Spanish Industrial Modernization: Technology and Restructuring
Spanish Industry Today: The Third Industrial Revolution and Industrial Recovery
Matching supply and demand is achieved by eliminating excess capacity, implementing staff regulations, and financial restructuring of companies. Specializing in products with higher demand and adopting new organizational and management systems are key. These changes affect mature sectors like artillery, coal, and steel, leading to reduced employment. Small and medium-sized businesses facing severe crises are also excluded.
Reindustrialization: Recomposing the Industrial Fabric
Reindustrialization involves recomposing the industrial fabric of areas affected by conversion. This was conducted through technological modernization. Areas of Urgent Reindustrialization (ZUR) included Galicia, Asturias, Bilbao, Madrid, Barcelona, and Cadiz. The results showed increased investment and diversification.
1.1 Changes of the Third Industrial Revolution
The third industrial revolution is based on innovation and the application of new technological knowledge. It involves improving production processes to obtain new products or enhance management. These new technologies are primarily information technologies, including computers and telecommunications. This knowledge-based revolution has led to significant changes in industrial structure, production, location, and policy.
A) Changes in Industrial Production
The technological revolution drives the growth of sectors that intensively use information technologies. These sectors include:
- Innovative sectors: Telematics (computers and telecommunications).
- Automation: Robotics, office automation, and design.
- Precision instruments: Advanced equipment and systems.
B) Changes in Industrial Structure
- Changes in production system: Decentralization involves dividing the production process into phases performed in separate establishments. This leads to multiplant companies, subcontracting, and the formation of networks.
- Relaxation productive: Manufacturing small series of diverse products at profitable prices through the use of automated and easily reprogrammable machinery.
- Changes in firm size: Proliferation of SMEs and a reduction in the average size of industries.
- Changes in industrial employment: An increase in professional and skilled technicians, with a reduction of manual workers replaced by machines.
- Tercializacion industry: Replacing labor with computers and robots. Production processes are lengthened, and sales services, such as post-sales support, become as important as production itself.
C) Changes in Industrial Location
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