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Machines Replacing Man?
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Keywords

Automation production
Car suppliers
Industrial relations
China

How to Cite

Yang, T., & Luo, S. (2021). Machines Replacing Man? : Automation and upgrading at car suppliers in China. RBEST: Revista Brasileira De Economia Social E Do Trabalho, 3(00), e021018. https://doi.org/10.20396/rbest.v3i00.15869

Abstract

Industrial upgrading and transformation have become an important focus for meeting and sustaining China's strategic goal of establishing itself as a leading manufacturing power in the world. However, the impact of this strategic goal on labor is far from clear, and further analysis is needed to assess the impact of technological change on jobs and industrial relations in China. Based on empirical research conducted throughout 2017 with eight automotive parts and components suppliers in Guangdong Province, this paper reveals that automation processes have been increasing, but in an unbalanced way. Companies can eliminate the direct negative impact of automation production on workers through production management plans and systems, but the upgrading of workers is slow.

 

https://doi.org/10.20396/rbest.v3i00.15869
PDF (Español (España))

References

Bruckner, M., LaFleur, M., & Pitterle, I. (2017, July). The impact of the technological revolution on labour markets and income distribution. [Frontier Issues], Departament of Economic and Social Affair (DESA), United Nations. https://www.un.org/development/desa/dpad/wp-content/uploads/sites/45/publication/2017_Aug_Frontier-Issues-1.pdf

International Federation of Robotics (IFR) (2017). World robotics 2017 industrial robots. [Executive summary].

https://ifr.org/downloads/press/Executive_Summary_WR_2017_Industrial_Robots.pdf

Luethje, B. (2017, October 17). How will China’s industrial modernization plan affect workers? https://www.eastwestcenter.org/news-center/east-west-wire/how-will-china’s-industrial-modernization-plan-affect-workers

Luo, S. & Yang, T. (2019). Moderated mobilization: a new model of enterprise-level collective bargaining in South China. The China Quarterly, (242), 418–439. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0305741019001061

Yang, T. (2018). Zhusanjiao diqu qipei qiye de chanye shengji, zidonghua yu gongzuo diaoyan baogao (Research report on industrial upgrading, automation and work in the car supply industry in the Pearl-River Delta). [Unpublished manuscript], Volkswagen Endowed Chair Industrial Relations and Social Development, School of Government, Sun Yat-sen University.

Yang, T., & Luo, S. (2019). Moderated mobilization: a new model of enterprise-level collective bargaining in South China. The China Quarterly, (242), 418–439.

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Copyright (c) 2021 Tao Yang, Siqi Luo

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