This spring’s wide-ranging survey of CFOs by researchers at Duke University and the Fed showed that 60% of respondents plan to put at least some money toward automation projects in the coming year. But a look inside the numbers shows a 25-point gap (80% to 55%) between large-company CFOs and their peers at smaller ventures — which means leaders at small firms must be spot on with their automation capex decisions. With fewer funds at hand, mistakes can be strategically costly.

Many of Endeavor’s brands write regularly about the ins and outs of automation efforts, be it in industrial plants, at trucking fleets or inside complex healthcare organizations. Listed here are some recent stories that combine big-picture thinking with on-the-floor learnings — as well as an inside look at old-fashioned innovation that prioritizes versatility and clear-eyed planning.

— Geert De Lombaerde