Statistical Model of the Growth in the Use of Smart Technologies in Sustainable Production
Keywords:
Smart technologies, Sustainable production, Industry 4.0, Artificial intelligenceAbstract
Technological empowerment and resilience play a crucial role in enhancing the capacity of organizations to maintain sustainability and respond effectively to crises and disruptions. This study aimed to examine the growth trend and thematic structure of international research in the field of smart technologies and sustainable production during the period from 2000 to 2024 through a systematic review of 290 scientific research articles indexed in global databases. The findings indicate that until 2018, the growth of publications was very slow, with an annual average of fewer than six articles. However, since 2019, a remarkable acceleration has been observed, with more than 65% of the articles (190 papers) published within the last five years. In terms of quality, the proportion of articles published in Q1 journals in recent years has increased to over 48% (compared to about 16% during the first decade of the study period). Moreover, the journals Journal of Cleaner Production, Sustainability, and International Journal of Production Research showed the highest frequency of publications, and the co-word network of keywords reflects a focus on areas such as sustainable development, Industry 4.0, the Internet of Things (IoT), and artificial intelligence (AI). Structurally, keyword clustering demonstrates the synergy between advanced smart technologies and sustainability objectives in industry. The statistical results of the meta-analysis showed that the Z-effect index was 1.82 (lower than the critical value of 2.69), indicating the stability of the findings. Furthermore, trend analysis reveals that the focus of studies has shifted from theoretical and feasibility issues toward the practical application of IoT and AI in industry and supply chains, with more than 35% of all articles dedicated to these topics. An examination of the cluster distribution of frequently used keywords in the fields of “smart manufacturing,” “smart technologies,” and “sustainable production” indicates that the largest share of articles in recent years falls under the clusters of “smart manufacturing and Industry 4.0” (12%) and “technological innovation and additive manufacturing” (12%). These findings highlight scientific maturity, an increase in international impact, and the growing attention of researchers to technological and resilient approaches in advancing sustainable production and development.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Alireza Ahrari (Author); Naser Mikaeilvand (Corresponding author); Peyman Hajizade (Author)
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