Flexible Automation in Developing Countries: The impact on scale and scope and the implications for location of production / Edition 1

by Ludovico Alcorta

Overview

This book examines the extent of, and motives for, the diffusion of flexible automation (FA) at global level and then turns to the local and firm level, bringing together in-depth studies of sixty-two firms in Brazil, India, Mexico, Thailand, Turkey and Venezuela. Research focuses on the impact of computer-numerically-controlled machine tools on scale and scope by exploring changes in lot sizes and product variety (product scale and scope), total plant output (plant scale) and total firm output (firm scale). Barriers to setting up FA-based operations are discussed, as are factors which may affect a decision to locate in a developing country. The contributed studies reveal a relatively slow diffusion of FA in developing countries and it is demonstrated that while FA possibly increases scope, it also requires that plant output be increased in order to maintain efficiency. Alcorta concludes that the location in developing countries will probably only be viable for large domestic firms, multinationals seeking to relocate simple but labour intensive assembly processes and firms in countries with significant domestic markets.
This work is unique in addressing the scale and scope issues in developing countries and in the wealth of information regarding machine tools which it provides. The data provided in the appendix includes official United Nations data, previously unpublished. This will be of use for all research into trends in the use of machine tools.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780415191531
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	11/05/1998
Series:	UNU/INTECH Studies in New Technology and Development , #6
Pages:	484
Product dimensions:	6.12(w) x 9.19(h) x (d)

Table of Contents

Introduction Part One: Concepts, Methods and Synthesis 1. Scale and Scope: Concepts and Issues 2. Methodology and Research Design Implementation 3. The Diffusion of Flexible Automation in Developing Countries 4. Scale and Scope 5. Flexible Automation and Location of Production in Developing Countries 6. Conclusions and Policy Recommendations Part Two: The Country Studies 7. The Impact of Flexible Automation on Scale and Scope in the Brazilian Engineering Industry Ruy De Quadros Carvalho 8. The Impact of Flexible Automation on Scale and Scope in the Mexican Engineering Industry Lilia Dominguez and Flor Brown 9. The Impact of Flexible Automation on Scale and Scope in the Venezuelan Engineering Industry Oswaldo Alonso, Francisco Tamayo and Vanesa Cartaya 10. The Impact of Scale and Scope in the Indian Engineering Industry Ghayur Alam 11. The Impact of Flexible Automation on Scale and Scope in the Turkish Engineering Industry Hacer Ansal 12. The Impact of Scale and Scope in Thailand's Engineering Industry Peter Brimble Bibliography Appendices