Des données de Statistique Canada montrent que le Québec a perdu 86 700 emplois manufacturiers nets entre 2004 et 2008, ce qui représente un recul de 13,8% (Bernard, 2009). Un dollar canadien fort, la concurrence internationale, les délocalisations de la production et les consolidations globales d'opérations sont souvent mentionnés comme étant les causes des difficultés du secteur manufacturier canadien - principalement concentré au Québec et en Ontario. La crise financière amorcée à l’été 2007, a contribué à aggraver la crise propre au secteur manufacturier dont les origines remontent au début des années 2000 (Weir, 2007; AgirE, 2008; Pilat et al., 2006). Cette recherche examine le processus de restructuration du secteur manufacturier québécois de manière détaillée au niveau des établissements afin d’en évaluer l’ampleur et la nature entre 2003 et 2008. Les données colligées permettent de poser un regard unique et original sur les restructurations ayant impliqué des licenciements collectifs au Québec. Ces données sont issues de deux sources. D'abord, nous avons utilisé une liste d‘entreprises qui ont envoyé un avis de licenciement collectif au Ministère de l’Emploi et de la Solidarité sociale du Québec entre 2003 et 2008. En second lieu, nous avons eu recours aux archives en ligne des médias pour trouver d’autres évènements de restructuration non rapportés par le ministère ainsi que pour obtenir des informations complémentaires sur les évènements déjà compilés dans la liste du ministère. Notre méthodologie de recherche et notre typologie analytique des types de restructuration sont basées sur celles développées par l’European Monitoring Center on Change (EMCC) et reprises dans certaines études comme celles de Bronfenbrenner et Luce (2004) et Hickey et Schenk (soumis). Les résultats, présentés en termes d’événements de restructuration et d’emplois perdus, sont ventilés en fonction de quelques variables (année d’occurrence, taille de l’établissement, sous-secteur d’activité, intensité technologique, région administrative, types de restructuration). Les raisons données par l’entreprise afin de justifier la restructuration ont aussi été colligées. Au cours de la période étudiée, nous avons identifié au total 1 631 évènements de restructurations dans le secteur manufacturier à travers toutes les régions du Québec, qui ont entraîné la perte de 129 383 emplois. Ainsi, 78 246 emplois ont été perdus suite à la réduction des activités de l‘établissement et 51 137 emplois l’ont été suite à la fermeture de leur établissement. La forme la plus fréquente de restructuration est la restructuration interne, suivi par la faillite/fermeture. Les types de restructuration qui ont engendré le plus de pertes d’emplois en moyenne par évènement sont dans l’ordre, la délocalisation, la sous-traitance, la consolidation d’activités ainsi que la fusion-acquisition. L’année 2008 fut celle où il y a eu le plus grand nombre de restructurations. Montréal et la Montérégie sont les régions qui ont le plus été touchées par la restructuration, les pertes d’emplois et les fermetures d’établissements. Les industries à faible intensité technologique ont davantage été frappées par la crise manufacturière. C’est le sous-secteur du papier et du bois qui connu le plus grand nombre d’événements de restructurations. Ce sous-secteur a aussi subi les pertes d’emplois les plus importantes, suivi par le sous-secteur du textile et du vêtement. Ces deux industries se partagent plus de la moitié des fermetures d’établissements. L’insuffisance de la demande (22,1%), la concurrence internationale (14,3%), la hausse de la valeur du dollar canadien (11,2%), la réorganisation interne de l’entreprise (11,1%), la rationalisation des coûts visant une augmentation de la profitabilité (10,1%) ainsi que les difficultés financières (9,9%) sont les motifs principaux donnés par les employeurs. Nos résultats montrent qu’il y a eu deux temps dans l’évolution de la restructuration du secteur manufacturier au Québec. Un premier temps au début de la période où des changements structurels profonds ont été observés dans certaines industries (p.ex. le bois-papier et le textile-vêtement) et un second temps, en fin de période caractérisé par des changements davantage liés à la conjoncture en raison de la crise économique dont les effets commençaient à se faire sentir à ce moment (Institut de la statistique du Québec, 2009a). / Data from Statistics Canada show that Quebec lost 86.700 manufacturing jobs between 2004 and 2008, which represents a withdraw of -13,8% (Bernard, 2009). A high value Canadian dollar, international competition, production shifts and global operations consolidations are often mentioned as causes of the difficulties in Canadian manufacturing — mainly concentrated in Quebec and Ontario, which have both been severely hit. The financial crisis that broke out in the summer 2007, contributed to worsen the crisis, specific to the manufacturing sector whose origins go up at the beginning of the years 2000 (Weir, 2007; AgirE, 2008; Pilat and al., 2006). This paper examines these aspects in some detail at the establishment level, in order to assess its extent and nature between 2003 and 2008. The data set featured provides a unique overview of the specific aspects of the restructuring processes that involve job losses in Quebec. Two original sources contributed to our study. First, we consulted the list of companies that sent a notification of mass termination to the Quebec Ministry of Labour between 2003 and 2008. Second, we searched electronic media archives to find new cases of plant closures not reported by the Ministry and additional information on the cases found with the Ministry database. Our tracking methodology and analytical typology of restructuring processes are based on those developed by the European Monitoring Center on Change (EMCC) and used in other studies by Bronfenbrenner and Luce (2004) and by Hickey and Schenk (submitted). The results, presented in terms of restructuring events and job losses, are broken down into a few variables (year of occurrence, facility size, sub-sector, technological intensity, administrative region, restructuring type). In total for the study period, we have identified 1,631 restructuring events within Quebec’s regions, which resulted in the loss of 129,383 jobs. Thus, 78,246 workers lost their jobs due to downsizing and 51,137 workers lost their jobs due to closures. Internal restructuring is the most frequent form of restructuring, followed by bankruptcy/closure. Offshoring, outsourcing, relocation and merger/acquisition are the types of restructuring that have resulted on average, in more job losses per event in Quebec's manufacturing sector during the study period. The year 2008 was one that generated the most restructuring events. Montreal and Monteregie are the regions that were the most affected by restructuring events, job losses and plant closures. Overall, it’s the low-technology industries that were the most impacted by the manufacturing crisis. The paper and wood industry had the greatest amount of restructuring events. This sub-sector also had the most job losses, followed by the textiles and clothing industry. These two industries share more than half of the closures. Demand shortage (22.1%), global competition (14.3%), the rise of Canadian dollar (11.2%), internal corporate reorganization (11.1%), cost rationalization to increase profitability (10.1%) and financial difficulties (9.9%) were the main reasons given by employers. Our results show that there were two stages in the evolution of the restructuring events within Quebec’s manufacturing sector. First, structural changes were observed in some industries (e.g. wood and paper and textile-garment) at the beginning of the period and a second phase characterized by economic related changes , due to the economic crisis, whose effects began to be felt at that time (Quebec Institute of Statistics, 2009a).

Price-cost margins, external competition and participation of the market in the manufacturing sector in Peru: 2002-2007This paper analyzes the validity of four hypotheses on the relationship between the price-cost margin and import penetration as well as firms’ market concentration for a sample of Peruvian firms of the manufacturing sector in period 2002-2007. The first hypothesis states that an increase in the degree of import penetration reduces firms’ price-cost margins. The second hypothesis states that such a negative impact of the import penetration is greater the higher is firms’ concentration ratios. The third hypothesis propose the negative impact of import penetration is reduced the higher is firms’ concentration ratios. The fourth hypothesis states that the positive effect of a firm’ share of the market is decreasing. The evidence in the Peruvian case reject the first and third hypotheses and accept the other two. / El presente trabajo analiza la validez de cuatro hipótesis sobre la relación entre el margen precio costo y la competencia externa, conjuntamente con la participación del mercado para una muestra de firmas del sector manufacturero peruano en el periodo 2002-2007. La primera hipótesis sostiene que los incrementos del grado de competencia externa (o intensidad de las importaciones) reducen el margen precio-costo de las firmas. La segunda argumenta que el efecto negativo de la competencia externa se agudiza (aumenta) cuanto mayor es la participación (en producción) de la firma en el mercado. En contraste con lo anterior, la tercera hipótesis propone que el efecto de la competencia externa tiende a desaparecer (disminuir) cuanto mayor es la participación de la firma en el mercado. La última hipótesis sustenta que el efecto positivo de la participación en el mercado de las firmas sobre el margen precio-costo es decreciente. La evidencia en el caso peruano rechaza la primera y tercera hipótesis, y confirma las otras dos.

Com o advento da geração do consumo e conforto, depara-se hoje com o aumento exponencial da quantidade de resíduos sólidos, que são lançados em áreas nem sempre apropriadas. Cada vez mais, e em função do crescimento, os administradores das cidades estão encontrando dificuldades para escolher áreas próprias para a destinação final dos resíduos sólidos, causando inúmeros impactos ambientais, áreas estas, que muitas vezes se apresentam no caminho do crescimento municipal. Nesse sentido, esta pesquisa estuda a possibilidade de utilização de áreas anteriormente degradadas pela disposição de resíduos sólidos, como alternativa locacional para disposição de resíduos sólidos, gerados pelo setor calçadista do municipio de Jaú-SP, após a recuperação da mesma. Este estudo vai ser realizado no lixão de Jaú, onde deverão ser coletadas amostras de água em poços de monitoramento localizados no entorno da área e amostras de chorume. Um dos alicerces que sustenta um município e proporciona desenvolvimento ao mesmo, é o crescimento do setor industrial, já que seus habitantes precisam de uma ocupação e serem remunerados dignamente por ela. O município de Jaú gera nas suas indústrias cerca de 30 toneladas diárias de resíduos sólidos, sendo 60% proveniente de indústrias calçadistas, o que torna a pesquisa interessante, já que serão analisados dados que envolverão o resultado do descarte de resíduos sólidos, durante vários anos e seu comportamento após esse período. / With the onset of consumption and comfort generation, exponential increase of solid waste quantities can be seen, which are dumped in not always adequate areas. More and more, and due to urban growth, municipal administrators are facing difficulties in choosing adequate areas for final disposal of solid waste, causing uncountable environmental impacts, such as areas which often show up as a result of urban growth. From this viewpoint, this research studies the feasibility of using areas which have formerly been degraded by disposal of solid waste, as alternative sites for a disposal of solid waste from the shoe manufacturing sector in the municipality of Jaú-SP, after their recovery. This study shall be carried out at the garbage dump of Jaú, where water samples shall be taken from monitoring wells placed around the area, as well samples of leachate. One of the pillars which supports any municipality and promotes its development is the growth of the industrial sector, since the inhabitants need jobs and decent wages. The industries in the municipality of Jaú produce about 30 tons of solid waste daily, whereof 60% come from the shoe manufacturers, which makes this study quite interesting due to analyses of data which involve the result of solid waste dumping for a period of several years and its behavior after this period of time.

Au cours des dernières années, la mondialisation des marchés a radicalement modifié les activités économiques des entreprises et le tissu productif à travers la planète. Les restructurations deviennent dès lors des options avantageuses pour les entreprises afin de demeurer concurrentielles. Alors qu’auparavant les restructurations consistaient essentiellement en une réduction d’effectifs dans un site considéré peu rentable, elles sont aujourd’hui polymorphes: fermeture de site, délocalisations, sous-traitance, ouverture de nouvelles unités au pays et hors pays, relocalisation et fusions-acquisitions (Rouleau, 2000) et (AgirE, 2008). Or, les restructurations posent un problème pour l’action syndicale qui doit composer avec ces processus complexes en raison de leur caractère multidimensionnel, multi niveaux et multi acteurs. Les réponses syndicales aux restructurations s’élaborent toujours dans un contexte d’asymétrie de pouvoirs dans la mesure où l’employeur est maître des dimensions spatiales et temporelles des restructurations. L'anticipation syndicale des restructurations apparaît être une stratégie innovante qui permet aux syndicats de réduire ou mieux, de prévenir les conséquences négatives qui découlent des restructurations. Cette recherche a pour objectif d’examiner les facteurs influençant l’anticipation des restructurations en vue d’en dégager les conditions se rattachant à un tel exercice pour les syndicats. À cette fin, deux modèles d'analyse ont été mobilisés. En premier lieu, les ressources de pouvoir syndicales de Lévesque et Murray (2003) permettent d'expliquer l'anticipation syndicale des restructurations dans la mesure où la capacité d'action du syndicat local constitue un facteur qui ne dépend que du syndicat lui-même. Puis, le modèle d'analyse d'AgirE (2008) permet d'expliquer l'espace et le temps d'action alloués au syndicat par l'employeur pour anticiper les restructurations. Les variables indépendantes provenant de ce modèle d'analyse sont les suivantes: les caractéristiques de l'entreprise, les caractéristiques du territoire et la stratégie patronale de restructuration. Cette présente recherche a été réalisée sous la forme d'une étude de cas. Il s'agit ici de l'étude d'un cas critique d'anticipation syndicale d'une restructuration ayant eu cours en 2004-2005 dans une usine du secteur manufacturier québécois. Des entrevues ont été effectuées auprès de représentants syndicaux de l'usine, d'un ex-cadre de l'usine et de deux intervenants importants du milieu communautaire. Les résultats de notre recherche montrent sans équivoque que la capacité d'action du syndicat local est un facteur-clé qui a permis d'expliquer l'anticipation stratégique et opérationnelle de la restructuration interne ayant eu lieu dans l'usine de fabrication et d'emballage de verre. En dépit des caractéristiques de l'entreprise et de la stratégie patronale de restructuration défavorable à l'implication syndicale, le syndicat local a su lui-même se créer un espace d'action lui ayant permis de sauver l'établissement d'une possible fermeture à moyen-long terme. Les caractéristiques territoriales favorables à une action concertée entre les différents acteurs du territoire où est située l'usine se sont également avérées une condition importante pour l'anticipation syndicale de la restructuration. Mots-clés: (1) anticipation, (2) mondialisation, (3) Québec, (4) restructuration, (5) secteur manufacturier , (6) stratégie, (7) syndicat / Over the last few years, market globalization has radically changed business activity and production across the world. Hence forward, firms have turned advantageously to company restructuring in order to remain competitive. Traditionally, company restructuring consisted in job cutback on unprofitable sites, but today various forms coexist such as site closures, relocations, mergers and acquisitions (Rouleau,2000) and (AgirE,2008). Consequently, company restructuring represent an important issue for union action when trade unions are faced to cope with complex multi-dimensional, multi-level and multi-stakeholders processes. Union response to restructuring processes always develops in a context of power asymmetry where temporal and spatial dimensions of company restructuring are driven by employers. Therefore, trade unions respond and adapt their own strategies around this new economic reality. Union anticipation of company restructuring activities appears to be an innovating strategy by allowing unions to alleviate or better still, prevent negative consequences of restructuring activities. The objective of this research is to examine the factors impacting on anticipation of restructuring to determine for unions the conditions associated with a successful approach. To this end, two analysis models have been retained. The first model, Levesque and Murray`s Union Power Resources (2003), describes unions anticipation of restructuring in terms of its capacity of action at the local level. The second analysis model, AgirE (2008), explains the importance of allowing time and space to the union for anticipating company restructuring. The independent variables of this analysis model are the following: firm characteristics, territorial characteristics and employer`s restructuring strategy. This research has been undertaken as a case study. It has been carried out on a critical case of union anticipation which took place during years 2004-2005 in a Quebec manufacturing plant. Interviews were conducted with the plant`s union representative, with one former manager and with two important community stakeholders. Results of our research unequivocally demonstrate that the capacity of action of the local union is a key factor which allowed to explain why a strategic and operational anticipation of internal restructuring was possible in this glass manufacturing and packaging plant. Despite firm characteristics unfavorable to union`s involvement, the local union was successful in establishing its own sphere of action which allowed the firm to avoid a potential medium to long term plant closure. Territorial characteristics favorable to concerted action among the various stakeholders in the territory where the plant is located have proved to be a critical factor in the union`s anticipation of the plant`s restructuring activity Key words: (1)Anticipation, (2) Company restructuring, (3) Globalization, (4) Manufacturing sector, (5) Quebec, (6) Strategy, (7) Union

This dissertation investigates the process of economic growth with heterogeneous agents from a multi-level perspective. Building upon Kaldorian and Evolutionary principles, growth is defined as a path-dependent and complex phenomenon, which requires structural variation and the interplay between demand and supply at distinct analytical levels. Two concomitant and dependent 'layers' of this process are emphasised: the supply-led 'intra-sectoral development trajectory' and the demand-led 'inter-sectoral development trajectory'. The key element in the first is the firm size, which is shown to have a non-linear influence on the process of technological change. The second layer is shown to depend on the growth of income and patterns of production and consumption reflected on the inter-sectoral composition and level of 'sophistication' of the productive structure. The key to understand divergent growth trajectories lies in the interaction between these layers and the contradictory effects imposed at each analytical level both by demand (top-down) and supply (bottom-up). The approach is both theoretical and empirical and the analysis reveals important stylised facts of growth at the firm, sector and country levels. The text is structured in four sections comprising 9 chapters. Section I introduces the theoretical foundations of the work and the limitations of Evolutionary and Kaldorian schools to explain the multi-level 'allocation problem'. Section II presents the databases and empirically assesses the influence of the (re)allocation of labour on growth at each analytical level. Section III investigates the foundations of the process of micro-meso and macro process of development. The final section proposes a unified theoretical framework to connect the multi-level evidence. The analysis reinforces the interplay between demand and supply in growth trajectories, prompting a number of original policy implications.

Some Nigerian manufacturing organizations suffer significant losses yearly due to a lack of employee commitment and engagement. The purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to gain understanding of the strategies that leaders in the manufacturing industries in Lagos need to know in order to change employee behavior to achieve increased organizational productivity levels. The conceptual framework that grounded the study was the path-goal theory of leadership. Data were collected from semistructured interviews with a purposeful sample consisting of 24 managerial and non-managerial staff members of 2 manufacturing organizations in Nigeria who have had experience in, and training, and education on how to change employee behavior to achieve increased productivity. The interview consisted of open-ended questions. Using Yin's 5 step data analysis process, member checking, and triangulation, 13 themes emerged: motivated employees, productivity, motivation, enabling work environment, transformational leadership style, continuous improvement, unprofitable organization, low capacity utilization, demotivation, dwindling capacity, diversification, capability development, and innovation. Leaders of Nigerian manufacturing organizations may be able to use these emergent themes to develop strategies to increase the productivity of their employees. The potential implications for positive social change stem from Nigerian manufacturing organizational leaders' development of more effective leadership skills, which may contribute to the growth of the Nigerian manufacturing sector and be a viable source of employment creation.

L’intensification des relations commerciales entre la Chine et l’Afrique Sub-Saharienne (ASS) observée ces dernières décennies à des implications complexes et diversifiées sur l’économie du continent africain. Cette thèse a examiné trois questions majeures relevant de l’impact des relations commerciales sino-africaines sur les économies d’ASS : la croissance, la production et l’emploi manufacturier, et enfin les exportations intra-africaines. Après avoir analysé les différentes dimensions de la présence chinoise en Afrique (Chapitre 1), la thèse met en évidence un ensemble de résultats. Premièrement, le commerce et les IDE entre la Chine et l’Afrique ont un impact positif sur la croissance en Afrique à travers un accroissement de l’efficience technique des facteurs de production (Chapitre 2). Deuxièmement, la concurrence des produits manufacturiers chinois a eu un impact limité sur la production et l’emploi manufacturier en ASS (Chapitre 3). Troisièmement, l’effet d’éviction des exportations chinoises sur le commerce intra-africain reste limité à quelques pays et à certaines branches manufacturières (Chapitre 4). / The intensification of trade relations between China and Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) in recent decades lead to a complex and diverse implications on the economy of the African continent. This thesis examined three major issues relating to the impact of China-Africa trade relations on SSA economies: growth, production and manufacturing employment, and finally intra-African exports. After analyzing the different dimensions of the Chinese presence in Africa (Chapter 1), the thesis highlights a set of results. First, trade and FDI between China and Africa have a positive impact on African growth through increased technical efficiency of production factors (Chapter 2). Second, competition from Chinese manufactured goods has had a limited impact on production and manufacturing employment in SSA (Chapter 3). Third, the crowding-out effect of Chinese exports on intra-African trade remains limited to a few countries and few manufacturing sectors (Chapter 4).

Since the adoption of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), the Canadian dollar has come to be regarded as a petro-currency. Consequently, rising prices of oil and gas (as well as other natural resources) would increase capital inflows that would lead to a higher exchange rate and contribute to the decimation of the export-oriented Canadian manufacturing sector by making Canadian products less competitive internationally. Some have argued that the Canadian economy has started to show symptoms related to the Dutch Disease. One important symptom is the slow rate of productivity growth, which consequently leads to the theory that Canada’s productivity performance depends significantly on the foreign exchange value of the domestic currency. This dissertation attempts to address these issues and seeks to solve the question of whether the Canadian economy is suffering from the Dutch Disease, as well as whether or not movements of the Canadian dollar are responsible for the low Canadian productivity growth since the 1990s.

No description available.

Export-led growth is important for a number of reasons. At a macro-economic level, it can create profit, allowing a country to balance its finances and manage its debt. Export-led growth can also lead to higher productivity and job creation. At a micro-economic level, exports and export-led growth lead to higher competitiveness and business growth. From an exporter’s perspective, however, participation in the global economy and export to new foreign markets bring with them the challenge of acquiring the required knowledge of an unknown market. Relevant information gathered has to be subjected to analysis and interpretation before it can be applied to strategic business decisions regarding the company and its market. This study proposes that Competitive Intelligence (CI) be used as an instrument to determine the types of export information that exporters require, as it focuses on exporters’ information requirements and enhances their competitiveness. The increasingly competitive business environment places increasing demands on Trade Promotion Organisations (TPOs) to make better use of resources available in order to tailor products and services to the needs of exporters. TPOs are amongst the main sources of information and export assistance for exporters. Other export information sources include publications and a variety of human sources. The assistance of TPOs can take the form of various export-promotion instruments, such as market research, trade fairs and business introductions. TPOs face various challenges, including that of scarce resources. Therefore, such resources must be utilised optimally and in order to achieve efficiency, Realistic Export Opportunities (REOs) need to be prioritised. This study stresses the importance of export diversification and the export of manufactured goods. Export diversification brings its own challenges including the question of which products to promote for export. The application of a Decision Support Model developed by Cuyvers et al. (1995:173) for South Africa identified a number of REOs. Amongst these was the export of South Africanmanufactured extruders to Tunisia. Against the background of the importance of export growth, the types of information that exporters use and the sources of such information were determined by means of a survey of extruder manufacturers, TPOs and users of extruders. With the export potential of extruders to Tunisia as an REO as focus, a market study was conducted using the case study research method. Results of the survey indicate that the only type of information that extruder manufacturers as potential new exporters in South Africa seek on a continuous basis is competitor information, specifically pricing information. However, the findings indicate that this is not typically the type of information supplied by TPOs in South Africa. Furthermore there is no evidence that extruder manufacturers have processes in place to monitor markets and competitors, or to identify key types of information. Concerning the case study, it was found that there is indeed a potential market for extruders in Tunisia and that the industries in which extruders are typically used are significant and growing. It was however also found that there are high trade barriers and high market concentration. Therefore, in terms of an export-promotion strategy for TPOs, an offensive exportpromotion strategy is proposed. In terms of further research, this study points to a need for research of this nature to extend to the wider capital equipment industry. It is further recommended that market profiles of the markets that show the most potential for specific products produced and manufactured in South Africa as evident from the results of Rossouw, Steenkamp, Viviers and Cuyvers (2010) be compiled. / Thesis (Ph.D. (International Trade))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2010.