APHC Chapter 11 – Key Issue 4 – Flashcards
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How are manufacturing jobs shifting in the US?
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Industry has shifted from the Northeast toward the South and West.
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Define right-to-work laws.
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A US law that prevents a union and a company from negotiating a contract that requires workers to join the union as a condition of employment.
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Why are southern right to work states attractive to companies?
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More right-to-work laws which appeal to antiunion companies.
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Why has textile production moved from the northeast to the southeast?
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cheaper labor, less unions
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What are convergence regions?
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Primarily in Eastern and Southern Europe, where incomes lag behind Europe's average.
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What are the competitive and employment regions?
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Primarily Western Europe's traditional core industrial areas, which have experienced substantial manufacturing job losses in recent years.
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What makes central Europe attractive to manufacturers?
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1. Labor - skilled but relatively cheap
2. Market proximity
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Where has industry shifted internationally?
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Shifted from MDCs to LDCs (cheaper labor)
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Why do transnational corporations transfer work to LDCs?
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low-cost labor
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Define outsourcing.
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A decision by a corporation to turn over much of the responsibility for production to independent suppliers.
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Provide an example of an industry that outsources, and what do they outsource?
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Apple. The parts in an iPhone are made by independent companies (Japan, Germany, South Korea) and assembled in China.
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Define maquiladoras.
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A factory built by a US company in Mexico near the US border, to take advantage of the much lower labor costs in Mexico.
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Explain the two major fears of the integration of a North American industry.
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1. Labor leaders fear more manufacturers may relocated production to Mexico (less jobs in US).
2. Environmentalists fear as less environmental protection labs and enforcement in Mexico.
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Who are the four BRIC countries and what are they expected to do?
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Brazil
Russia
India
China
The countries expected to dominate global manufacturing in the 21st century.
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Which country was added to the BRIC countries in 2010 and why?
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South Africa - largest economy, population and land area in southern sub-Saharan Africa
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What factors influence industry to remain in northeast US or northwest Europe?
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1. Availability of skilled labor.
2. Rapid delivery to market.
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Define Fordist production
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A form of mass production in which each worker is assigned one specific task to perform repeatedly
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Define post-Fordist production
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Adoption by companies of flexible work rules, such as the allocation of workers to teams that perform a variety of tasks. Also called lean production.
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What are the four types of work rules that distinguish post-Fordist lean production? Explain each.
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1. Teams - work in teams
2. Problem solving - problem addressed through consensus after consulting all affected parties
3. Leveling - factory works treated alike
4. Productivity - new machinery and processes
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Define "Just in Time Delivery"
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Shipment of parts and material to arrive at a factory moments before they are needed.
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What benefits do the manufacturers receive from just-in-time delivery?
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Reduces money tied up in wasteful inventory.
Less space needed (as less inventory).
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Give 3 examples of thing that can disrupt just-in-time delivery
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1. Labor unrest (ie a strike).
2. Traffic (slowed by construction, accidents...)
3. Natural hazards - weather.
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What are the three ways the US government distinguishes between domestic and foreign vehicles?
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EPA >=75% vehicle content comes from North America
US Customs >=50% vehicle content from US or Canada
AALA >85% vehicle content from US or Canada
