The Strategic Advantages of the Factory of the Future

In spite of significant potential competitive advantages of automated manufacturing technologies generally known as the factory of future, American managers have been hesitant to adopt them. This article reviews a number of applications of such technologies and describes how they were successfully applied to achieve competitive advantage. It then reviews types of technologies included in concept of factory of future and identifies costs, benefits, and problems associated with them. The author then outlines implications of these technologies for business strategy.