Changing Organization of Work in Malaysia's Electronics Industry

Abstract

This paper examines changes in the labor process in the electronics industry in Malaysia, following the introduction of flexible production systems and automation from the 1980s. Driven by competition, especially, American firms adopted Japanese best practices to raise productivity, which helped create the room for work enrichment in the industry. Direct workers began to not only acquire numerical and judgmental skills, but they also began to enjoy more job permanence and higher wages as a consequence.

Keywords: work, skills, labor process, electronics, Malaysia