An examination is performed on the future trends that are developing in the field of production research, that are pertinent to the academic and industrial needs in Romania. In the proposed approach, we include, for an analysis based on experience, the most relevant directions and investigations for research demarches, and we apply the strategic forecasting principles of Hoshin Kanri. The outcome of this process can form the basis of a future research agenda in the field of production, including topics related to manufacturing systems, digital transformation, innovative technologies, quality management and sustainability aspects.