Socio-technical configurations of emerging technologies in operations: unveiling technology patterns for Industry 5.0

The rapid diffusion of emerging technologies is redefining how operations are designed and managed, shifting attention from techno-centric efficiency to socio-technical integration. This study investigates how artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, 3D printing, blockchain, immersive environments, and IoT-5G reshape operational processes and human–machine interactions. Drawing on Socio-Technical Systems (STS) theory and an Empirically Grounded Analytics approach, 10,559 operational practices were analysed through co-occurrence and correlation mapping. By comparing six technologies across eight socio-technical dimensions, results indicate that AI and robotics strongly relate to augmentation and data-driven decision-making, blockchain and IoT-5G enhance safety, traceability, and distributed control, and immersive environments foster engagement and experiential learning. These findings show that emerging technologies reshape operational architectures by redistributing decision authority, altering coordination mechanisms, and transforming the role of human participation. Moreover, thirteen empirically grounded propositions extend STS theory, offering a socio-technical framework for managing digital transformation in operations management.