Building antifragile manufacturing systems through strategic technology integration

Purpose – This study develops and validates, through expert consensus, a framework for achieving antifragility in manufacturing by strategically integrating modern digital technologies with capabilities that enable organizations to grow stronger through disruption. It moves beyond traditional resilience-focused approaches by emphasizing continuous adaptability, sustained growth and competitive advantage in an environment characterized by volatility and rapid technological change. Design/methodology/approach – Grounded in the dynamic capability perspective, the study synthesizes insights from an extensive literature review with the results of a Delphi study involving a panel of 14 industry and academic experts. The process identified and refined a set of critical supporting capabilities, including cross-functional governance, interoperability assessment and risk-responsive integration, that enable the alignment of digital transformation initiatives with antifragile objectives. Findings – Antifragility is positioned as a higher-order dynamic capability that transforms volatility into a driver of innovation and strategic renewal. The resulting expert-based framework maps emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things and big data analytics to specific sensing, seizing and transforming capabilities, providing a structured pathway for operationalizing antifragility in manufacturing contexts. Practical implications – The framework offers manufacturers a structured approach for aligning technology investments with antifragile objectives, ensuring that digital transformation enhances rather than undermines adaptability and growth. It encourages a phased, resource-aware implementation strategy that leverages disruptions as strategic assets, fostering both business continuity and long-term competitiveness. Originality/value – This research conceptualizes antifragility as a distinct and advanced capability in manufacturing and demonstrates how it can be purposefully developed through strategic technology integration. By combining theoretical grounding with expert validation, it bridges the gap between digital transformation and antifragility, offering a practical roadmap for turning uncertainty and variability into sources of competitive advantage.