This thesis describes a successful attempt to automate a manual process in footwear industry. The process is called skiving of leather components and it is one of the early processes necessary for the assembly of shoe uppers. Skiving is the localised thinning of leather components, mainly at some of their edge regions. The purpose of skiving is to produce quality decorative edges or more importantly to enable attaching and joining components without forming thick, discomforting and weak joints. Although other processes in footwear manufacturing have been subject to partial or full automation, skiving has been performed for decades now with a standard mechanism that requires 3-dimensional manipulation of the components by a human operator. This research work was directed towards two main aims. One was to establish a novel method on the basis of which skiving may be performed without the need of human assistance. The developed method is called dynamic matrix skiving and it is capable of performing skiving on leather components by generating and actuating skive patterns as sets of finite elements of skived area to a given resolution. Following derivation and study of the method for skiving, the second phase was aimed at implementing a fully automatic skiving system. The main requirement from the system was to be an intelligent, component oriented, flow through, processing device. This required the capability to receive input components at any orientation and position along its transport mechanism, to recognise them as to their identity and relative position, and to perform skiving upon them without moving them or disturb their continuous flow throughout the entire operation. Individual chapters in this thesis describe the study and experimentation with regards to dynamic matrix skiving, and all logical steps taken to identify the necessary elements and implement their integration to produce the automated skiving system. The concluding part of this work includes presentation of the results obtained from the automated system, and it identifies the areas where further research and development is needed in order to improve the quality of its output.

Traditional theories of industrial restructuring assign the most explanatory weight of the structural change phenomenon to increasing pressures via globalization and falling trade barriers. This thesis offers a new model of thinking about industrial restructuring that includes multiple stressors. The thesis focuses on three main drivers of structural change: market pressures, environmental regulation and changes in land use and land pricing, using two case studies of leather and footwear industrial clusters in Mexico, located in the cities of León and Guadalajara. Evidence of multiple drivers of structural change is found in the dissertation. Furthermore, responses to restructuring drivers in León and Guadalajara are found to be substantially different. Firms in the leather and footwear cluster in León have implemented countervailing strategies such as price competition, government lobbying, and more recently, investment in socio-economic research (competitiveness) projects. However, firms in the leather and footwear cluster in Guadalajara focused on a specific, high-end target market. At the larger, urban scale, footwear and its allied industries in the city of León resisted change and have tried to remain in operation while the city of Guadalajara has focused on a diversification strategy, attracting new (arguably more technically advanced) industries. This thesis offers empirical and theoretical advances. Empirically, it applies a firm demographics approach to the study of industrial clusters under multiple stressors. This approach has not been previously used on Mexican data. Theoretically, it demonstrates that future analyses of industrial complexes’ structural change can be strengthened through the use of an integrated assessment framework investigating the effect of multiple stressors (market forces, land pricing, technical change, environmental regulations, and consumer preferences) on industrial restructuring.

Traditional theories of industrial restructuring assign the most explanatory weight of the structural change phenomenon to increasing pressures via globalization and falling trade barriers. This thesis offers a new model of thinking about industrial restructuring that includes multiple stressors. The thesis focuses on three main drivers of structural change: market pressures, environmental regulation and changes in land use and land pricing, using two case studies of leather and footwear industrial clusters in Mexico, located in the cities of León and Guadalajara. Evidence of multiple drivers of structural change is found in the dissertation. Furthermore, responses to restructuring drivers in León and Guadalajara are found to be substantially different. Firms in the leather and footwear cluster in León have implemented countervailing strategies such as price competition, government lobbying, and more recently, investment in socio-economic research (competitiveness) projects. However, firms in the leather and footwear cluster in Guadalajara focused on a specific, high-end target market. At the larger, urban scale, footwear and its allied industries in the city of León resisted change and have tried to remain in operation while the city of Guadalajara has focused on a diversification strategy, attracting new (arguably more technically advanced) industries. This thesis offers empirical and theoretical advances. Empirically, it applies a firm demographics approach to the study of industrial clusters under multiple stressors. This approach has not been previously used on Mexican data. Theoretically, it demonstrates that future analyses of industrial complexes’ structural change can be strengthened through the use of an integrated assessment framework investigating the effect of multiple stressors (market forces, land pricing, technical change, environmental regulations, and consumer preferences) on industrial restructuring.

Traditional theories of industrial restructuring assign the most explanatory weight of the structural change phenomenon to increasing pressures via globalization and falling trade barriers. This thesis offers a new model of thinking about industrial restructuring that includes multiple stressors. The thesis focuses on three main drivers of structural change: market pressures, environmental regulation and changes in land use and land pricing, using two case studies of leather and footwear industrial clusters in Mexico, located in the cities of León and Guadalajara. Evidence of multiple drivers of structural change is found in the dissertation. Furthermore, responses to restructuring drivers in León and Guadalajara are found to be substantially different. Firms in the leather and footwear cluster in León have implemented countervailing strategies such as price competition, government lobbying, and more recently, investment in socio-economic research (competitiveness) projects. However, firms in the leather and footwear cluster in Guadalajara focused on a specific, high-end target market. At the larger, urban scale, footwear and its allied industries in the city of León resisted change and have tried to remain in operation while the city of Guadalajara has focused on a diversification strategy, attracting new (arguably more technically advanced) industries. This thesis offers empirical and theoretical advances. Empirically, it applies a firm demographics approach to the study of industrial clusters under multiple stressors. This approach has not been previously used on Mexican data. Theoretically, it demonstrates that future analyses of industrial complexes’ structural change can be strengthened through the use of an integrated assessment framework investigating the effect of multiple stressors (market forces, land pricing, technical change, environmental regulations, and consumer preferences) on industrial restructuring. / Science, Faculty of / Resources, Environment and Sustainability (IRES), Institute for / Graduate

A globalização tem apresentado ameaças e oportunidades aos negócios das agroindústrias de países em desenvolvimento. Apesar das organizações da América Latina e da Ásia competirem no mercado mundial com baixos custos de produção, estas deveriam desenvolver outras vantagens competitivas como a flexibilidade, o tempo de atravessamento e a qualidade. Empresas não tradicionais, como as da cadeia coureiro-calçadista, estão sendo demandadas por seus clientes a implantarem a certificação ISO 9001:2000 para assegurar a qualidade. Contudo, reporta-se que a obtenção desta certificação por motivação externa, como demanda de clientes, não ocasionaria melhores práticas de gestão e resultados. Desta forma, o objetivo deste estudo foi analisar nas organizações certificadas e não certificadas ISO 9001:2000 da cadeia coureiro-calçadista brasileira as dimensões de práticas de gestão e de resultados, assim como, analisar a dimensão de motivações que levaram as organizações a obter a certificação. Para isso, utilizou-se o levantamento de pesquisa como metodologia. Foram enviados e-mails convites a 1453 empresas para responderem um questionário na internet. O questionário visou captar a percepção dos respondentes em relação às três dimensões estudadas. Obteve-se uma amostra de 130 empresas, 45 certificadas e 85 não certificadas. Primeiramente, foi realizada uma validação interna para demonstrar a confiabilidade e a validade do questionário. Em seguida, realizou-se a validação externa com testes estatísticos não paramétricos para demonstrar a estatística inferencial do estudo. Os fatores extraídos das três dimensões apresentaram correlações positivas nas organizações certificadas. Além disso, empresas certificadas com diferentes motivações que levaram a obtenção da ISO 9001:2000 não apresentaram diferenças significativas nas práticas de gestão e nos resultados. Contundo, as empresas certificadas apresentaram um desempenho superior quando comparadas com aquelas não certificadas. O estudo sugere às empresas não certificadas da cadeia que se motivem para obter a ISO 9001:2000 para que possam melhor desenvolver seus negócios. / Globalization has presented both threats and opportunities for businesses of the agrobased industries in developing countries. Latin America and Asia organizations compete on low costs in global market, though they should develop other competitive advantages as flexibility, lead-time and quality. Non-traditional companies, like tannery-footwear industry, have being requested by customers to implement ISO 9001:2000 certification to assure the quality. However, it is reported that attaining the certification for external reasons, as customers demand, would not improve practical management and results. Hence the objective of this study was to analyze, in Brazilian ISO 9001:2000 certified and not certified organizations of the tannery-footwear supply chain, the dimensions of practical management and results, as well as, analyze the dimension of motivations in which organizations obtained the certification. Research survey was applied to collect data. Invitations had been sent by emails to 1453 organizations to fill up a questionnaire on the Internet. The purpose of the questionnaire was to capture the respondent’s perception about three dimensions studied. A sample of 130 organizations, 45 certified and 85 not certified, was obtained. First an internal validation was carried out to demonstrate the extent of reliability and validity of the questionnaire. After that it was carried out an external validation applying nonparametric statistics to demonstrate the inferencial statistics. The extracted factors of three dimensions had positive correlations among certified organizations. Moreover, certified organizations with different motivations to attain ISO 9001:2000 did not show significant differences on practical management and results. However, certified organizations exhibit superior performance when comparing with not certified. The study suggests that not certified organizations should motivate to obtain the ISO 9001:2000 certification in order to improve their businesses.

A globalização tem apresentado ameaças e oportunidades aos negócios das agroindústrias de países em desenvolvimento. Apesar das organizações da América Latina e da Ásia competirem no mercado mundial com baixos custos de produção, estas deveriam desenvolver outras vantagens competitivas como a flexibilidade, o tempo de atravessamento e a qualidade. Empresas não tradicionais, como as da cadeia coureiro-calçadista, estão sendo demandadas por seus clientes a implantarem a certificação ISO 9001:2000 para assegurar a qualidade. Contudo, reporta-se que a obtenção desta certificação por motivação externa, como demanda de clientes, não ocasionaria melhores práticas de gestão e resultados. Desta forma, o objetivo deste estudo foi analisar nas organizações certificadas e não certificadas ISO 9001:2000 da cadeia coureiro-calçadista brasileira as dimensões de práticas de gestão e de resultados, assim como, analisar a dimensão de motivações que levaram as organizações a obter a certificação. Para isso, utilizou-se o levantamento de pesquisa como metodologia. Foram enviados e-mails convites a 1453 empresas para responderem um questionário na internet. O questionário visou captar a percepção dos respondentes em relação às três dimensões estudadas. Obteve-se uma amostra de 130 empresas, 45 certificadas e 85 não certificadas. Primeiramente, foi realizada uma validação interna para demonstrar a confiabilidade e a validade do questionário. Em seguida, realizou-se a validação externa com testes estatísticos não paramétricos para demonstrar a estatística inferencial do estudo. Os fatores extraídos das três dimensões apresentaram correlações positivas nas organizações certificadas. Além disso, empresas certificadas com diferentes motivações que levaram a obtenção da ISO 9001:2000 não apresentaram diferenças significativas nas práticas de gestão e nos resultados. Contundo, as empresas certificadas apresentaram um desempenho superior quando comparadas com aquelas não certificadas. O estudo sugere às empresas não certificadas da cadeia que se motivem para obter a ISO 9001:2000 para que possam melhor desenvolver seus negócios. / Globalization has presented both threats and opportunities for businesses of the agrobased industries in developing countries. Latin America and Asia organizations compete on low costs in global market, though they should develop other competitive advantages as flexibility, lead-time and quality. Non-traditional companies, like tannery-footwear industry, have being requested by customers to implement ISO 9001:2000 certification to assure the quality. However, it is reported that attaining the certification for external reasons, as customers demand, would not improve practical management and results. Hence the objective of this study was to analyze, in Brazilian ISO 9001:2000 certified and not certified organizations of the tannery-footwear supply chain, the dimensions of practical management and results, as well as, analyze the dimension of motivations in which organizations obtained the certification. Research survey was applied to collect data. Invitations had been sent by emails to 1453 organizations to fill up a questionnaire on the Internet. The purpose of the questionnaire was to capture the respondent’s perception about three dimensions studied. A sample of 130 organizations, 45 certified and 85 not certified, was obtained. First an internal validation was carried out to demonstrate the extent of reliability and validity of the questionnaire. After that it was carried out an external validation applying nonparametric statistics to demonstrate the inferencial statistics. The extracted factors of three dimensions had positive correlations among certified organizations. Moreover, certified organizations with different motivations to attain ISO 9001:2000 did not show significant differences on practical management and results. However, certified organizations exhibit superior performance when comparing with not certified. The study suggests that not certified organizations should motivate to obtain the ISO 9001:2000 certification in order to improve their businesses.

A globalização tem apresentado ameaças e oportunidades aos negócios das agroindústrias de países em desenvolvimento. Apesar das organizações da América Latina e da Ásia competirem no mercado mundial com baixos custos de produção, estas deveriam desenvolver outras vantagens competitivas como a flexibilidade, o tempo de atravessamento e a qualidade. Empresas não tradicionais, como as da cadeia coureiro-calçadista, estão sendo demandadas por seus clientes a implantarem a certificação ISO 9001:2000 para assegurar a qualidade. Contudo, reporta-se que a obtenção desta certificação por motivação externa, como demanda de clientes, não ocasionaria melhores práticas de gestão e resultados. Desta forma, o objetivo deste estudo foi analisar nas organizações certificadas e não certificadas ISO 9001:2000 da cadeia coureiro-calçadista brasileira as dimensões de práticas de gestão e de resultados, assim como, analisar a dimensão de motivações que levaram as organizações a obter a certificação. Para isso, utilizou-se o levantamento de pesquisa como metodologia. Foram enviados e-mails convites a 1453 empresas para responderem um questionário na internet. O questionário visou captar a percepção dos respondentes em relação às três dimensões estudadas. Obteve-se uma amostra de 130 empresas, 45 certificadas e 85 não certificadas. Primeiramente, foi realizada uma validação interna para demonstrar a confiabilidade e a validade do questionário. Em seguida, realizou-se a validação externa com testes estatísticos não paramétricos para demonstrar a estatística inferencial do estudo. Os fatores extraídos das três dimensões apresentaram correlações positivas nas organizações certificadas. Além disso, empresas certificadas com diferentes motivações que levaram a obtenção da ISO 9001:2000 não apresentaram diferenças significativas nas práticas de gestão e nos resultados. Contundo, as empresas certificadas apresentaram um desempenho superior quando comparadas com aquelas não certificadas. O estudo sugere às empresas não certificadas da cadeia que se motivem para obter a ISO 9001:2000 para que possam melhor desenvolver seus negócios. / Globalization has presented both threats and opportunities for businesses of the agrobased industries in developing countries. Latin America and Asia organizations compete on low costs in global market, though they should develop other competitive advantages as flexibility, lead-time and quality. Non-traditional companies, like tannery-footwear industry, have being requested by customers to implement ISO 9001:2000 certification to assure the quality. However, it is reported that attaining the certification for external reasons, as customers demand, would not improve practical management and results. Hence the objective of this study was to analyze, in Brazilian ISO 9001:2000 certified and not certified organizations of the tannery-footwear supply chain, the dimensions of practical management and results, as well as, analyze the dimension of motivations in which organizations obtained the certification. Research survey was applied to collect data. Invitations had been sent by emails to 1453 organizations to fill up a questionnaire on the Internet. The purpose of the questionnaire was to capture the respondent’s perception about three dimensions studied. A sample of 130 organizations, 45 certified and 85 not certified, was obtained. First an internal validation was carried out to demonstrate the extent of reliability and validity of the questionnaire. After that it was carried out an external validation applying nonparametric statistics to demonstrate the inferencial statistics. The extracted factors of three dimensions had positive correlations among certified organizations. Moreover, certified organizations with different motivations to attain ISO 9001:2000 did not show significant differences on practical management and results. However, certified organizations exhibit superior performance when comparing with not certified. The study suggests that not certified organizations should motivate to obtain the ISO 9001:2000 certification in order to improve their businesses.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:27:49Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2010-10-05Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T18:32:01Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 tanaka_jec_me_rcla.pdf: 2937121 bytes, checksum: ac3d860b62abd4898dfcfe2d51011a3a (MD5) / Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) / Esta pesquisa visa compreender as relações do trabalho formal nos Arranjo Produtivos Locais calçadistas do Estado de São Paulo, através da análise sistemática das características do mercado de trabalho nos municípios de Birigui, Franca e Jaú. Para tanto, este trabalho se utiliza da abordagem regulacionista para a compreensão da organização do espaço produtivo nesses municípios no período após a década de abertura comercial e reestruturação produtiva / This research seeks to understand the relationships of formal work in the Local Productive Arrangement footwear of São Paulo, through the systematic analysis of the characteristics of the labor market in the counties of Birigui, France and Jaú. Therefore, this work utilizes the regulationist approach to understanding the organization of production space in these municipalities in the period after the decade of trade liberalization and restructuring

Made available in DSpace on 2015-03-04T20:04:54Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 28 / Nenhuma / O estudo estabelece relação entre educação e trabalho, debatendo a inserção profissional no setor coureiro-calçadista. Discute as transformações que vem acontecendo em âmbito mundial nas últimas décadas, decorrente, sobretudo, do processo de globalização da economia capitalista, que por sua vez, implica em uma nova forma de acumulação flexível. Apresenta o panorama legal da educação profissional brasileira dos últimos anos. Focaliza o estudo da educação profissional técnica voltada para o setor coureiro-calçadista na região do Vale do Rio dos Sinos. O trabalho empírico se desenvolveu junto aos alunos egressos de três escolas técnicas: Escola Técnica SENAI, Ildefonso Simões Lopes, Escola Técnica SENAI de Curtimento e Fundação Escola Técnica Liberato Salzano Vieira da Cunha. A pesquisa foi realizada com um grupo de 57 ex-alunos dos cursos técnicos em Calçado, Química e Curtimento, dos anos de 2004 a 2007. A investigação captou a situação da inserção profissional dos sujeitos no contexto atual e baseou-se, princ / The study establishes relationship between education and work, discussing the professional insertion in leather-footwear area. It also discusses the changes which have been happening in the world in the last decades due mainly to the process of globalization of the capitalist economy, which in turn implies a new form of flexible accumulation. It shows a prospect of the Brazilian professional legal education during the last years. It focuses on the study of professional technical education for leather-footwear area in Vale do Rio dos Sinos region. The empirical work was developed among technical schools students who had withdrawn from them: SENAI Technical School, Ildefonso Simões Lopes, SENAI Technical School of Tanning and Liberato Salzano Vieira da Cunha Technical School Foundation. The research was conducted with a group of 57 former students of technical courses in Footwear, Chemistry and Tanning from the year 2004 to 2007. The study captured the situation of the professional insertion of the students in

Orientador: Élson Luciano Silva Pires / Banca: Bernadete Aparecida Caprioglio de Castro Oliveira / Banca: Eduardo Garuti Noronha / Resumo: Esta pesquisa visa compreender as relações do trabalho formal nos Arranjo Produtivos Locais calçadistas do Estado de São Paulo, através da análise sistemática das características do mercado de trabalho nos municípios de Birigui, Franca e Jaú. Para tanto, este trabalho se utiliza da abordagem regulacionista para a compreensão da organização do espaço produtivo nesses municípios no período após a década de abertura comercial e reestruturação produtiva / Abstract: This research seeks to understand the relationships of formal work in the Local Productive Arrangement footwear of São Paulo, through the systematic analysis of the characteristics of the labor market in the counties of Birigui, France and Jaú. Therefore, this work utilizes the regulationist approach to understanding the organization of production space in these municipalities in the period after the decade of trade liberalization and restructuring / Mestre