Human Resource Practices for Implementing Advanced Manufacturing Technology (1986) / Chapter Skim
Currently Skimming:
Summary
Summary
Pages 1-6
The Chapter Skim interface presents what we've algorithmically identified as the most significant single chunk of text within every page in the chapter.
Select key terms on the right to highlight them within pages of the chapter.
From page 1... ...
The critical question is what kind of changes should be made and how. The Manufacturing Studies Board of the National Research Council formed the Committee on the Effective Implementation of Advanced Manufacturing Technology, which was sponsored by the National Commission for Employment Policy, to study that question.
|
From page 2... ...
Compared with the technologies they replaced, the AMT applications the committee observed were characterized by: · greater interdependence among work activities; · fewer employees in a unit responsible for each product, part, or process; · different skill requirements and usually a higher average skills · higher capital investment per employee; · more immediate consequences of the malfunction of part of the production system for.the whole system; · more costly consequences of malfunctions; and · more sensitivity of output to variations in human skills, knowledge, and attitude, and to mental rather than physical effort. These characteristics of AMT have prompted many manufacturers involved with the technology to initiate or intensify pursuit of the following interrelated organizational objectives: ~ a highly skilled, flexible, problem-solving, interacting, and committed work forces o a flexible, humane, and innovative management organization with fewer levels and job classifications; 0 a high retention rate of well-trained workers: and o a strong partnership between management and labor unions -- where unions represent the work force.
|
From page 3... ...
workplaces, a trend dr iven by competi tive forces unleashed in international markets and deregulated domestic industr fen and shaped by changing employee expectations. The committee found that while there objectives are not unique to AMT, they are especially applicable to AMT in a number of respects.
|
From page 4... ...
In addition to these specific human resource practices, successful AMT implementations seem to require other characteristics. First, none of these innovative practices can be fully effective unless the planners also give high priority to addressing an overriding concern of the work force and unions -- employment security.
|
From page 5... ...
Finally, other major aspects of an effective implementation process include: · unprecedented efforts to communicate thoroughly to employees and their re^-esentative~ the competitive realities of the business, the conditions requiring AMT, and the plans for implementing it; · a variety of initiatives to promote a positive culture for employee relations and labor relations; · employee participation in the implementation activities; · early assignment to the project; · broad training that begins before assignment to the project; and · systematic, periodic evaluation of the effectivenes~ of AMT.
|
From page 6... ...
Fortunately, the policies that are especially appropriate for AMT are also in line with the general changes in work force management strategies that have been driven by increased competitive pressure and rising employee expectations. AMT both benefits from these trends and gives additional meaning to them.
|
Key Terms
This material may be derived from roughly machine-read images, and so is provided only to facilitate research.
More
information on Chapter Skim is available.