Automation and Robotics in Operations Management: Administrative, Social, and Entrepreneurial Innovation Challenges

This experimental study examines the implementation of an automated system with a robotic arm in a semi-structured manufacturing environment, assessing its impacts on operational efficiency, administrative reorganization, workers’ social perceptions, and opportunities for entrepreneurial innovation. A functional prototype of an automated work cell was designed, integrating sensors, a microcontroller, and a digital control interface. A comparative performance analysis was conducted before and after the intervention, along with semi-structured surveys administered to operators and interviews with area managers. The results reveal a 34.5 % improvement in cycle times, while also highlighting tensions in human talent management and emerging ethical challenges. The study concludes that automation is not merely a technical tool, but a lever for rethinking administrative models and fostering technology-based micro-entrepreneurship.