Workers orientation towards advanced manufacturing technology: a study of the Indian automobile industry

Abstract

Recent years have seen a growing concern about the adaptability and willingness of the Indian industrial worker to cope with radical technological changes such as the introduction of Advanced Manufacturing Technologies. Adding to the concern is the indispensability of these technologies in meeting global competition. A study of workers in the Indian Automobile Industry shows that while the workers have a significantly positive attitude towards the introduction of new technologies like AMT, they are apprehensive about organisational issues, for example management’s objective behind change, skill redundancy and access to information to facilitate technology management. The study also confirms part of the Systems Model of Technological Innovation proposed by Brown and Karagozoglu.