Human resource-enabled commercial benefits of advanced manufacturing technology: a PLS-SEM and system dynamics approach

Advanced manufacturing technology (AMT) implementation is often evaluated in terms of operational and financial outcomes, while the enabling role of human-related benefits remains insufficiently examined. This study analyzes how human resource benefits support the realization of commercial benefits from AMT implementation in the maquiladora industry of Ciudad Juárez, Mexico. A research model was developed in which human resource benefits act as a foundational driver of design, production, operational, and material-handling benefits, which in turn contribute to commercial outcomes. Empirical data from 383 respondents were analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM), and the validated relationships were subsequently translated into a system dynamics model to explore the temporal behavior of AMT-related benefits. The findings show that human resource benefits play a central enabling role in the successful integration of AMT, particularly by strengthening downstream improvements in production, operations, and material flow. The dynamic simulation further suggests that AMT-related benefits evolve through an initial adaptation phase followed by gradual stabilization, highlighting the importance of sustained organizational support during implementation. By combining causal validation with dynamic scenario exploration, this study contributes to the literature on human-centered manufacturing, AMT implementation, and decision-support modeling in interactive manufacturing environments.