The Hidden Costs of Technological Progress: Risks, Governance, and Sustainability in the Transition from Industry 4.0 to Industry 5.0
DETAILS
Call for Papers – The Hidden Costs of Technological Progress: Risks, Governance, and Sustainability in the Transition from Industry 4.0 to Industry 5.0
Journal: Technology in Society
Publisher: Elsevier
Submission deadline:18 January 2027
This special issue critically examines the hidden social, environmental, and governance costs of Industry 4.0’s digital technologies and explores whether Industry 5.0 can offer more human‑centred, sustainable, and responsible pathways for industrial transformation. It invites work on the unintended consequences of AI, big data, cyber‑physical systems, and blockchain, as well as policy and design strategies that support responsible digitalisation and socio‑technical sustainability.
Types of research this SI invites
Type of research | Typical focus |
|---|---|
Conceptual / theoretical work | Integrative frameworks linking Industry 4.0/5.0, digitalisation risks, and socio‑technical sustainability |
Empirical / mixed‑methods studies | Case‑based and cross‑context analyses of environmental, social, and governance impacts in industry and society |
Guest editors
Prof Vikas Kumar, University of Portsmouth, UK, Email: Vikas.Kumar@port.ac.uk
Dr Muhammad Mustafa Kamal, University of Exeter Business School, UK, Email: M.M.Kamal@exeter.ac.uk
Dr Ebru Susur, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Spain, Email: ebru.susur@upm.es
Prof Narain Gupta, Birmingham City University, UK / Management Development Institute, India, Email: narain.gupta@bcu.ac.uk, narain.gupta@mdi.ac.in
List of suggested topic areas
Environmental footprint of digital infrastructures (data centres, AI workloads, e‑waste, energy use)
Human‑centric design, work intensity, and well‑being in Industry 4.0/5.0 workplaces
Ethical AI governance, privacy, cybersecurity, and misuse of digital platforms
Cyber‑physical system safety, risk, and trust in smart manufacturing and Industry 5.0
Workforce well‑being, technostress, and digital inequality in emerging and developed economies
Circular economy practices and industrial‑digital synergies
Socio‑technical sustainability and transitions from Industry 4.0 to 5.0
Policy, regulation, and multi‑level governance of digital technologies in industry
Responsible digital transformation across value chains and society
Submission information
Submissions are open via the journal’s Editorial Manager system starting 22 June 2026 and must be submitted before 18 January 2027:
https://www.editorialmanager.com/techis/default2.aspx
When submitting, select article type “VSI: Industry 4.0 to 5.0” to link your paper to the special issue.
Follow the journal’s Guide for Authors:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/technology-in-society/publish/guide-for-authors
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