A new mode of qualification supply: the realization of a high road strategy in the U.S. semiconductor industry

Abstract

"Recent studies like 'Working in America' (Osterman et al. 2001) have shed some light on problems and processes of change in the American labour market, that areoften unnoticed from the German point of view. Contrary to common German perceptions of the U.S. American economic success as based on a labour market, that is quite deregulated and more or less market driven these studies are showing how only recent economic developments have resulted in a growing mismatch between a distinct institutional structure of the U.S. labour market and the reality of today's world of work. In the following the editor will focus on vocational education and training as anothercentral field of the U.S. labour market, that is not only deeply affected by the same socio-economic processes as well but that is marked by far-reaching processes of institutional change. Taking the example of the U.S. semiconductor industry the editor will show, that - despite the erosion of institutional foundations of traditional work relations - it's not just the logic of the market that now reigns. Instead there seem to evolve new institutional arrangements on the regional level. He will describe how the semiconductor industry has reorganized its qualification supply strategy with regard to shop floor qualifications. This evolving mode of qualification supply may shape work and labour relations in a new way and therefore represent kind of the other side of the coin. He will develop the argument in three steps: First he will outline the old mode of qualification supply as it was based on the traditional model of work relations and the established structure of the U.S. labour market. In a second step he will describe, how changing work organization strategies in the semiconductor industry resulted in problems in the supply with shop floor qualifications. Finally he will discuss the evolving new mode of qualification supply in semiconductor manufacturing and its implications for the regional commitment of the companies and for the local labour market." (Textauszug)