The SME robot

Purpose – Reviews the latest management developments across the globe and pinpoints practical implications from cutting‐edge research and case studies. Design/methodology/approach – This briefing is prepared by an independent writer who adds their own impartial comments and places the articles in context. Findings – Almost a million industrial robots are in service worldwide, and their numbers are steadily growing. They perform a vast range of tasks in factories, warehouses and laboratories, and offer a number of advantages to industry, including high throughput and speed, generally better accuracy and improved safety conditions for staff. However, while increasingly common in industry, due to the onerous set‐up costs and complexity robots are not widely used in Small to Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs). Practical implications – Provides strategic insights and practical thinking that have influenced some of the world's leading organizations. Originality/value – The briefing saves busy executives and researchers hours of reading time by selecting only the very best, most pertinent information and presenting it in a condensed and easy‐to‐digest format.