The New Labour Force: Work Teams and Efficiency in Mexico's Motor Export Plants

Abstract

This paper concerns the microeconomic changes experienced by Northern Mexico's motor facilities while applying Just in Time/Total Quality Control manufacturing systems (jit/tqc). These changes are particularly related to the use of work teams (Wts) on the shop floor since, as will be shown later, it is a critical mechanism by which a plant engaged in implementing jit/tqc improves its efficiency indexes.

The purpose of this paper is to provide support for our hypothesis, which states that the benefits from using Wts, and more generally from introducing jit/tqc are correlated with the level of automation, capital ownership, type of process and product, age and flexiblity of the plant.