The manufacturing sector is facing profound transformations, driven by the adoption of advanced technologies and the need to adapt to a continuously evolving environment. The concept of Manufacturing-as-a-Service (MaaS) emerges as a key strategy to address such challenges, offering an innovative approach to manufacturing based on flexibility, customization, and accessibility through the use of digital platforms. This paper explores the topic through a review of the literature and a survey conducted among Italian SMEs. The analysis identified key trends and challenges in the manufacturing sector, as well as emerging technologies that are actively transforming it. Based on the results, possible future directions for the development and adoption of MaaS are outlined, with the aim of providing guidelines and theoretical contributions for the academic and industrial communities.