4. Advanced Manufacturing Technologies and Strategically Flexible Production. A Review and Outlook

This Chapter discusses the key problem of integrating the use of advanced manufacturing technologies (AMTs) together with the change in the strategic and organizational approach to manufacturing in order to build superior capabilities, especially strategic flexibility and continuous innovation. In the original paper AMTs were analysed within the context of the Strategically Flexible Production (SFP). The use and effectiveness of various technologies and their computer-based integration were investigated in the light of the emerging paradigm. Data from the International Manufacturing Strategy Survey have shown that the use of integrating technologies varied much within the core adopters of the paradigm, suggesting that SFP did not necessarily require massive information technology support. However, SFP alone or combined with a higher level of integration of stand-alone AMT fostered increased time responsiveness. The commentary suggests that today very similar hypotheses to the ones tested in the original paper could be explored in relation to the currently emerging technologies, such as Industry 4.0 or Smart Factories. In particular we need to ask questions and test propositions around the need of alignment between today’s advanced technologies and work organization practices, and around the relative importance of technology compared to organization in building superior capabilities.