Integrating Industry 4.0 and Industry 5.0: a study of hybrid adoption in SMEs and its impact on sustainability, human-centricity, resilience

This study explores the integration of Industry 4.0 and Industry 5.0 paradigms in Small and Mediumsized Enterprises (SMEs) within the automotive sector. It examines their influence on humancentricity, resilience, and sustainability, while assessing the moderating role of company size. A survey of 78 Italian SMEs was conducted, with regression analysis evaluating hybrid adoption’s impact on the three pillars and cluster analysis categorising firms by adoption patterns. Results indicate that hybrid adoption enhances human-centricity in creativity and worker well-being and significantly improves sustainability in renewable energy use and waste reduction. However, its impact on resilience was less pronounced. Micro and small enterprises benefited the most. Cluster analysis identified three groups, Pioneers, Balancers, and Strivers, each with distinct adoption patterns and challenges. The study underscores the potential of hybrid adoption in fostering sustainable, humancentric SMEs while emphasising the need for tailored strategies to address resilience and adoption barriers. By empirically testing a hybrid model, this research offers insights into the evolving dynamics of Industry 4.0 and 5.0 in SMEs and their role in technological transitions. Furthermore, a decision aid framework is introduced, offering a concise tool to guide SMEs and policymakers in translating hybrid adoption into actionable strategies.