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Global Manufacturing (WAS: RE: India - Wave of the Future?)
Subject:Global Manufacturing (WAS: RE: India - Wave of the Future?) From:George Mena <George -dot- Mena -at- esstech -dot- com> To:TECHWR-L <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Wed, 3 Sep 2003 08:11:56 -0700
In the course of my career, I've met at least three technical writers who
originally came here to Silicon Valley from India. All were very competent,
and, to the best of my knowledge, remain so today.
I guess I'm surprised that nobody's noticed that, as long as outsourcing
continues, technical professionals who've emigrated to the USA will be just
as vulnerable to external market forces as those technical professionals who
are born and raised in the USA. It doesn't surprise me that the Microsofts,
Oracles, and IBMs of the world remain competitive by expanding their
overseas operations in countries where labor costs are lower. That's going
to continue to happen, just as it happens in other industries.
At the same time, however, it should also be said that overseas companies
also well understand and appreciate the sort of well-trained, professional
workforce present here in the USA. And it's through the process of
collaborative efforts that companies like Toyota (one example) enter into
joint ventures with US-based companies on American soil.
One collaborative effort can be found here in Fremont, California, where
General Motors and Toyota jointly operate the New United Motors (Nummi)
final assembly plant. As I understand it, Geo Metros and Trackers come off
the line here, as do Toyota Tacomas. The United Auto Workers (UAW) is also
well-represented here, and everyone seems to be rather happy, based on what
I hear -- and don't hear -- in the local press.
It may eventually come to pass that Silicon Valley itself may one day come
to embrace the concept of organized labor. Indeed, it may have to, in order
to make sure that technical professionals enjoy the same type of employment
protection as the UAW now enjoys for the automobile manufacturing sector.
Certainly, a lot of people overseas still think the "Made In America" label
on US-made goods are excellent products.
In the end, how well we make those products is what ultimately keeps a
company, whether it outsources some of its operations or not. If a product
is a poor one, no amount of outsourcing will save the company that made it
from bankruptcy -- and worse.
