Description
Book SynopsisThis seminal study explores the significant changes in the global IT industry as production has shifted from the developed world to massive sites in the developing world that house hundreds of thousands of workers in appalling low-wage conditions to minimize labor costs. Yet little is known about this phenomenon as the major contract manufacturers deliberately hide their names from the public on behalf of brand-name customers such as Apple. In short, the authors argue, globalization is not always helping the IT workers of the world, many of whom are working in unbearable factory conditions. From Silicon Valley to Shenzhen traces the development of the new networks of globalized mass production in the IT industry and the reorganization of work since the 1990s, capturing the systemic nature of an industry-wide restructuring of production and work in the global context. Their wide-ranging and detailed analysis makes an important contribution to ongoing academic and political debates on th
Trade ReviewExplores the development of the new networks of globalized mass production in the IT industry and the reorganization of work since the 1990s, capturing the systemic nature of an industry-wide restructuring of production and work in the global context. * Journal of Economic Literature *
This book is a timely, valuable and heroic attempt to create a systematic understanding of the political economy of the IT industry in the late 20th and early 21st century based on empirical evidence. . . .The research presented in the book is. . . .heroic, for it would seem easier to analyse the dynamics of a tsunami as it is engulfing its observer than to fully comprehend the gargantuan forces that have in recent decades continuously transformed the IT industry. . . .The book, accordingly, bursts with empirical data about the successes and failures of a large number of IT corporations, presenting them in a rich narrative of their rapid structural changes. . . .I can recommend this book for its detailed overview of the developments of the IT industry, in particular the outsourcing from the developed world to the emerging economies. It is also a must-read for those interested in the construction of 'Taylorist' work regimes. . . .[the book] provides robust insights, buttressed with ample evidence. * Zeitschrift für Wirtschaftsgeographie *
This is an informative volume on an important topic. . . .Those wanting to deepen their knowledge of contract manufacturers and of neo-Taylorism in action will profit from consulting this volume. * Economic Geography *
Table of ContentsIntroduction Chapter 1: Bringing the Labor Process Back In: Global Production Networks and Work Chapter 2: Beyond the New Economy: The Global Restructuring of Production Models in the IT Industry Chapter 3: Reshaping the International Division of Labor: Global Production Networks in Electronics Contract Manufacturing Chapter 4: Global Taylorism?: Work and Politics of Production in Low-Cost Locations Chapter 5: From Silicon Valley to Shenzhen: Network-Based Mass Production, Industrial Development, and Work
