Advances in Production Engineering & Management
Volume 20 | Number 4 | December 2025 | pp 529–545
https://doi.org/10.14743/apem2025.4.556
How competitive pressures and technological innovations shape organizational practices: Insights from the European manufacturing survey
Ciric Lalic, D.; Delic, M.; Lalic, B.; Todorovic, T.; Savkovic, M.
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A B S T R A C T
This study investigates the relationship between competitive pressures, technological adoption, and organizational dynamics in the manufacturing sector, with a focus on Serbian firms. Using data from the European Manufacturing Survey (EMS) of 146 manufacturing firms, Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was employed to analyze the influence of competitive factors on the adoption of advanced manufacturing technologies, including Production Control Systems, Automation and Robotics, Efficiency Technologies, and Additive Manufacturing and Simulation Tools. The findings highlight the pivotal role of Production Control Systems in enhancing operational efficiency and strategic decision-making, demonstrating a significant positive effect on both the Organization of Production (β = 0.384, p = 0.001) and Production Management/Controlling (β = 0.500, p < 0.001). In contrast, other technologies did not show statistically significant effects, indicating more selective adoption patterns. Barriers such as financial constraints, technical complexity, and limited organizational readiness were found to restrict broader integration of automation, efficiency, and additive technologies. These results underscore that firms tend to prioritize technologies that offer immediate and auditable operational benefits. Practical implications include the need for workforce upskilling programs, managerial training in digital transformation, innovation hubs for lower-risk piloting, and supportive policy frameworks (e.g., financial incentives, regulatory sandboxes). Collectively, these measures can strengthen absorptive capacity, reduce resistance to change, and foster resilience, sustainability, and competitiveness through targeted technological integration and organizational alignment.
A R T I C L E I N F O
Keywords • Competitive pressures; Advanced manufacturing techno-logies; Production Control Systems; Efficiency Technologies; Additive Manufacturing; Structural Equation Modeling (SEM); European Manufacturing Survey (EMS); Serbian manufacturing sector
Corresponding author • Ciric Lalic, D.
Article history • Received 9 January 2025, Revised 23 August 2025, Accepted 3 September 2025
Published on-line • 31 December 2025
E X P O R T C I T A T I O N
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