Make‐or‐buy decisions for industrial additive manufacturing

Much of the potential industrial additive manufacturing (AM) is said to lie in digital specification components that can be transmitted seamlessly and unambiguously partners fostering flexible outsourcing. In industry, we observe nuanced AM supply chain governance structures result from make-or-buy decisions, with a tendency implement in-house. Thus, there discrepancy between what discussed literature implemented practice. We apply multiple-case study approach investigate why how impacts decision firms. identify four profiles demonstrating spectrum specific develop framework explain underlying rationales. find strong arguments for in-house including firms’ perceived need protect their digitally encapsulated intellectual property, reevaluation core competencies, commitment internal learning, senior management's enthusiasm AM. By using transaction cost economics resource-based view, contribute understanding these general theories are modified by emerging traits reveal contradicting guidance theories’ argumentation case provide managers clear perspective on alternative strategies implementation process.