中小製造業における生産工程マイクロエレクトロニクス化の進展と影響(マイクロエレクトロニクス化と中小企業,共同研究)

Scientific and technological changes in manufacturing exert a great influence over the economic environment of businesses such as business management and business connection. Among these various influences, changes in production processes and labour, caused by the influence of microelectronics on products and production measures, which particularly gained public attention. In the case of small amd medium-sized businesses, the influence of microoelectronics on the production process has become the factor which strengthens or weakens competitive power. Several studies have already been presented concerning the changes which have taken place in the production process of such factories; yet, each analysis lacks the following points: 1) The so-called "microelectronicization" process does not necessarily occur in each aspect of production, but concerns the introduction of machining centers, numerical control machine tools, and the like, into several parts of the production process. Therefore, new manufacturing technology is a combination of micro-electronic technology and former nonmicroelectronic technology. 2) Therefore, its impact on production and labour has resulted not from microelectronic technology but the combination of new and old technologies. 3) The new quality of labour required for production should be able to cope with new technology, equipped with non-microelectronic technology as its foundation. 4) However, it is not necessary that all workers be acquainted with new technology. 5) It is not necessary for them to have experience and complete awareness of pre-microelectronic technology. 6) Rather, the allotment of office duties in factories controls new skills required for laborers working in microelectronicized production processes. When analyzing the actual conditions of microelectronicizing manufacture in smaller businesses, keeping the above-mentioned points in mind, the following will be revealed. 1) Production based on microelectronics, spreading rapidly in smaller businesses, is performed through a "subcontractual relationship," which most of the businesses are affiliated. 2) To what extent production technology is diffused depends on the characteristics of the production processes of each factory. 3) Smaller businesses have been introducing microelectronic machines rapidly as a whole, in order to secure advantageous positions in business competition. New capital investment is made to purchase microelectronic machines in order to maintain a competitive edge. 4) Businesses which introduced such machines tend to increase output. Needless to say, some businesses fail. 5) The labour required for microelectronicized production processes shows two characteristics depending on the situation: when the division of labour is well under way, the labour input required for each individual laborer tends to be simplified; when it is behind, each task tends to be more complicated as it includes functions such as NC tape programming. 6) As the division of labour progresses, multi-faceted education and training for production technology of new microeletronics develops. Therefore, the introduction of microeletronic machines does not lead to only one consequence of the two; raising or lowering the standard of skills required, or expanding or reducing the spheres of duties. In terms of stock supply, the introduction of microelectronic machines to smaller businesses is as advanced as that in large businesses. In business competition, production using microelectronics has become a common choice for all small businesses.