Conclusion

Abstract

Abstract This chapter is the book’s conclusion chapter. In the chapter, I summarize the main arguments of the book through the perspective of a ‘factory in the future’ and address some key questions. Will industrialization and factory-based production keep remaking and reshaping the world? Will automation technologies make human work in factories completely redundant? Where will future factories be located, which factories will produce what, and who are the winners and losers in the age of globalized production? Can industrialization, growth, and factory-based production be compatible with ecological sustainability? I also highlight additional megatrends that the book did not cover in great detail: the rise of China and other megatrends related to digitalization. Finally, seeing that I both endorse and criticize capitalism throughout the book, I end the book with a discussion about the dynamics of capitalism.