Drivers and barriers of reshoring in the Swedish manufacturing industry

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to explore reshoring drivers and barriers in the Swedish manufacturing industry. The research is based on case research including five case companies from the Swedish manufacturing industry with experience of manufacturing reshoring. The empirical findings are compared to the existing literature to identify any potential gaps between the existing literature and the Swedish manufacturing context. The findings suggest that quality related issues, an increased degree of automation, and improved cost performance at the home base are the strongest reshoring drivers for Swedish manufacturing companies. The identified drivers and barriers are transferable and have the potential to be building blocks for researchers and practitioners to better understand the reshoring phenomena. The findings also show that further research should focus on reshoring drivers and barriers in relation to specific reshoring characteristics (e.g., ownership, scale of production being reshored, and position in the supply chain).