This paper analyses the problems and trends of the introduction of anthropocentric production systems (APS) in small less industrialized member states of the European Union, specifically the case of Portugal, based on the report for the FAST-Anthropocentric Technology Assessment Project (Monitor Programme) on “Prospects and conditions for APS in Europe by the 21st century”. Research teams from all countries of the European Community, as well as researchers from USA, Japan and Australia were participating in this project. 
The aim of this paper is to characterize APS and to present some special considerations related to the socioeconomic factors affecting the prospects and conditions for APS in Portugal. APS is defined as a system based on the utilization of skilled human resources and flexible technology adapted to the needs of flexible and participative organization. Among socioeconomic factors, some critical aspects for the development of APS will be focused, namely technological infrastructure, management strategies, perceived impact of introduction of automated systems on the division of labor and organizational structure, educational and vocational training and social actors strategies towards industrial automation. This analysis is based on a sample of industrial firms, built up for qualitative analysis, and on case studies analysis that can be reference examples for further development of APS, and not just for economic policy purposes alone.
We have also analyzed the type of existing industrial relations, the union and employer strategies and some aspects of public policies towards the introduction of new technologies in the order to understand the extent to which there exist obstacles to and favorable conditions for the diffusion of anthropocentric systems. Finally some recommendations are presented to stress the trends for the implementation and development of anthropocentric production systems in Portugal.

https://mpra.ub.uni-muenchen.de/6551/1/MPRA_paper_6551.pdf

Trends for the development of anthropocentric production systems in small less industrialised countries: The case of Portugal

This paper analises the problems and trends of the introduction of anthropocentric production systems (APS), specifically in small less industrialised member states of the European Union. The aim of this paper is to characterize APS and to present some special considerations related to the socioeconomic factors affecting the prospects and conditions for APS that is defined as a system based on the utilization of skilled human resources and flexible technology adapted to the needs of flexible and participative organisation. Among socioeconomic factors, some critical aspects for the development of APS will be focused, namely technological infrastructure, management strategies, perceived impact of introduction of automated systems on the division of labour and organisational structure, educational and vocational training and social actors strategies towards industrial automation. This analysis is based on a sample of industrial firms, built up for qualitative analysis, and on case studies analysis that can be reference examples for further development of APS, and not just for economic policy purposes alone.

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Issues on the anthropocentric production systems

En esta tesis doctoral se propone profundizar en la relacion entre cambio tecnologico y cualificaciones en el entorno especifico de la industria manufacturera espanola. La tesis se organiza a partir de un capitulo inicial en que se repasa la literatura teorica y empirica existente sobre el tema. A partir de este repaso se definen algunos aspectos que deberian ser desarrollados mas profundamente. En concreto, se propone avanzar en la linea de una vision desde el lado de la demanda del mercado de trabajo, construyendo un modelo teorico de caracter estructural y dinamico. En el segundo capitulo de la tesis, se desarrolla un modelo teorico basado en la aportacion inicial de la profesora Flynn y su modelo del ciclo de Vida de las Cualificaciones. Este modelo se dinamiza a partir de incluir cuestiones relacionadas con los procesos de aprendizaje asociados a la construccion de la cualificacion de los trabajadores. La principal conclusion de este modelo teorico es que las necesidades de cualificacion de las empresas y, por consiguiente, la respuesta que debera dar el sistema educativo, estan mediatizadas por las estrategias de producto y de proceso que prioricen las empresas. El tercer capitulo de la tesis se centra en un analisis empirico de la especializacion productiva de la manufactura espanola en los ultimos 20 anos. La conclusion que se deriva del calculo de una serie de indicadores es que esta especializacion se centra en productos de baja calidad y bajo valor anadido. Finalmente, el cuarto capitulo mide a partir de tecnicas econometricas el impacto directo del cambio tecnologico sobre los salarios de los trabajadores. Se utiliza una base de datos muy novedosa a partir del cruce de la Encuesta Industrial y la encuesta de Estructura Salarial. Los resultados muestran un impacto del cambio tecnologico en el corto plazo negativo sobre los salarios. Este impacto se mantiene indistintamente del tipo de trabajador y del sector productivo considerado.

Cualificaciones en la industria española: una aproximación estructural

The author analyses the reasons behind the appearance of a new type of enterprise - the informational enterprise - and defines its major characteristics. He emphasizes the debureaucratization and deformalization of the organization, the intellectualization of activities and the role of culture as a cohesive factor. In doing so, he examines the role played by three groups of actors in the corporate system - the professionals, line executives and senior management - and their different attitudes towards innovation in the organization.

As logicas da empresa informacional

A process of individualization of employment relations has developed, albeit at variable speeds, in most Euro-pean Economies. Within this process the emergence of a competence-based approach to skill has had an important role. This paper seeks to examine the contribution that a competence-based approach to management has made to the individualization of employment relations. Nowadays the changing meaning of skill has to do with the transformations of workforce uses, that is, the management of careers, wages and control forms over work. This paper analyses these “dynamic” dimensions and explores the impact of competences in the definition of the employment relation.

/pdf/la-individualizacion-de-la-relacion-de-empleo-en-las-grandes-5clqy3q75o.pdf

La individualización de la relación de empleo en las grandes empresas en España. El caso de la industria del automóvil y el sector sanitario

Avec la prise de conscience grandissante d'une «seconde revolution industrielle », les difficultes a mettre en œuvre une technologie avancee ont suscite de plus en plus l'attention. L'auteur brosse un tableau synthetique des principales theses qui s'affrontent depuis trente ans sur l'evolution de la qualification avant de passer en revue une serie de recherches recentes aux Etats-Unis et en Europe a propos des qualifications requises par la mise en oeuvre des nouvelles technologies ; il suggere quelques nouvelles facons de penser la relation entre l'automation et la qualification, et tire quelques conclusions a l'adresse de concepteurs de systemes et des pouvoirs publics.

Paul S Adler

Papers

Automation et qualifications, nouvelles orientations