Recently, Salford Business School’s Lecturer in Supply Chain, Procurement and Project Management, Dr Naixin Guo, was invited to present her research in collaboration with colleague, Dr Albert Aidoo-Anderson, at the 32nd International Annual Conference of the European Operations Management Association (EurOMA 2025).
Held at Politecnico di Milano, Italy, the conference underscored the urgent need to integrate multi-disciplinary approaches within operations management to tackle the grand challenges of our time. It set out to redefine the future of the field by embracing cross-disciplinary collaboration, fostering a culture of cooperation, investing in education and training, advancing research into the adoption of human-centric technologies, and actively engaging a diverse range of stakeholders.
About the research
Naixin’s presentation featured insights from her joint research with Albert, which delves into the key drivers, challenges and contextual influences shaping the implementation of Industry 4.0 technologies within small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Ghana.
This collaborative study is essential and timely, in light of the growing global push for digital transformation and the pivotal role SMEs play in driving economic development, particularly in developing economies like Ghana.
Despite the promise of Industry 4.0 technologies, SMEs often face significant barriers to adoption, including limited resources, infrastructure challenges and insufficient policy support. By exploring these dynamics, the research offers critical insights into how digital transformation unfolds in such contexts, highlighting the intricate interplay between organisational readiness, awareness of digital technologies, the effectiveness of governmental policies, and their collective impact on operational performance.
This work not only fills a vital knowledge gap but also informs strategies for fostering inclusive and sustainable technological advancement.
The core objectives of the research are:
- To examine the major drivers of Industry 4.0 adoptions in SMEs in Ghana
- To explore the role of governmental support in the adoption of Industry 4.0 in SMEs in Ghana
- To investigate the impacts of Industry 4.0 on the operational efficiencies of SMEs in Ghana
- To outline the main obstacles in adopting Industry 4.0 for SMEs in Ghana
The research uncovered…
Understanding the unique challenges and enablers of Industry 4.0 adoption in Ghanaian SMEs is essential for designing effective support mechanisms, with a follow-up study recommended to delve further into this.
During her presentation, Naixin emphasised that without tailored policies and capacity-building efforts, the digital divide between developed and emerging economies could continue to widen, limiting the global inclusivity of technological advancement.
Dr Albert Aidoo-Anderson is currently leading the data collection efforts in Ghana, ensuring the study captures a more grounded and balanced view that reflects the lived experiences and practical challenges of SMEs on the ground.
The presentation concluded by highlighting the importance of context-specific research in shaping practical strategies that empower SMEs to thrive in the digital era.