GARY RYNHART: Technology rapidly spurring changes in manufacturing
But the replacement of human workers by robots is not happening in the way, and to the extent, expected
A few weeks back the Economist magazine ran a number of articles on technology’s impact on the workplace, quoting new research that suggests the technological destructive wave is unlikely to be the job killer many suggested. That may be the case for many sectors, and new and emerging ones, but in the manufacturing sector — a traditional bulk supplier of jobs — I am not so sure.
Five years ago I was part of a team that looked at how technology was affecting big sectors in South East Asia. We looked at electrical/electronics; textile/clothing/footwear; automotive; and retail. These sectors were specifically chosen as they were considered high employment sectors...
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