Research needs in managing factory automation

The subject of factory automation is a critical one for all business functions, with the potential of creating an entire upheaval in the fields of accounting, finance, marketing, general management, and most significantly, operations management. Totally new ways of managing a business are likely, but it is not yet clear what these ways may be. In spite of the tremendous implications of these new technologies, little research is being conducted in this area. A panel session exploring this topic was thus offered at the 1984 Toronto meeting of the American Institute for Decision Sciences. This article presents the results of the session. The intent of the article is to foster research interest in this area and identify the extensive opportunities available. The article reviews the extant literature concerning the management of factory automation and identifies the gaps in our knowledge where research is needed.