Evaluating Innovation Diffusion of Digital Twin Adoption for Enhanced Quality Control in Saudi Arabia's Industrial Sector

Innovations, particularly digital technologies, are pivotal in advancing Saudi Arabia's economic strategy, as the country makes significant investments to boost its innovation ecosystem. In the 2024 Global Innovation Index, Saudi Arabia ranks 47th overall, with a strong 36th place in innovation inputs, reflecting its well-developed infrastructure, policies, and support for innovation. However, the country faces challenges in translating these investments into tangible outputs, ranking 66th in innovation outputs. Key obstacles include selecting effective diffusion models and evaluating the factors influencing adoption rates across industry segments, including Innovators, Early Adopters, Early Majority, Late Majority, and Laggards. This study focuses on the industrial sector in Saudi Arabia, examining the adoption and diffusion of digital twin technology. Digital twins offer transformative potential through real-time monitoring and optimization, significantly enhancing manufacturing efficiency. The research will evaluate the characteristics of managers and employees within industrial organizations, analyzing factors that influence adoption rates and levels of digital twin technology. By identifying and assessing these factors, the study aims to accelerate successful diffusion of digital twin frameworks, supporting Saudi Arabia’s goal to lead in industrial innovation and align with its vision of sustainable economic growth.