FUTURE-READY LEADERSHIP IN THE ERA OF INDUSTRY 5.0: OPPORTUNITIES, CHALLENGES, AND STRATEGIC IMPLICATIONS

Abstract

Industry 5.0 represents a new industrial paradigm that emphasizes human-centric innovation, sustainability, resilience, and collaboration between humans and intelligent technologies. Unlike Industry 4.0, which primarily focused on automation and digitalization, Industry 5.0 recognizes the importance of balancing technological advancement with human creativity and ethical leadership. Organizations therefore require future-ready leaders who possess digital competencies, adaptability, strategic thinking, innovation, emotional intelligence, and sustainability orientation. The present study examines the concept of future-ready leadership in the context of Industry 5.0 by identifying key leadership competencies, opportunities, and challenges. The study is descriptive in nature and is based on secondary data collected from books, journals, reports, and government publications. The findings indicate that future-ready leadership is essential for promoting organizational resilience, innovation, employee well-being, and sustainable development. The study concludes that leadership development should focus on integrating technological expertise with human values to achieve long-term organizational success in the Industry 5.0 era.