Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2000. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Since the late 80s and early 90s there has been a sustained debate on the concept of
globalisation. This has been, to a larger extent, due to global industrial restructuring
In most countries the effects have been felt mostly in the manufacturing sector, and
these were evident in areas such as technology, employment pattern and composition
of labour force. Globalisation introduces a tendency to create a division of labour
between a core of relatively well paid, skilled and secured workers, and a large pool
of workers doing non-regular forms of work e.g. 'casual' jobs or part-time contracts,
and with much of the work sub-contracted to companies with less unionised and low
paid workers.
This research assignment explores the effects that changes in global production have
on the South African automotive industry. As South Africa is becoming increasingly
integrated into the world economy it certainly will not be unaffected by effects of
globalisation. The auto industry, and Volkswagen in particular will be use as a case.
The industry is one of the largest export industries in South Africa at the current
moment, and is said to have embraced the realities of globalisation. It is also a fairly
well developed industry, technologically. The auto industry has always epitomised
'Fordist' forms of production with inward-looking industrial activity. The waves of
changes in the sphere of production globally have both positive and negative etfects
on the automotive industry. They are spurring development and innovation in an
ailing industry, and thrusting it on a path towards 'world-class' manufacturing. On the
other hand festructuring trend which is an outflow of global isation poses a great threat
on employment patterns, and in the long run may lead toil"'decline in formal
employment and introduction of non-regular forms of work e g. part-time, casual
employment, and subcontracting. This will happen as pressures mount on the industry
in line with the logic of international competitiveness to rationalise and cut costs. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die konsep "globalisering" lok reeds sedert die laat tagtigerjare wydverspreid
debat uit. Die kontensieuse aard van die begrip kan grootlike toegeskryf word aan die
verskynsel van globale industriele herstrukturering. Wereldwyd is die impak van
laasgenoemde veral gevoel in die vervaardigingsektor. Hierdie tendens het by uitstek
in aspekte soos tegnologie, indiensnemingspatrone en die samestelling van die
arbeidsmag gemanifesteer. Globalisering het die geneigdheid om 'n verdeling van
arbeid te bewerkstellig in terme waarvan 'n kern van relatief goed besoldigde,
geskoolde en beskermde werkers onderskei kan word van 'n relatief swak besoldigde
groep wat stukwerk verrig. Die tweede groep verrig deeltydse werk, wat in baie
gevalle uitgekontrakteer word aan maatskappye met lae vakbondverteenwoordiging.
Die fokus van hierdie werkstuk val op die impak wat veranderinge in globale
produksie op die Suid-Afrikaanse motornywerheid het. Namate Suid-Afrika
toenemend deel word van die wereldekonomie, raak dit al hoe moeiliker om die
negatiewe effekte van globalisering vry te spring. Die motornywerheid, en spesifiek
die vervaardiger Volkswagen, word as gevallestudie gebruik.
Die tegnologies ontwikkelde industrie is een van Suid-Afrika se vernaamste
uitvoernywerhede, en volgens kenners het veral hierdie sektor die realiteite van
globalisering ter harte geneem. Kenmerkend van die motornywerheid was nog altyd
sy "Ford-agtige" vorm van produksie, gefokus op inwaartsgekeerde industriele
aktiwiteit. Die golwe van verandering in wereldwye produksie hou sowel positiewe as
negatiewe gevolge vir die motornywerheid in. Aan die positiewe kant moedig dit
innovasie in 'n andersins stagnerende industrie aan. Die negatiewe sy hiervan is egter
die bedreiging wat dit inhou vir indiensnemingspatrone. Dit mag op die langtermyn
lei tot die agteruitgang van formele indiensneming en 'n toename in nie-algemene
vorme van werk (bv. tydelike indiensneming en subkontraktering). Hierdie neiging sal
posvat namate industriee deur die logika van internasionale mededingenheid gedwing
word om te rasionaliseer.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/51974 |
| Date | 03 1900 |
| Creators | Qobo, Mzukisi |
| Contributors | Nel, P., Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences. Dept. of Political Science. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 90 p. |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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