Industry 4.0 and Corporate Technological Responsibility of Manufacturing Firms in Nigeria

The study examined the relationship between industry 4.0 and corporate technological responsibility of manufacturing firms in Nigeria. Proxies of industry 4.0 were artificial intelligence, internet of things (IoT), big data analytics. The study deployed descriptive survey research design. A sample size of 452 respondents was obtained based on the number that responded to the research instrument administered online. The questionnaire was developed in line with four (4) point Likert scale. The responses were presented using frequency analysis while the Spearman Ranked Order Correlation Analysis was used in testing the three null hypotheses of the study. The first finding from Hypothesis I reveals a significant inverse relationship between AI adoption and corporate technological responsibility, with the Spearman's rho correlation coefficient of -0.567 (p-value = 0.000); the second finding from Hypothesis II indicates a strong positive relationship between IoT adoption and corporate technological responsibility, with a Spearman's rho correlation coefficient of 0.548 (p-value = 0.000); the third finding from Hypothesis III demonstrates an even stronger positive relationship between big data analytics and corporate technological responsibility, with a Spearman's rho correlation coefficient of 0.850 (p-value = 0.000). In conclusion, responsible implementation of Industry 4.0 practices will help balance technological advancement with ethical responsibility, ensuring sustainable and socially responsible growth. The study recommends that Chief Technology Officers (CTOs) of manufacturing firms should integrate ethical guidelines and social impact assessments into their AI deployment strategies to ensure that the technology is used responsibly.