manufacturing

Data from the survey suggests that skill requirements in manufacturing are rising, but manufacturers who reported major problems finding workers with specific skills were relatively rare, among both rural and urban firms. Moreover, the most common problem was in finding reliable workers with an acceptable work attitude, traits not usually considered skills and difficult to address through typical skill development programs.

The paper presents an analysis of whether the New York Manufacturing Extension Program has accomplished its goal to help manufacturers in the state compete more effectively and thereby generate economic benefits for the citizens of the state.

The report indicates that advanced technology use is less prevalent in rural than in urban manufacturing plants, but plants of comparable size in the same industry use about the same level of technology, regardless of the urban/rural location. Rural manufacturers report more problems with employee turnover and infrastructure than urban plants, but these are reported as minor problems by most businesses.

As part of the series of studies assessing the U.S. competitive position in different industries, the report on the basic steel industry discusses how advances in technology and industry restructuring have led to a U.S. basic steel industry substantially more competitive than ten years ago.

As part of the series of studies assessing the U.S. competitive position in different industries, the report on the U.S. automobile manufacturing industry concentrates on the Big 3 firms (Chrysler, Ford, and General Motors) and discusses the condition of the industry, product and production strategies, the importance of the supply chain.

Based on surveys of companies and consultants, the study concludes that Manufacturing Extension Centers (MEC) do not compete directly with private consultants. MECs encourage greater openness of manufacturers to change, enabling them to benefit more from outside assistance.

This paper presents an evaluation of one effort to spur industrial modernization -- the Industrial Technology Extension Service (ITES) in New York State. Based on both qualitative and quantitative analysis, the evaluation suggests that the ITES program has had a favorable impact on many companies with respect to cost reductions and increased productivity.

This paper reviews the theoretical predictions of a country experiencing a resource boom. It then briefly describes the country experiences of the Netherlands, Norway and the United Kingdom in this regard and finally develops a methodology for a more formal statistical analysis designed to shed light on the relationships between the energy sector and manufacturers in these countries, as well as to identify other potential explanatory factors.

This paper reviews the theoretical predictions of a country experiencing a resource boom. It then briefly describes the country experiences of the Netherlands, Norway and the United Kingdom in this regard and finally develops a methodology for a more formal statistical analysis designed to shed light on the relationships between the energy sector and manufacturers in these countries, as well as to identify other potential explanatory factors.