Industrial Automation and the Transformation of Work Organization: Three Case Studies in West Malaysia

Abstract

An investigation of reasons for automating & the impact of new technology on company workers, based on qualitative interviews with management & labor in: a Malaysian typesetting component of a printing company, the paint shop of an electrical appliance plant, & a TV manufacturing company that markets internationally. Patterns of work content & organization & working conditions & practices are considered in detail. The case studies presented show that the decision to automate is related to labor as only one of many production components - the fundamental motivation is to maintain or increase profits. Whether automation will live up to expectations, the deskilling & retrenchment of workers, & the lack of overproduction & unemployment problems in Malaysia are discussed. V. Wagener.