Operationalisation and Validation of a Human Factors-Based Decision Support Framework for Technology Adoption in the Logistics Sector

The topic of human-centric design of smart production and logistics processes is increasingly debated in both academic and industrial communities. However, there is still little existing research on the integration of this concept with companies’ daily operations. The research presented in this paper aims to expand this area of research by proposing a framework designed for the logistics sector that includes human factors among the criteria for choosing the best technology to adopt based on the company’s requirements. The framework, which is, therefore, a decision support tool for technology adoption, is subsequently validated through a multiple case study. The results of the validation highlight the framework’s potential as a tool to better understand the human factors involved in tasks and technologies to be adopted in order to avoid possible critical issues related to technological changes (e.g. acceptability, need for additional investment in training, identification of required skills).