Breaking the virtual wall: analysing barriers to metaverse adoption in manufacturing industries

Purpose The adoption of metaverse in manufacturing holds significant benefits, but there are several barriers to its seamless integration. This paper aims to identify such barriers and prioritize them in a manner that allows industrial leaders to strategize for smooth adoption. Design/methodology/approach In this study, we applied two-stage methods, first the identification and validation of barriers through an empirical study applied to Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA). A purposive sampling technique and snowball sampling facilitated data collection from these expert sources. Through snowball sampling, additional contacts working in the metaverse field were reached, resulting in 235 possible respondents; the survey yielded 104 completed responses. Thereafter, the best-worst method (BWM) was used to measure and rank the barriers. Findings The study results show that the two most critical barriers are “Lack of data security and privacy” and “Lack of integration compatibility with existing systems.” Such findings inform industry leaders of specific recommendations for structural changes, training programs, necessary technological investments and collaborative efforts to overcome these barriers. Research limitations/implications This work adds significantly to academic discussion by prioritizing barriers towards integrating metaverse technology in manufacturing. In addition, this strategic methodology aids in critical appraisal and ranking of barriers for successful adoption. This study also identifies key barriers but acknowledges that other unexamined factors might be lurking in the background, such as virtual economy, financial risks and cross-border legal issues. Practical implications The study’s conclusions cannot be generalized to the other sectors, thus indicating the necessity of carrying out a comparative multi-sector study in the future. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, the study on systematic prioritization of barriers to adopting metaverse technology in manufacturing is the original contribution of the authors.