Technology development in the Indian foundry industry: a case of choked potential

Abstract

The paper presents the results of a field study covering 25 foundries and 5 institutions involved in education, consultancy, and R&D in the foundry sector. The field study was supplemented by interviews with foundry experts in the country and a review of the literature on the Indian foundry industry. This report is an attempt to integrate the different ideas and view obtained from these sources on technology management in the Indian foundry industry. The paper begins with a brief history of the industry and its present form, size, and structure. It, then, presents a brief summary of a study of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research on the technology status in the Indian ferrous foundry industry. This is followed by a description of some of the key institutions concerned with technology development in the foundry sector and the problems faced by them. In the following two sections, the factors blocking technological learning and the factors contributing to technological upgradation are discussed. The report ends with a short summary and some concluding observations.