Additive manufacturing and the global factory: Disruptive technologies and the location of international business

Additive manufacturing (AM) is an emergent technology that is shifting the nature of production, sourcing, and other value-chain activities. AM has the potential to substantially disrupt the structure and operations of international business. In this paper, we leverage the global factory concept (e.g., Buckley & Ghauri, 2004) to frame our discussion of the likely impact of AM on global production. We identify and conceptualize specific variables...