Plant closures in Australia’s automotive industry : Continuity and change

Journal article


Irving, Jacob, Beer, Andrew, Weller, Sally and Barnes, Tom. (2022). Plant closures in Australia’s automotive industry : Continuity and change. Regional Studies, Regional Science. 9(1), pp. 5-22. https://doi.org/10.1080/21681376.2021.2016071
AuthorsIrving, Jacob, Beer, Andrew, Weller, Sally and Barnes, Tom
Abstract

This paper explores the possibility of using diachronic case study comparisons to shed light on continuity and change in policy interventions to manage plant closures. It compares the early results of a survey of workers retrenched in the 2017 closure of Australia’s passenger vehicle manufacturing industry with the results of a similar survey of workers who lost their jobs in the 2005 closure of Mitsubishi’s Adelaide engine-casting and components plant. Despite the 12 years of accumulated expertise in plant closure and structural adjustment management, this comparison shows remarkable similarities in the profile of the cohort of retrenched workers and remarkable similarities in their employment outcomes. The discussion reflects on conditions that produce continuity and change.

Keywordsplant closure; redundancy; automotive industry; policy intervention; Australia
Year2022
JournalRegional Studies, Regional Science
Journal citation9 (1), pp. 5-22
PublisherRoutledge
ISSN2168-1376
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.1080/21681376.2021.2016071
Scopus EID2-s2.0-85122481657
Open accessPublished as ‘gold’ (paid) open access
Research or scholarlyResearch
Page range5-22
FunderAustralian Research Council (ARC)
Publisher's version
License
File Access Level
Open
Output statusPublished
Publication dates
Online07 Jan 2022
Publication process dates
Accepted26 Nov 2021
Deposited07 Mar 2022
Grant IDARC/LP170100940
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https://acuresearchbank.acu.edu.au/item/8x6y5/plant-closures-in-australia-s-automotive-industry-continuity-and-change

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