0 and IBM SPSS AMOS 22.0 were
used. The objective was to identify and validate the theoretical model of Industry 4.0 and
sustainable operations for operational excellence. Furthermore, the causal relationship be-
tween Industry 4.0 and sustainable operations for operational excellence were investigated
with the SEM.

5.1. Assessment of Measurement Model

IBM SPSS 22.0 was used for the confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) in order to assess a
measurement model for Industry 4.0 and sustainable operations for operational excellence,
as shown in Table 2. In addition, various tests were conducted in order to check the validity
and reliability.

Table 2. Results of Convergent Validity.

Construct in Model AVE CR Cronbach’s Alpha

IN 0.501 0.836 0.828
SO 0.512 0.766 0.739
OE 0.643 0.736 0.737

The composite reliability (CR) was evaluated with the internal reliability (IR). In
the present study, the value of the CR is greater than 0.7 and the value of the IR using
Cronbach’s alpha is greater than 0.7 for all constructs, which is within the acceptable
limits [40,41].
The convergent validity (CV) was evaluated using the average variance explained
(AVE). According to Fornell and Larcker [42], the value of AVEs should be greater than
0.5. In this study, the value of the AVE for Industry 4.0 practices, sustainable operations
and operational excellence is greater than 0.5, as shown in Table 2. This means that the CV
is confirmed.
The discriminant validity (DV) was evaluated by comparing Cronbach’s alpha to
its mean correlations for each construct [43]. Table 3 represents the mean correlations of
Industry 4.0 practices, sustainable operations and operational excellence on the diagonals.
In this study, the value of Cronbach’s alpha is greater than the mean correlation as shown
in Table 3. Thus, the discriminate validity was verified.

Table 3. Results of Discriminant Validity.

Std. Cronbach’s
Constructs Mean IN SO OE
Deviation Alpha
IN 3.924 0.657 0.828 0.817
SO 3.497 0.591 0.739 0.330 ** 0.619
OE 4.179 0.573 0.737 0.497 ** 0.289 ** 0.723
** Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2-tailed).

5.2. Assessment of Structural Model

To test hypotheses H1, H2 and H3, a structural model was developed using a confir-
matory factor analysis (CFA) as shown in Figure 2. The structural model was analyzed
through the Goodness of Fit Indices (GFI). The value of the GFI = 0.805 was computed.
According to Ory and Mokhtarian [43], the model fit indices suggest a significant model
fit for Industry 4.0 (IN), sustainable operations (SO) and operational Excellence (OE) are
depicted in Figure 2.
 To test hypotheses H1, H2 and H3, a structural model was developed using a con-
firmatory factor analysis (CFA) as shown in Figure 2. The structural model was analyzed
through the Goodness of Fit Indices (GFI). The value of the GFI = 0.805 was computed.
According to Ory and Mokhtarian [43], the model fit indices suggest a significant model
Sustainability 2022, fit
14, for Industry 4.0 (IN), sustainable operations (SO) and operational Excellence (OE) are
11103 7 of 10
depicted in Figure 2.

Figure 2. Structural Model

Figure for the research
2. Structural Model constructs IN, SO
for the research and OE. IN, SO and OE.
constructs

6. Results and Discussion

6. Results and Discussion
This section represents the examination of the theoretical model developed based on
This section represents the examination of the theoretical model developed based on
the gaps identified in the literature. In addition, the connection between the adoption of
the gaps identified in the literature. In addition, the connection between the adoption of
Industry 4.0 practices (IN), sustainable operations (SO) and operational excellence (OE)
Industry 4.0 practices (IN), sustainable operations (SO) and operational excellence (OE) in
in the context of Indian SMEs has been investigated. According to the findings, there is a
the context of Indian SMEs has been investigated. According to the findings, there is a
significant relationship between the theoretical model and the empirical model established.
significant relationship between the theoretical model and the empirical model estab-
Table 4 shows the results of the hypotheses.
lished. Table 4 shows the results of the hypotheses.
Table 4. Result of the structural model.
Table 4. Result of the structural model.
Estimates Standard Critical
Hypothesis
Estimates(Standardized) (β) p Results
Error (S.E.)
Standard Critical Ratio Ratio (CR)
Hypothesis (Standardized) P Results
H1: IN→SO Error
0.24 (S.E.) (CR)
0.11 2.19 ** significant
(β)
H2: IN→OE 0.51 0.12 4.43 *** significant
H1: IN–›SO H3: SO→0.24
OE 0.500.11 2.19
0.27 ** 1.82 significant
** significant
H2: IN–›OE*** p < 0.001;0.51
** p < 0.05. 0.12 4.43 *** significant
H3: SO–›OE 0.50 0.27 1.82 ** significant
*** p < 0.001; ** p6.1. Industry 4.0 and Sustainable Operations
< 0.05.
The results of the structural equation modelling, as shown in Table 4, show the
significant impact of Industry 4.0 (IN) on sustainable operations (SO) and confirmed H1
(β = 0.24; p < 0.05). According to the data analysis, SMEs have a better chance of achieving
long-term success in the manufacturing sector if they adopt Industry 4.0 practices, such as
the linking of cyber devices to machine/physical components, the deployment of highly
sophisticated robots in order to reduce the need for human intervention, the use of smart
logistics in order to accommodate fluctuations in the output, the application of virtual
reality and dynamic simulation methods, etc. [8]. Furthermore, the findings show the
feasibility of achieving sustainability following the realization of a return on investment. So,
the government of India is making an effort to help SMEs implement smart and sustainable
manufacturing systems [44].
Sustainability 2022, 14, 11103 8 of 10

6.2. Industry 4.0 and Operational Excellence

The statistical results concerned with H2 (β = 0.51; p < 0.001) focus on the relationship
between Industry 4.0 practices (IN) and sustainable operations (SO). Hypothesis H2 is posi-
tively significant. This suggests that the adoption of techniques associated with Industry
4.0 has a major influence on operational excellence. The use of principles from Industry 4.0
in SMEs would make it easier to achieve operational excellence in the organizations while
also increasing efficiency and productivity. Telukdarie et al. [45] suggested that operational
excellence can be achieved by implementing Industry 4.0. The research findings support
the relationship between significant Industry 4.0 practices and operational excellence (OE).

6.3. Sustainable Operations and Operational Excellence

The statistical result confirmed a positive and significant impact between sustainable
operations (SO) and operational excellence (OE), which support H3 (β = 0.50; p < 0.05).
It indicates that operational excellence can be achieved through sustainable operations.
SMEs need to focus on sustainable manufacturing practices, namely the use of optimal and
efficient logistics transportation, minimization of waste production across the supply chain,
remanufacturing and recycling of returned products/goods and reduction in the emission
of solid, liquid and vapor by-products/wastes throughout the manufacturing process.
Tornjanski et al. [46] developed a framework for operational excellence through sustain-
ability. The research findings support the relationship between sustainable operations (SO)
and operational excellence (OE).
In order to investigate the significant relationship between Industry 4.0 practices (IN),
sustainable operations (SO) and operational excellence, a structural model was constructed.
According to the findings of the statistical analysis, implementing Industry 4.0 methods
and sustainable operations might make it easier to achieve operational excellence.

7. Managerial Implications
The findings reported in this study may be useful to managers and policymakers.
Profit margins may be improved by using numerous Industry 4.0 and sustainable opera-
tion tools and techniques at the industrial level. In order to further investigate the links
between Industry 4.0 and sustainable operations, the presented research and survey might
be employed. The research may be used to create a model for implementing Industry
4.0 and sustainable operations that is both comprehensive and informative for industry
management.

8. Conclusions
As discussed in this study, the various emerging Industry 4.0 practices (IN), sustain-
able operations (SO) and operational excellence (OE) have been evaluated in the context
of Indian SMEs. It was found that the various emerging technologies of Industry 4.0
have many business opportunities in the Indian SME sector. The statistical results show
that if the SMEs adopt Industry 4.0 practices, namely the installation of cyber devices to
machine/physical components, the use of advanced robotics in order to minimize human
intervention, smart logistics that react to changes in the production capacity and virtual
reality and dynamic simulation techniques etc., then SMEs can significantly achieve sus-
tainability in manufacturing operations. An environmental and social sustainability can
be achieved, but economic sustainability will be achieved following a return on invest-
ment. The Indian Government is trying to provide every possible financial support for
the advancement of Indian SMEs. By adopting Industry 4.0 in SMEs, this will help to
achieve operational excellence within the company with greater efficiency and productivity.
Furthermore, SMEs need to focus on sustainable manufacturing practices by using optimal
and efficient logistics transportation, minimizing waste production across the supply chain
and on remanufacturing.
Sustainability 2022, 14, 11103 9 of 10

Supplementary Materials: The following supporting information can be downloaded at: https://
www.mdpi.com/article/10.3390/su141711103/s1.
Author Contributions: Conceptualization, S.G. and B.P.; methodology, B.P.; software, S.G.; validation,
S.G., B.P. and S.J.; formal analysis, G.S.D.; investigation, P.N.R.; resources, S.G.; data curation, B.P.;
writing—original draft preparation, S.G., B.P. and S.J.; writing—review and editing, G.S.D. and P.N.R.;
visualization, G.S.D.; supervision, P.N.R.; project administration, S.G.; funding acquisition, S.J. All
authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.
Funding: This research received no external funding.
Institutional Review Board Statement: Not applicable.
Informed Consent Statement: Not applicable.
Data Availability Statement: Not applicable.
Conflicts of Interest: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

References
1. Nara, E.O.B.; da Costa, M.B.; Baierle, I.C.; Schaefer, J.L.; Benitez, G.B.; do Santos, L.M.A.L.; Benitez, L.B. Expected Impact of
Industry 4.0 Technologies on Sustainable Development: A Study in the Context of Brazil’s Plastic Industry. Sustain. Prod. Consum.
2021, 25, 102–122. [CrossRef]
2. Luthra, S.; Mangla, S.K. Evaluating Challenges to Industry 4.0 Initiatives for Supply Chain Sustainability in Emerging Economies.
Process Saf. Environ. Prot. 2018, 117, 168–179. [CrossRef]
3. Chiappetta Jabbour, C.J.; Fiorini, P.D.C.; Ndubisi, N.O.; Queiroz, M.M.; Piato, É.L. Digitally-Enabled Sustainable Supply Chains
in the 21st Century: A Review and a Research Agenda. Sci. Total Environ. 2020, 725, 138177. [CrossRef] [PubMed]
4. Bastas, A.; Liyanage, K. Integrated Quality and Supply Chain Management Business Diagnostics for Organizational Sustainability
Improvement. Sustain. Prod. Consum. 2019, 17, 11–30. [CrossRef]
5. Bastas, A.; Liyanage, K. Sustainable Supply Chain Quality Management: A Systematic Review. J. Clean. Prod. 2018, 181, 726–744.
[CrossRef]
6. Bastas, A.; Garza-Reyes, J.A. Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Manufacturing Operations and Supply Chain Resilience:
Effects and Response Strategies. J. Manuf. Technol. Manag. 2022, 33, 962–985. [CrossRef]
7. Trollman, H.; Jagtap, S.; Garcia-Garcia, G.; Harastani, R.; Colwill, J.; Trollman, F. COVID-19 Demand-Induced Scarcity Effects on
Nutrition and Environment: Investigating Mitigation Strategies for Eggs and Wheat Flour in the United Kingdom. Sustain. Prod.
Consum. 2021, 27, 1255–1272. [CrossRef]
8. Jagtap, S.; Duong, L.; Trollman, H.; Bader, F.; Garcia-Garcia, G.; Skouteris, G.; Li, J.; Pathare, P.; Martindale, W.; Swainson,
M.; et al. IoT technologies in the food supply chain. In Food Technology Disruptions; Elsevier: Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 2021;
pp. 175–211.
9. Esmaeilian, B.; Sarkis, J.; Lewis, K.; Behdad, S. Blockchain for the Future of Sustainable Supply Chain Management in Industry
4.0. Resour. Conserv. Recycl. 2020, 163, 105064. [CrossRef]
10. Varela, M.L.R.; Putnik, G.D.; Manupati, V.K.; Rajyalakshmi, G.; Trojanowska, J.; Machado, J. Integrated Process Planning and
Scheduling in Networked Manufacturing Systems for I4.0: A Review and Framework Proposal. Wirel. Netw. 2021, 27, 1587–1599.
[CrossRef]
11. Yadav, G.; Kumar, A.; Luthra, S.; Garza-Reyes, J.A.; Kumar, V.; Batista, L. A Framework to Achieve Sustainability in Manufacturing
Organisations of Developing Economies Using Industry 4.0 Technologies’ Enablers. Comput. Ind. 2020, 122, 103280. [CrossRef]
12. Trollman, H.; Garcia-Garcia, G.; Jagtap, S.; Trollman, F. Blockchain for Ecologically Embedded Coffee Supply Chains. Logistics
2022, 6, 43. [CrossRef]
13. Kristoffersen, E.; Blomsma, F.; Mikalef, P.; Li, J. The Smart Circular Economy: A Digital-Enabled Circular Strategies Framework
for Manufacturing Companies. J. Bus. Res. 2020, 120, 241–261. [CrossRef]
14. Nosalska, K.; Piatek,
˛ Z.M.; Mazurek, G.; Rzadca,˛ R. Industry 4.0: Coherent Definition Framework with Technological and
Organizational Interdependencies. J. Manuf. Technol. Manag. 2019, 31, 837–862. [CrossRef]
15. Bai, C.; Dallasega, P.; Orzes, G.; Sarkis, J. Industry 4.0 Technologies Assessment: A Sustainability Perspective. Int. J. Prod. Econ.
2020, 229, 107776. [CrossRef]
16. Manupati, V.K.; Xavior, M.A.; Chandra, A.; Ahsan, M. Workload Assessment for a Sustainable Manufacturing Paradigm Using
Social Network Analysis Method. In Knowledge Computing and Its Applications; Springer: Singapore, 2018; pp. 99–108.
17. de Sousa Jabbour, A.B.L.; Jabbour, C.J.C.; Foropon, C.; Godinho Filho, M. When Titans Meet—Can Industry 4.0 Revolutionise the
Environmentally-Sustainable Manufacturing Wave? The Role of Critical Success Factors. Technol. Forecast. Soc. Chang. 2018, 132,
18–25. [CrossRef]
18. Bettiol, M.; di Maria, E.; Micelli, S. Knowledge Management and Industry 4.0. Knowledge Management and Organizational
Learning. In Industry 4.0 and Knowledge Management: An Introduction; Springer: Cham, Switzerland, 2020; Volume 9, pp. 1–18.
[CrossRef]
Sustainability 2022, 14, 11103 10 of 10

19. Hedberg, T.; Helu, M.; Sprock, T. A Standards and Technology Roadmap for Scalable Distributed Manufacturing Systems. In
Proceedings of the Volume 3: Manufacturing Equipment and Systems, College Station, TX, USA, 18–22 June 2018; American
Society of Mechanical Engineers: New York, NY, USA, 2018.
20. Ghobakhloo, M. Industry 4.0, Digitization, and Opportunities for Sustainability. J. Clean. Prod. 2020, 252, 119869. [CrossRef]
21. Yang, J.; Lee, S.; Kang, Y.-S.; do Noh, S.; Choi, S.S.; Jung, B.R.; Lee, S.H.; Kang, J.T.; Lee, D.Y.; Kim, H.S. Advances in Production
Management Systems. Towards Smart and Digital Manufacturing. APMS 2020. IFIP Advances in Information and Communica-
tion Technology. In Integrated Platform and Digital Twin Application for Global Automotive Part Suppliers; Lalic, B., Majstorovic, V.,
Marjanovic, U., von Cieminski, G., Romero, D., Eds.; Springer: Cham, Switzerland, 2020; Volume 592, pp. 230–237. [CrossRef]
22. Jagtap, S.; Duong, L.N.K. Improving the New Product Development Using Big Data: A Case Study of a Food Company. Br. Food J.
2019, 121, 2835–2848. [CrossRef]
23. Kamble, S.; Gunasekaran, A.; Dhone, N.C. Industry 4.0 and Lean Manufacturing Practices for Sustainable Organisational
Performance in Indian Manufacturing Companies. Int. J. Prod. Res. 2020, 58, 1319–1337. [CrossRef]
24. Vrchota, J.; Pech, M.; Rolínek, L.; Bednář, J. Sustainability Outcomes of Green Processes in Relation to Industry 4.0 in Manufactur-
ing: Systematic Review. Sustainability 2020, 12, 5968. [CrossRef]
25. Oláh, J.; Aburumman, N.; Popp, J.; Khan, M.A.; Haddad, H.; Kitukutha, N. Impact of Industry 4.0 on Environmental Sustainability.
Sustainability 2020, 12, 4674. [CrossRef]
26. Park, K.T.; Nam, Y.W.; Lee, H.S.; Im, S.J.; do Noh, S.; Son, J.Y.; Kim, H. Design and Implementation of a Digital Twin Application
for a Connected Micro Smart Factory. Int. J. Comput. Integr. Manuf. 2019, 32, 596–614. [CrossRef]
27. Sadiq, S.; Amjad, M.S.; Rafique, M.Z.; Hussain, S.; Yasmeen, U.; Khan, M.A. An Integrated Framework for Lean Manufacturing in
Relation with Blue Ocean Manufacturing—A Case Study. J. Clean. Prod. 2021, 279, 123790. [CrossRef]
28. Siderska, J. Cloud Manufacturing—The Adoption of Virtual Production Line to Soft Resources Analysis. In Proceedings of the 8th
International Conference on Engineering, Project, and Product Management (EPPM 2017). EPPM 2017; Lecture Notes in Mechanical
Engineering; Springer: Cham, Switzerland, 2018; pp. 225–233. [CrossRef]
29. Wahab, M.H.A.-A.A.; Ismail, M.; Muhayiddin, M.N. Factors Influencing the Operational Excellence of Small and Medium
Enterprise in Malaysia. Int. J. Acad. Res. Bus. Soc. Sci. 2016, 6, 285–297. [CrossRef]
30. Luz Tortorella, G.; Cauchick-Miguel, P.A.; Li, W.; Staines, J.; McFarlane, D. What does operational excellence mean in the Fourth
Industrial Revolution era? Int. J. Prod. Res. 2022, 60, 2901–2917. [CrossRef]
31. Manavalan, E.; Jayakrishna, K. A Review of Internet of Things (IoT) Embedded Sustainable Supply Chain for Industry 4.0
Requirements. Comput. Ind. Eng. 2019, 127, 925–953. [CrossRef]
32. Moldavska, A.; Martinsen, K. Defining Sustainable Manufacturing Using a Concept of Attractor as a Metaphor. Procedia CIRP
2018, 67, 93–97. [CrossRef]
33. Sirilertsuwan, P.; Hjelmgren, D.; Ekwall, D. Exploring Current Enablers and Barriers for Sustainable Proximity Manufacturing. J.
Fash. Mark. Manag. Int. J. 2019, 23, 551–571. [CrossRef]
34. Olsen, T.L.; Tomlin, B. Industry 4.0: Opportunities and Challenges for Operations Management. Manuf. Serv. Oper. Manag. 2020,
22, 113–122. [CrossRef]
35. Gupta, S.; Dangayach, G.S.; Singh, A.K.; Meena, M.L.; Rao, P.N. Implementation of Sustainable Manufacturing Practices in Indian
Manufacturing Companies. Benchmarking Int. J. 2018, 25, 2441–2459. [CrossRef]
36. Urban, B.; Naidoo, R. Business Sustainability: Empirical Evidence on Operational Skills in SMEs in South Africa. J. Small Bus.
Enterp. Dev. 2012, 19, 146–163. [CrossRef]
37. Fok-Yew, O. The Effect of Change Management on Operational Excellence in Electrical and Electronics Industry: Evidence from
Malaysia. Br. J. Econ. Manag. Trade 2014, 4, 1285–1305. [CrossRef]
38. Amir Bolboli, S.; Reiche, M. A Model for Sustainable Business Excellence: Implementation and the Roadmap. TQM J. 2013, 25,
331–346. [CrossRef]
39. Aggarwal, A.; Gupta, S.; Jamwal, A.; Agrawal, R.; Sharma, M.; Dangayach, G.S. Adoption of smart and sustainable manufacturing
practices: An exploratory study of Indian manufacturing companies. Proc. Inst. Mech. Eng. Part B J. Eng. Manuf. 2022, 236,
586–602. [CrossRef]
40. Razali, F.; Talib, O.; Manaf, U.K.A.; Hassan, S.A. Students Attitude towards Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics in
Developing Career Aspiration. Int. J. Acad. Res. Bus. Soc. Sci. 2018, 8, 962–976. [CrossRef]
41. Nunnally, J.C.; Knott, P.D.; Duchnowski, A.; Parker, R. Pupillary Response as a General Measure of Activation. Percept. Psychophys.
1967, 2, 149–155. [CrossRef]
42. Fornell, C.; Larcker, D.F. Structural Equation Models with Unobservable Variables and Measurement Error: Algebra and Statistics.
J. Mark. Res. 1981, 18, 382–388. [CrossRef]
43. Ory, D.T.; Mokhtarian, P.L. Modeling the Structural Relationships among Short-Distance Travel Amounts, Perceptions, Affections,
and Desires. Transp. Res. Part A Policy Pract. 2009, 43, 26–43. [CrossRef]
44. Todd, P.R.; Javalgi, R.G. Internationalization of SMEs in India. Int. J. Emerg. Mark. 2007, 2, 166–180. [CrossRef]
45. Telukdarie, A.; Buhulaiga, E.; Bag, S.; Gupta, S.; Luo, Z. Industry 4.0 Implementation for Multinationals. Process Saf. Environ. Prot.
2018, 118, 316–329. [CrossRef]
46. Tornjanski, V.; Knezevic, S.; Delibasic, B. A CRM Performance Measurement in Banking Using Integrated BSC and Customized
ANP-BOCR Approach. Manag. J. Sustain. Bus. Manag. Solut. Emerg. Econ. 2017, 22, 71–85. [CrossRef]