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Periodical article | Leiden University catalogue | WorldCat |
Title: | The Role of New Technology in the South African Textile Industry's Quest for Survival in the 1990s |
Author: | Jafta, Rachel |
Year: | 2005 |
Periodical: | South African Journal of Economic History |
Volume: | 20 |
Issue: | 2 |
Period: | September |
Pages: | 19-47 |
Language: | English |
Geographic term: | South Africa |
Subjects: | textile industry technology Development and Technology Economics and Trade History and Exploration |
External link: | https://doi.org/10.1080/10113430509511185 |
Abstract: | This article looks at how the South African textile industry adapted to increased foreign competition after 1994. Many firms saw the introduction of new technology as a means of dealing with these challenges. Of particular interest are the decision to invest in new technology, the process of acquisition and implementation, and changes in organizational processes, routines and competences. The study is based on a questionnaire survey, factory visits and interviews. It focused on the period between 1994 and 1999, when the bulk of investment in new technology took place. From the analysis, two broad problem areas emerge: the firms' behaviour with respect to labour and the apparent mismatch between the nature and requirements of the new technology and the organizational structure of management and production. Investing in new technology was a necessary but not sufficient strategy for the successful rejuvenation of firms in a mature industry. Complementary changes, such as in organizational structure, use of human resources, supply chain relations, and product and market mix, are also of crucial importance. Notes, ref. [ASC Leiden abstract] |