ABSTRACT
One thing that characterizes industrial environments is that they become ever more complex. This complexity arises from a number of developments, many of which depend upon and affect each other. As far as the technology is concerned, it becomes more powerful, cheaper, and more reliable. The simplest illustration of that is Moore’s law, the basic thrust of which is that everything — in the technological world — changes exponentially. As far as the industrial processes and services are concerned, there is an increasing horizontal and vertical integration — partly because of the possibilities that new technologies offer. This is seen not only within specific industries, but also in the way that, for example, energy distribution or finance links regions and countries. With regard to the demands from end users, be they owners or consumers, the requirements for faster, more diversified, and more reliable services seem insatiable. This means that products and services almost literally must be available anytime and anywhere. In recent years it has also become clear that all this must be achieved without undue effects on the local and global environments. These developments, and there may be others, contribute to the complexity of industrial environments.
