Ipar 4.0 az autóiparban

A fehér- és kékgalléros munkavállalók technológiaelfogadási aggályai

Abstract

This research focuses on the automotive industry, being a pioneer in the implementation of industrial robots worldwide and being a key enabler of the Hungarian economy. The key question of the authors’ research is how employees relate to Industry 4.0 solutions, and the individual-level barriers to technology adoption. Their in-depth interviews carried out among white (engineers) and blue (physical workers) collar employees reveal that the attitudes and fears towards Industry 4.0 are different across the two groups. White collar employees have an overall positive attitude, perceive Industry 4.0 as a unique opportunity to gain specific knowledge leading to reinforcement of their position within the firm. Blue-collar employees, however, have not heard of the expression Industry 4.0, although they have been working with robots in their workplace. In-depth interviews revealed a great diversity of fears, including loss of a job, physical injuries due to robot malfunctions, and the feeling of constantly being observed by means of sensors with which the robots are equipped. This study implies that top managers of automotive industries should not only manage processes related to the implementation of Industry 4.0 but also pay close attention to managing the fears of the employees.