MPOB-UKM ENDOWMENT CHAIR

 

Industry Revolution 4.0 Appropriation in Circular Economy Performance on Palm Oil Industry

Grant Category, Year:  Small Research Grant, 2023 

Abstract

In terms of adoption structure, adaptive structuration theory (AST) is among the prominent theory that able to determine factors that influence user to use particular technologies by way of structuration processes (DeSanctis & Poole, 1994). Yet, this theory does not adequate to identify the personal acceptance behaviour factors. To fill in this gap, current study proposed to use Unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT); introduced by Venkatesh et al., (2003) to examine the behavioral-intention and use-behavior towards I4.0-CE approaches. Therefore, based on the concepts of “appropriation”, current study intends to understand the need of I4.0-CE approaches and analyse the acceptance and structuration of I4.0-technologies use from smallholders’ farmers perspectives towards CE-performance. Hereon, the research questions are as follows: (1) What are the factors that influences the adoption structures and acceptance behavior towards I4.0-CE approaches? (2) Do behavioral-intention moderate the relationship between I4.0-appropriation and CE-performance? To answer such questions, current study employed survey-based methodology through questionnaire among smallholder of palm oil industry in Malaysia. The, the data was analyzed by SmartPLS 3.0 and SPSS v28.0 software packages to evolved the hypothesis model. To this end, Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) is used to test the hypothesis through multivariate data analysis methods (Di Maria et al., 2022). Finally, the present study offers various theoretical and practical contribution as follows. First, an integrated model based on AST and UTAUT is presented as theoretical foundation to investigate the need of I4.0-CE approaches towards CE-performance through six components for acceptance factors and four components for structuration factors. Second, offers empirical evidence based on real adoptation in Malaysian palm oil industry. Third, robust framework will help industrial practitioners, academician and researchers to analyse a strategic plan in adopting I4.0-CE approaches by optimizing the operation system towards CE-performance and sustainable development goals (SDGs).

Project Leader

Mohd Helmi Ali (Faculty of Economics and Management, )