Fuzzy MICMAC-Based Study of Barriers to Industry 4.0 and Lean Six Sigma Integration in Indian Smart Manufacturing

ABSTRACT The integration of Industry 4.0 (I4.0) technologies with Lean Six Sigma (LSS) has emerged as a promising approach for enhancing operational efficiency, flexibility, and resilience in modern manufacturing systems. Despite its potential benefits, organizations continue to encounter multiple interrelated barriers that impede successful implementation. This study aims to identify and analyze the key barriers affecting the integration of I4.0 and LSS in Indian manufacturing organizations. A structured literature review followed by a two-round Delphi-based expert validation was conducted to identify and refine fifteen key barriers. The fuzzy Cross-Impact Matrix Multiplication applied to Classification method was subsequently employed to analyze the structural relationships among these barriers using triangular fuzzy numbers to capture uncertainty in expert judgments. The results classified the identified barriers into two categories, namely linkage barriers and autonomous barriers, based on their driving and dependence power. The most influential linkage barriers include high implementation cost, lack of skilled workforce, inadequate top management commitment, poor data quality and availability, integration issues with legacy systems, limited cross-functional collaboration, and vendor or partner limitations. The findings highlight the importance of workforce capability development, leadership commitment, technological readiness, and organizational collaboration in achieving successful digital transformation. The study offers a structured basis for prioritizing managerial interventions, supporting strategic decision-making, and planning technology adoption in manufacturing organizations. Although the findings are based on expert judgments within the Indian manufacturing context and should therefore be generalized with appropriate caution, the proposed framework provides a useful foundation for future research. Subsequent studies may validate the framework across different industrial sectors and geographical contexts, integrate hybrid multi-criteria decision-making techniques, and examine how implementation barriers can be transformed into organizational enablers for digital transformation.