Human-centric manufacturing culture: a research study of MedTech manufacturers in Ireland

Digital manufacturing is rapidly evolving; however, this transformation is predominantly technology centric. Human-centric manufacturing shifts the paradigm for the digital manufacturing enterprise towards a human focus to realising its envisioned digital future. In that context, Digital Manufacturi...

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Main Authors: Donna H. Rhodes, Sara Cuddy, Malcolm Jeffers, Fiona O’Rourke
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Taylor & Francis Group 2025-12-01
Series:Production and Manufacturing Research: An Open Access Journal
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/21693277.2024.2445623
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author Donna H. Rhodes
Sara Cuddy
Malcolm Jeffers
Fiona O’Rourke
author_facet Donna H. Rhodes
Sara Cuddy
Malcolm Jeffers
Fiona O’Rourke
author_sort Donna H. Rhodes
collection DOAJ
description Digital manufacturing is rapidly evolving; however, this transformation is predominantly technology centric. Human-centric manufacturing shifts the paradigm for the digital manufacturing enterprise towards a human focus to realising its envisioned digital future. In that context, Digital Manufacturing Ireland (DMI), Ireland’s expert body for driving digital adoption across manufacturing, initiated a research study in collaboration with two research partners, MIT and IAAE, in support of this important focus for future manufacturing. This paper discusses results of the DMI 2023 human-Centric Manufacturing Culture Study, which engaged manufacturing leaders from 11 MedTech companies with major manufacturing sites in Ireland. Overall findings are discussed, with a focus on 12 emergent themes grouped in four categories: imperatives, values, strategies, and practices. Planned collaboration initiatives and anticipated future research are described. This paper also highlights considerations regarding new thinking needed by manufacturing leaders, along with recommendations as to what leaders can begin to do differently.
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spelling doaj-art-a42e34f3a9844b0882c835a22ac4a7182025-08-20T02:43:23ZengTaylor & Francis GroupProduction and Manufacturing Research: An Open Access Journal2169-32772025-12-0113110.1080/21693277.2024.2445623Human-centric manufacturing culture: a research study of MedTech manufacturers in IrelandDonna H. Rhodes0Sara Cuddy1Malcolm Jeffers2Fiona O’Rourke3Sociotechnical Systems Research Center, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, Massachusetts, USADigital Manufacturing Ireland (DMI), Limerick, IrelandInternational Academy of Automation Engineering (IAAE), Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, USADigital Manufacturing Ireland (DMI), Limerick, IrelandDigital manufacturing is rapidly evolving; however, this transformation is predominantly technology centric. Human-centric manufacturing shifts the paradigm for the digital manufacturing enterprise towards a human focus to realising its envisioned digital future. In that context, Digital Manufacturing Ireland (DMI), Ireland’s expert body for driving digital adoption across manufacturing, initiated a research study in collaboration with two research partners, MIT and IAAE, in support of this important focus for future manufacturing. This paper discusses results of the DMI 2023 human-Centric Manufacturing Culture Study, which engaged manufacturing leaders from 11 MedTech companies with major manufacturing sites in Ireland. Overall findings are discussed, with a focus on 12 emergent themes grouped in four categories: imperatives, values, strategies, and practices. Planned collaboration initiatives and anticipated future research are described. This paper also highlights considerations regarding new thinking needed by manufacturing leaders, along with recommendations as to what leaders can begin to do differently.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/21693277.2024.2445623Digital transformationdigital manufacturinghuman-centricityhuman-centric manufacturing culture
spellingShingle Donna H. Rhodes
Sara Cuddy
Malcolm Jeffers
Fiona O’Rourke
Human-centric manufacturing culture: a research study of MedTech manufacturers in Ireland
Production and Manufacturing Research: An Open Access Journal
Digital transformation
digital manufacturing
human-centricity
human-centric manufacturing culture
title Human-centric manufacturing culture: a research study of MedTech manufacturers in Ireland
title_full Human-centric manufacturing culture: a research study of MedTech manufacturers in Ireland
title_fullStr Human-centric manufacturing culture: a research study of MedTech manufacturers in Ireland
title_full_unstemmed Human-centric manufacturing culture: a research study of MedTech manufacturers in Ireland
title_short Human-centric manufacturing culture: a research study of MedTech manufacturers in Ireland
title_sort human centric manufacturing culture a research study of medtech manufacturers in ireland
topic Digital transformation
digital manufacturing
human-centricity
human-centric manufacturing culture
url https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/21693277.2024.2445623
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