To complete or terminate smart manufacturing projects: a prospect theory perspective

Purpose Despite the increasingly salient role of smart manufacturing (SM) in revolutionizing operational processes, little research has explored the dynamics of corporate executives’ decision-making on SM projects after their initiation. To fill this research gap, this study examines the configurations of project complexities (i.e. technological breadth and organizational breadth) and industry conditions (i.e. industry growth and industry competition) that shape managerial decisions to complete or terminate SM projects. Design/methodology/approach Using secondary data of 125 SM projects implemented in 106 manufacturers during the 2011–2020 period, we conduct a fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis to empirically derive equifinal configurations that lead to the completion or termination of SM projects. Findings The results reveal that project complexities and industry conditions work together in configurations where manufacturers will complete or terminate SM projects. We employ prospect theory to elucidate the findings and offer propositions. Originality/value Our study extends the extant SM literature by revealing the configurations of project complexities and industry conditions that shape managerial decisions on the completion or termination of SM projects after their initiation. It contributes to the prospect theory literature by accounting for the roles of both decision content and decision context and providing empirical evidence on their joint effects on managerial risk-taking decisions that alter the subjective value and probability weight of decision outcomes.