Employee Engagement in Smart Factories: Research Gaps and a Nomological Framework for the Sri Lankan Apparel Sector

The main objectives of this article are to identify research gaps on Smart Factory context and employee engagement in apparel manufacturing and to develop an integrated nomological framework. A systematic literature review (SLR) strategy was used to achieve these objectives. The literature survey was conducted using databases including Scopus, Taylor & Francis, Web of Science, Emerald Insight, Google Scholar, JSTOR, Oxford, Sage and Wiley Online Library, covering the period from 1990 to 2024. More than 350 articles were reviewed, of which 91 met the inclusion criteria for relevance, full-text availability, and scientific rigor. Through the SLR four key research gaps, were identified: Empirical Gap, Knowledge Gap, Methodological Gap and Theoretical Gap. Based on the identified gaps, an integrated framework was developed for further empirical studies. This study is limited to nomological framework development; it sheds new light on the human-centered dimensions of Smart Factory Context by injecting theoretical perspectives such as the Technology Acceptance Model, Job Demands–Resources model, Social Exchange Theory and the Resource-Based View. This study contributes to the literature on Smart Factories and employee engagement, as it addresses previously unexplored relationships among training, workplace support and operational efficiency. Further, it offers valuable insights to managers and policymakers in the apparel industry, aligning Smart Factory practices with employee engagement to ensure sustainable competitiveness.