A total of £1.35m of funds have been allocated by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) and Made Smarter Innovation (MSI) through the InterAct Network commissioned research programme. These projects span a wide variety of subjects within the wider intersection of UK manufacturing and industrial digital technology. The outputs from these research teams offer valuable social science insights to inform and assist businesses and policy shapers with their decision making regarding technology and digital transformation.
You can view all of our projects below, or access the outputs from all of our completed work so far on our resources section.
Projects:
We have a wide range of commissioned research projects that offer extensive human insights into many pressing issues for manufacturers and digital technologists. Although our projects often relate to multiple themes, below you can find them organised by which of the Made Smarter Innovation themes they align with most closely: Productivity, Sustainability, Resilience, People.
Simply click the project title to navigate to further details about the research, and access all related outputs for those projects that have been completed.
Productivity
Advancing the business case for digital technology adoption in the UK manufacturing industry
Enabling digital transformation for SMEs: an Industry 4.0 open innovation platform
Industrial digital technologies for UK SME exporting Manufacturers
Standardization and new technology adoption in the housing supply chain: Lessons from the 1930s
Verification, validation and testing (VVT) for new products and technology
The valorisation of the PrOH Modelling Methodology
Sustainability
FASHTRAX: Digitalising textile supply chain transparency – research and knowledge exchange
The role of pairing industrial digital technologies and resource efficiency in achieving Net Zero
Remanufacturing in the aerospace industry
Resilience
EU battery regulations 2023: UK readiness for battery passports and smart labelling
From supply chains towards manufacturing ecosystems: A system dynamics model
Insights from history: What can the past teach us about technological transformation?
Manufacturing in the Metaverse
RESTRAIN: Socio-cultuRal bEhaviour of end-uSers To specific cybeR-threAts In maNufacturing
People
AI with Impact: A guide for CEOs
Community co-created distributed manufacturing platform (COCODISMAN)
Informing empathy-led change management: Measurable readiness planning for the adoption of digital technologies in manufacturing
Making things work: public opinion of UK manufacturing 2023
Manufacturing for All – inclusive digital manufacturing
Perceptions of Manufacturing: How to make manufacturing charming again?
Digital change toolkit for responsible and inclusive digital transformation
Beyond Ownership: Business models for sustainable, smart appliances
Using the Reflective Goal Setting (RGS) Model to accelerate the adoption of digital technologies by enhancing digital readiness in UK manufacturing
Women in manufacturing: the case for a gender-transformative digitalisation
Advancing the business case for digital technology adoption in the UK manufacturing industry
Dr. Andreas Schroeder (Aston University), Dr. Yang Zhao (Aston University) and Dr. Daniel Andrews (Aston University)
Project description
The competitiveness of industry in the UK is dependent on the rapidly growing digitalisation of manufacturers. Digitalisation provides the opportunity to drive the efficiency and innovativeness of manufacturers, and forms the basis for creating new business models. Yet, manufacturers are lagging in their investments into digitalisation and risk missing out on capturing the opportunities digitalisation offers. This project produced a report, guide and video outlining the specific challenges the manufacturing industry faces when making effective investments into digitalisation and identifies the key questions they should address to overcome them.
Key Insights:
1. Digitalisation integrates a wide range of investment domains which makes it difficult to apply established processes to assess and prioritise investments.
2. High costs and the high uncertainty of return make it difficult to justify investments.
3. Rapid innovation (and obsolescence) of digital technology discourages investments.
4. The lack of expertise on acquiring external funding for digitalisation and absence of relevant knowledge among senior leaders can create an investment barrier.
Enabling digital transformation for SMEs: an Industry 4.0 open innovation platform
Professor Beverly Wagner (University of Strathclyde), Dr. Natalie McDougall (University of Strathclyde)
Project description
The unprecedented changes of increasing digitalisation in parallel with the challenges organisations face in adoption and implementation of Industry 4.0 are the driving forces behind this project. There is a need to enable collaboration and co-creation to drive digital transformation.
New requirements related to customer experience and needs alongside value and efficiency improvements necessitate digital transformation. This can be enabled via adoption and implementation of Industry 4.0 technologies, such as big data analytics, blockchain, Internet of Things, intelligent products, sensors, robotics, adaptive manufacturing, and many others. However, whilst this is becoming an imperative for organisations, SMEs may be hindered by a lack of resources and capabilities.
The project team will develop a platform using virtual collaborative sharing tools, which will be accessible via an Open Innovation webpage. Key insights taken from the longitudinal study of Open Innovation adoption and Knowledge Transfer Partnership on Open Innovation practices will shape an interactive toolkit comprising the following:
A best practice guide to aid the business community select an appropriate open innovation business model and understand the process and requirements at each level for ideation through to commercialisation.
Case studies presented by key stakeholder organisations that detail factors that influence open innovation implementation and technological uptake.
Collaborative tools, activities, and co-creation spaces to support the development of relevant capabilities adoption and implementation of Industry 4.0 technologies.
Industrial digital technologies for UK SME exporting Manufacturers
Dr Hanh Pham (University of Leeds), Professor Chee Yew Wong (University of Leeds), Dr Richard Hodgett (University of Leeds)
Project description
The unprecedented changes of increasing digitalisation in parallel with the challenges organisations face in adoption and implementation of Industry 4.0 are the driving forces behind this project. There is a need to enable collaboration and co-creation to drive digital transformation.
New requirements related to customer experience and needs alongside value and efficiency improvements necessitate digital transformation. This can be enabled via adoption and implementation of Industry 4.0 technologies, such as big data analytics, blockchain, Internet of Things, intelligent products, sensors, robotics, adaptive manufacturing, and many others. However, whilst this is becoming an imperative for organisations, SMEs may be hindered by a lack of resources and capabilities.
The project team will develop a platform using virtual collaborative sharing tools, which will be accessible via an Open Innovation webpage. Key insights taken from the longitudinal study of Open Innovation adoption and Knowledge Transfer Partnership on Open Innovation practices will shape an interactive toolkit comprising the following:
A best practice guide to aid the business community select an appropriate open innovation business model and understand the process and requirements at each level for ideation through to commercialisation.
Case studies presented by key stakeholder organisations that detail factors that influence open innovation implementation and technological uptake.
Methodologies of Industry 4.0 adoption from keynote industry speakers.
Collaborative tools, activities, and co-creation spaces to support the development of relevant capabilities adoption and implementation of Industry 4.0 technologies.
Standardization and new technology adoption in the housing supply chain: Lessons from the 1930s
Dr. Christopher Spencer (Loughborough University)
Project description
Increasing awareness in the MMC (Modern Methods Construction) sector of the benefits of adopting digital manufacturing processes. Highlighting how a long term UK industrial strategy may benefit the MMC sector / Manufacturers.
The potential of coworking spaces to contribute to geographically distributed manufacturing activity and regional levelling up in the UK
Dr. Felicia Fai (University of Bath), Dr. Mariachiara Barzotoo (University of Bath), Dr. Phil Tomlinson (University of Bath)
Project description
The competitiveness of industry in the UK is dependent on the rapidly growing
Use of coworking space in rural areas and using them as a potential to stimulate growth in rural areas. Particularly how back office functions in manufacturing can be done remotely using these spaces.
Industry focused outputs identify the activities undertaken across a range of CWSs and collates them to provide insights and suggestions to other CWS owners and managers about the best practices.
Policy focused report briefs local and national policymakers on the contribution CWSs can make to various levels of community: the community within the CWS, the local business community around it, and the wider social community in which they reside. It also identifies areas in which the government could offer more support.
Verification, validation and testing (VVT) for new products and technology
Dr. Khadija Tahera (The Open University), Dr. Sheena Daley (The Open University)
Project description
This project has developed a tool designed to help manufacturers and SMEs map customer and regulatory requirements to technical requirements and Verification, Validation, and Testing (VVT) activities for new product or technology development. The tool will provide actionable insights that will help manufacturers make informed decisions about testing, potentially saving time and costs in VVT planning and decision-making. The development of new digital technology needs extensive verification, validation and testing (VVT). Aims to convey an effective way of analysing the requirements of different stakeholders, i.e., the customer’s voice, regulations and business’s voice and how these requirements must be considered in the VVT planning.
Aligning economic policy for automotive sector resilience in the face of critical material dependency challenges
Professor Jun Du (Aston University), Professor Luciano Battista (Aston University), Dr. Oleksandr Shepotylo (Aston University)
Project description
The automotive sector holds a distinctive and pivotal position within the UK economy. Beyond its substantial contributions to national outputs, employment, and value addition, the sector embodies a catalyst for future growth, aligning with the levelling up agenda and propelling the Net Zero transition.
This paper offers a comprehensive analysis of the UK’s electric vehicle (EV) industry within the framework of economic policy and global value chains. It delves into the intricate dynamics involving supply chains, industrial policy, and critical dependencies.
FASHTRAX: Digitalising textile supply chain transparency – research and knowledge exchange
Dr. Hilde Heim (Manchester Metropolitan University), Dr. Julie Hodson (Manchester Metropolitan University)
Project description
Fashion industry focused supply chain transparency innovation digital exchange platform. Allowing organisation to implement more sustainable, accountable practices. (also be ready for EU legislation in this area).
The role of pairing industrial digital technologies and resource efficiency in achieving Net Zero
Dr. Taofeeq Ibn-Mohammed (WMG, The University of Warwick), Dr. Mehmet Chakkol (WMG, The University of Warwick), Dr. Aitana Ucles Fuensanta (WMG, The University of Warwick)
Project description
Challenges and barriers to adopting and implementing digital technologies to facilitate resource and energy efficiency.
Focus on the methods of integration of new industrial digital technologies into the steel sector to achieve a more eco-friendly, sustainable future.
The valorisation of the PrOH Modelling Methodology
Dr. Ben Clegg (Aston University), Dr. Krishna Balthu (Aston University) and Dr. Ehsan Eslamian (Aston University)
Project description
PrOH modelling is a form of soft systems methodology specifically designed to affect change in organisational strategy, people, culture, technology and operations through a human centred approach. To date the PrOH modelling methodology has had in-depth success led by experts in small volume. This InterAct project is focused on commercialising the PrOH Modelling Methodology for training, teaching and practice, to achieve a more widespread use. They are aiming to increase the uptake of digital technologies by companies and supplychains . The benefit will be increased effficiency and productvity.
Business model innovation and digital servitization in UK manufacturing small and medium sized enterprises
Dr. Dimitrios Dousios (University of East Anglia), Dr. Antonios Karatzas (University of East Anglia)
Project description
Helping SMEs by offering research insights on servitization (provision of goods and services into an integrated bundle as an ongoing service rather than single product) helping them become more stable and complete by adding service elements to their package offering.
They have produced an online tool that allows businesses interested in adopting a technology enabled servitized business model to gain expert advice.
EU battery regulations 2023: UK readiness for battery passports and smart labelling
Dr. Melanie King (Loughborough University), Dr. Paul Timms (Loughborough University)
Project description
How ready are UK Manufacturers to adopt product passport systems and technology into their business models. Reports focus on general awareness of businesses, how prepared they feel, what measures could be taken to help improve this to protect export businesses who need to comply with EU regulations.
From supply chains towards manufacturing ecosystems: A system dynamics model
Dr. Nikolai Kazantsev (IfM, University of Cambridge), Oleksii Petrovskyi (National Universrsity of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy), Professor Julian M. Müller (Seeburg Castle University, Austria and Erfurt University of Applied Sciences, Germany).
Project description
Rapid market changes call for demand-driven collaborations in manufacturing, which trigger supply chain evolution to more distributed supply structures.
This paper explores the system dynamics of the largest European aerospace manufacturer’s supply chain. The authors conceptualise a manufacturing ecosystem by observing the impacts of supplier development, digital platforms, smart contracting, and Industry 4.0 on demand-driven collaborations in time.
The research team offers further contributions to the literature on ecosystem strategy, particularly for regulated industries, by disclosing the role of demand-driven collaborations in supporting the ecosystems’ growth. This paper also provides manufacturing firms with an open-access tool to exemplify their ecosystem development and produce initial training datasets for AI/ML algorithms, supporting further analytics.
Insights from history: What can the past teach us about technological transformation?
Dr. Ahmad Beltagui, Dr. Brian Sudlow (Aston University) Dr. Miying Yang, Glen Jonata (Cranfield University), and Qinglan Liu (Exeter University)
Project description
The transition to sustainability coincides with an industrial digitalization. While this latest industrial revolution creates new challenges, it also revives historical ones encountered in previous transitions. Through two parallel systematic reviews, challenges are identified for the current digitalization transition and historical transitions: mechanization, electrification and computerization.
The aim of this research is to identify lessons from history that may help overcome the challenges of industrial digitalization. The paper provides illustrative examples of social factors that are either internal to a technology adopting organization or external, related to wider societal change. These factors suggest actionable insights that may support the adoption of Industrial Digital Technologies. The following videos and report introduce the project in more detail and provide a full accounting of their findings.
Manufacturing in the Metaverse
Dr. Nikolai Kazantsev, Dr. Bethan Moncur, Russell Goh, Professor Chander Velu (IfM, University of Cambridge)
Project description
The future of manufacturing will be underpinned by two elements: digital technologies and collaboration. The industrial metaverse is the epitome of these elements, using extended reality to blend the physical and digital worlds to transform how businesses design, manufacture, and interact with objects.
This report presents a coherent summary of established knowledge from academia and practice on the drivers, risks, enablers, and barriers of the industrial metaverse for manufacturing through a systematic literature review. These aspects are explored at three levels of granularity: the individual, the firm, and the manufacturing ecosystem.
As a result of this work, the InterAct funded team has also conceptualised a prototype for an industrial metaverse implementation using a case of cocoa manufacturing.
RESTRAIN: Socio-cultuRal bEhaviour of end-uSers To specific cybeR-threAts In maNufacturing
Dr. Bruno Bogaz Zarpelao (State University of Londrina, Brazil), Veniamin Boiarkin, Professor Muttukrishnan Rajarajan, Professor Rajkumar Roy and Professor Katy Tapper (City, University of London, United Kingdom)
Project description
The manufacturing sector is a vital component of most economies, which leads to many cyberattacks on organisations, whereas disruption in operation may lead to significant economic consequences. Adversaries aim to disrupt the production processes of manufacturing companies, gain financial advantages, and steal intellectual property by getting unauthorised access to sensitive data.
Access to sensitive data helps organisations to enhance the production and management processes. However, majority of the existing data-sharing mechanisms are either susceptible to different cyber-attacks or heavy in terms of computation overhead.
This project worked with manufacturing industry representatives, digital technology providers and cyber-resilience centres across the country to develop ways to manage behavioural change to ensure cybersecurity improvements, whilst using psychological models to plan new ways to adapt to these changes.
AI with Impact: A guide for CEOs
Dr. Viktor Dorfler (University of Strathclyde)
Project description
Examining underlying reasons that are fundamentally human not technological, the project team hopes to correct unrealistic expectations towards AI resulting from the lack of understanding of what AI actually can and cannot deliver.
Project outputs will help improve AI implementation quality and thus increase investment in AI in the UK manufacturing sector. Dr. Dörfler seeks to assist manufacturing in learning from other sectors and vice versa through increased understanding of the variety of AI solutions. Helping smaller AI solution providers make suitable offers to large, established companies and indirectly help increase the international competitiveness of UK organisations.
Community co-created distributed manufacturing platform (COCODISMAN)
Dr. Elaine Conway (Loughborough University)
Project description
The aim of this project is to develop a blueprint for a co-created, distributed, community-based manufacturing platform in the UK with a business model to support its financial viability and scalability.
Informing empathy-led change management: Measurable readiness planning for the adoption of digital technologies in manufacturing
Dr. Mersha Aftab (Birmingham City University)
Project description
The project aims to improve the success of technology adoption in manufacturing organisations using an empathy-led approach to create a measurable readiness health plan for change management.
Making Things Work – Perceptions of Manufacturing
Dr. Robert Stewart, Professor Jillian MacBryde, Professor Colin Lindsay and Dr. Carolina Marin-Cadavid (University of Strathclyde)
Project description
The Future of Work team has recently completed a survey of 2107 representative people drawn from across the UK to provide insights into their perceptions of the manufacturing sector and jobs. The primary aim of this survey is to better understand UK public perceptions of the manufacturing industry and jobs, and what factors shape these views and opinions.
In the ‘war for talent’, perceptions matter because they provide a snapshot of public opinion about the attraction of the sector and working in manufacturing. They may not measure up against ‘reality’, they may be ‘misinformed’ but ultimately this matters more to many of the people we interviewed than employers and industry stakeholders.
Manufacturing for All – inclusive digital manufacturing
Dr. Marisa Smith (University of Strathcylde)
Project description
This project aims to show the use of digital tools can enable a more inclusive workforce in manufacturing. They will be focusing specifically on demonstrating how to engage disabled people to participate in digital design processes. The outcomes will include insight into removing barriers to entry for currently excluded groups to the manufacturing workforce.
Perceptions of Manufacturing: How to make manufacturing charming again?
Dr. Guendalina Anzolin (IfM, University of Cambridge), Dr. Jennifer Castañeda–Navarrete (IfM, University of Cambridge) and Dr. Dalila Ribaudo (Aston University)
Project description
This report presents insights into how manufacturing is perceived, the factors shaping this perception, and how this perception has evolved in the last decade. The findings draw upon a systematic review of academic, grey and policy literature across seven countries: the United Kingdom (the UK), Canada, Germany, Singapore, South Korea, Switzerland and the United States (the US).
The report is the main output of the InterAct-funded project “How to make manufacturing charming again? It is everything, everywhere, all at once”. The aim of the report is to support InterAct research on the future of manufacturing on an international scale by providing insights into attitudes to manufacturing and industrial strategies, and how manufacturing is discussed in other countries, particularly where digital technologies have been adopted.
Digital Change Toolkit
Professor Carolyn Axtell, Dr. Vladislav Grozev, and Dr. Hui Zhang (University of Sheffield)
Project description
The Digital Change Toolkit is a freely available online resource which can help organisations to prepare, design, and evaluate the people and organisational aspects of digital change.
The Digital Change Toolkit provides comprehensive guidelines to follow at all six-stages of a digital change process.
Future scenarios for attracting the next generation of young talent into digital manufacturing careers
Dr. Karl Warner (University of Glasgow), Dr Nicola Bailey (Kings College London), Dr Anna Chatzimichali (University of Bath), Mr Malek El-Qallali, (University of Bath), Dr Imtiaz Khan (Cardiff Metropolitan University), Dr Anastasia Kulichyova, (Queens University Belfast)
Project description
Digital transformation has unrivalled potential to improve the lives of citizens throughout the UK and renew the way that the private, public and third sectors can work together.
For UK manufacturing, digital transformation will require future workplaces that can attract and retain young talent from diverse backgrounds and mindsets. However, research by MAKE UK reported that in 2021 only 2% of the average UK manufacturing workforce is currently below 30 years old.
Outdated perceptions overshadow the exciting, tech-driven careers modern manufacturing offers. Attracting the best young talent starts with changing those views.
InterAct’s future-focused research provides free, human-centric insights to help you understand and attract tomorrow’s workforce.
Beyond Ownership: Business models for sustainable, smart appliances
Ahmad Beltagui (Aston Business School), Ana Isabel Canhoto, Daniela Castillo, Amireza Alizamani (University of Sussex – Business School), Ramin Behbehani (Brunel Business School) Niraj Kumar (Essex Business School), Maren Schnieder (Anglia Ruskin University)
Project description
What factors the drive consumer adoption of digitally enabled products?
This project, from InterAct funded researchers, has investigated the assumption that a lack of consumer demand lies behind manufacturers’ underinvestment in Industrial Digital Technology. It focused on domestic washing machines as a widespread product that could be ripe for innovation, and which is under pressure to improve its environmental performance.
Using the Reflective Goal Setting (RGS) Model to accelerate the adoption of digital technologies by enhancing digital readiness in UK manufacturing
Dr. Cheryl Travers (Loughborough University)
Project description
The key purpose of this project is to take the established and evidence-based model of Reflective Goal Setting (RGS) and to develop actionable insights in the form of a toolkit, an animated video, and a discovery phase blueprint for an RGS app – specifically to facilitate the successful adoption of, and adaptation to, digital technologies. The project will explore the potential barriers to adoption that may result from a potential lack of suitable and relevant skills, lack of and/or prior experience, limiting mindsets, worry and anxiety, and unsuitable behaviours.
Women in manufacturing: the case for a gender-transformative digitalisation
Dr. Jennifer Castañeda-Navarrete, (IfM Engage, University of Cambridge)
Project description
We are at a crossroads, with the opportunity either to progress towards a more equitable manufacturing landscape or to deepen existing gaps. The digitalisation of manufacturing provides a chance to transform the sector into a more inclusive and diverse one. However, if we do not take intentional and proactive steps, this digital transformation could instead reinforce prevailing norms and deepen gender inequalities.
The project ‘Women in digital manufacturing’ brought together academics and practitioners to raise awareness about the challenges that women face when participating in manufacturing, while highlighting the transformative potential of digital technologies in creating a more diverse and inclusive manufacturing sector.