Australian manufacturing industry: a 20-year scoping study on barriers, opportunities and trends for its strategic development

Abstract

Paper aims

This study aims at identifying the barriers, opportunities and trends for the strategic development of the Australian manufacturing industry.

Originality

As research on Australian manufacturing is prolific and sparse, our study helps to clarify whether and how important research findings on Australian manufacturing replicate.

Research method

For that, we conducted a scoping review on literature evidence published in the last twenty years. We systemically compiled the body of knowledge and proposed research directions in accordance with five global manufacturing megatrends.

Main findings

We identified eight barriers/challenges and eight opportunities according to manufacturing sectors and analyzed them based on their emphasis on these global megatrends. Literature emphasis has not been equally distributed over time, highlighting the need for further research.

Implications for theory and practice

We suggested three main directions for future studies; they were: (i) digital transformation of manufacturing; (ii) sustainable operations in end-to-end service-integrated manufacturing; and (iii) interrelation between socioeconomic characteristics and strategic critical success factors. Further, the body of knowledge’s systemic compilation has led to new conceptual and theoretical insights in light of global megatrends.

Keywords:
Australia; Manufacturing industry; Strategic development; Scoping review