New product development process in apparel industry using Industry 4.0 technologies

Abstract

PurposeThe main purpose of this paper is to assess the technological view of apparel new product development (NPD) process through a framework for improving the efficiency of NPD process in Sri Lankan apparel industry.Design/methodology/approachThe study uses literature review, a survey and in-depth interviews of industry experts for data collection. Descriptive analysis and correlation analysis are used to identify the relationship between NPD process performance and Industry 4.0 (I4) technology components.FindingsAll technology components are enablers of NPD process, yet the relative importance of technology components varies within the NPD life cycle. Technoware is identified as the most significant, while Humanware component is the least significant for the advancement of I4 technologies in the NPD process.Research limitations/implicationsDespite the novelty of research investigation into NPD process using I4 technologies in apparel industry, it is limited to one geographical location and a small segment of the industry.Practical implicationsThis paper assists apparel industry practitioners to better understand and prioritize I4 technology components in the NPD life cycle for their successful adoption and for reaping the benefits.Originality/valueThis research generates new knowledge on the adoption of I4 technologies using industry insights into technology components mapped/aligned with key stages of NPD life cycle.

Assessing Industry 4.0 readiness in manufacturing: a self-diagnostic framework and an illustrative case study

“…It appears, based on the self-assessment and interviews, that the organization appreciates the interdependencies between product definition and supply chain management, both of which are ranked low. The digitalization of the demand end, with existing and potential customers, could provide valuable insights into the development of new and “smart” products (Wijewardhana et al. , 2021).…”

Adoption of Industry 4.0 and lean concepts in hospitals for healthcare operational performance improvement

“…The independent variables that could be controlled and manipulated are divided into two categories: I4 technologies and lean practices. From the broader perspective, I4 technologies include big data, IoT, 3D printing, augmented reality, cloud computing and robotic systems (Wijewardhana et al , 2021). However, big data, IoT and cloud computing are selected as scale items of I4 technologies since they have been the most widely used in the early diagnosis of diseases (Aceto et al , 2020; Thuemmler and Bai, 2017a, b).…”

“…With the advancement of technology and integration and automation of many processes, I4 has come into play to the digitalization of processes in the manufacturing and service sectors in recent times. The digitalization of processes and applications in the service sector is evident from various research studies, including I4 for the hospitality sector (Shamim et al , 2017), I4 in apparel new product development (Wijewardhana et al , 2021), I4 on the performance of cargo logistics (Rahman et al , 2020) and blockchain application in the banking industry (Guo and Liang, 2016). Very recently, the adoption of I4 technologies in the healthcare sector has attracted increased attention among researchers, including a comprehensive analysis of carried benefits and cross-disciplinary challenges (Aceto et al , 2020), Healthcare 4.0 adoption barriers in emerging economies (Tortorella et al , 2020) and bigdata and healthcare sector (Groves et al , 2016) However, these studies are limited to conceptual level, and there is lack of empirical research on I4 and lean healthcare in developing economies.…”

Significance of operational capabilities of suppliers on the front-end decision making in apparel product innovation in Sri Lanka

“…One of the main strategies was to transform the Sri Lankan apparel industry from a "contract manufacturer" (cut-and-make assembly operation) to a "fully integrated service" provider (Mataraarachchi and Heenkenda, 2012;Wijayasiri and Dissanayake, 2008). Gradually transforming toward implementing the fourth industrial revolution concepts: "smarter supply chains," "smarter production" and "smarter products" will be the next milestone of the Sri Lankan apparel industry (Wijewardhana et al, 2020). As such, the Sri Lankan apparel industry was compelled to focus on producing value-added, specialized and high-quality innovative apparel products (Wijayasiri and Dissanayake, 2008;Wijewardhana et al, 2020).…”

“…Gradually transforming toward implementing the fourth industrial revolution concepts: "smarter supply chains," "smarter production" and "smarter products" will be the next milestone of the Sri Lankan apparel industry (Wijewardhana et al, 2020). As such, the Sri Lankan apparel industry was compelled to focus on producing value-added, specialized and high-quality innovative apparel products (Wijayasiri and Dissanayake, 2008;Wijewardhana et al, 2020). To provide the value-added, specialized and high-quality innovative offerings, close interaction with suppliers in the apparel development process is identified as a primary requirement and an essential strategy (Mataraarachchi and Heenkenda, 2012;Peiris and Kuruppuarachchi, 2017).…”