Additive economy and new horizons of innovative business development

Abstract

The disruptive technologies and cyber-physical production systems are important factors that bring transformations to socio-economic formations. The paper aims to formulate the content, key directions, positive and negative effects of additive economy (AE) in the current transition phase to Industry 4.0. The research method is based on the analysis of structural links in socio-economic systems, where the additive economy potential is realized. The additive economy is treated as a new approach to production technological aspect based on the additive principle of manufacturing and aimed at minimizing the use of primary natural resources for dematerialization of social production. AE is the antithesis of the subtractive economy, which dominates today and uses only a tiny proportion of extracted natural resources. Among the positive effects of AE, there are the reduction in energy intensity of products, dematerialization of production, solidarity of society, economic systems sustainability, and intellectualization of technologies and materials. Among the negative expectations of AE, there are increased information vulnerability of production, risk of losing control over cyberphysical systems, expanding the unification of individuals, and increasing psychological stress. The additive economy is more sustainable than the subtractive economy since it does not require extra components to the production spheres, reduces the resource scarcity, and could satisfy more economic agents’ needs. Therefore, improved production efficiency due to AE promises economic growth acceleration, environmental burden and social risk reduction.