It is suggested that computer-integrated manufacturing (CIM) -- or "flexible automation" -- is a revolutionary response to the "complexity-reliability variety" barrier. In brief, products are becoming more complex, quality control is becoming more difficult    and customers are less satisfied with standardization. Managers of manufacturing firms face several critical questions and  some strategic choices. Among them are the following: How must the firm change internally to compete successfully in the  future? What technologies must be mastered and adopted "in house", and what can safely be contracted out? Is there an  important distinction to be made between "human-centred" and "machine-centred" approaches? If so, which offers the best  long-term prospects? Can CIM be implemented "bottom-up", or must it be implemented "top-down"? A number of other  management implications of CIM are discussed. The paper reports some major results of a four-year study recently completed at IIASA under the author's co-leadership.