Assessing the readiness for industry 4.0 in Pakistan’s aerospace sector: an empirical analysis

Abstract

The Pakistani aerospace industry is embracing digitalisation (within a year), utilising budgets of less than 5% of the company’s annual revenue; however, no industry claims that these technologies have been adopted to a large extent across their R&D, production/manufacturing, MRO, and services/distributor functions. According to 67% of respondents, there are no regulations, laws, or other government policies pertaining to Industry 4.0. Technological preparedness in the form of suitable software and hardware was highlighted as the main critical success factor, while Cybersecurity and cloud computing were identified as essential implementation tools. The originality and value of this study lie in it being the first study of its type on Industry 4.0 within the Pakistani aerospace sector. This research will serve as a strategic tool for policymakers, industry leaders, and stakeholders to guide informed decision-making and propel the aerospace sector towards sustainable growth and competitiveness.