TY - JOUR
T1 - Technology vs. workers: the case of Italy's Industry 4.0 factories
AU - Cirillo, V.
AU - Rinaldini, M.
AU - Staccioli, Jacopo
AU - Virgillito, M. E.
PY - 2021
Y1 - 2021
N2 - This article explores the relationship between the introduction of Industry 4.0 automation systems, the organisation of the work process, and the implications for employment, skill composition, power relations, and workers’ intervention authority. We investigate the undergoing technological and organisational transformation in three high-tech automotive factories in Italy and we find that the push towards sheer automation does not constitute the most relevant process under way. Rather, more effort is devoted to digitalisation and interconnection. Technological change appears to be strategically used by firms to achieve a lean system and a tense, demand-led, production flow. In terms of human-machine relationship and workers’ authority to intervene on the production process, our case studies show that Industry 4.0 reduces room for employees’ autonomy and increases forms of management control.
AB - This article explores the relationship between the introduction of Industry 4.0 automation systems, the organisation of the work process, and the implications for employment, skill composition, power relations, and workers’ intervention authority. We investigate the undergoing technological and organisational transformation in three high-tech automotive factories in Italy and we find that the push towards sheer automation does not constitute the most relevant process under way. Rather, more effort is devoted to digitalisation and interconnection. Technological change appears to be strategically used by firms to achieve a lean system and a tense, demand-led, production flow. In terms of human-machine relationship and workers’ authority to intervene on the production process, our case studies show that Industry 4.0 reduces room for employees’ autonomy and increases forms of management control.
KW - Autonomy
KW - Discretion
KW - Industry 4.0
KW - Lean systems
KW - Organisational change
KW - Technological paradigms
KW - Autonomy
KW - Discretion
KW - Industry 4.0
KW - Lean systems
KW - Organisational change
KW - Technological paradigms
UR - https://publicatt.unicatt.it/handle/10807/179905
UR - https://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.uri?partnerID=HzOxMe3b&scp=85097557971&origin=inward
UR - https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?partnerID=HzOxMe3b&scp=85097557971&origin=inward
U2 - 10.1016/j.strueco.2020.09.007
DO - 10.1016/j.strueco.2020.09.007
M3 - Article
SN - 0954-349X
VL - 56
SP - 166
EP - 183
JO - Structural Change and Economic Dynamics
JF - Structural Change and Economic Dynamics
IS - N/A
ER -