Trade Unions and Technological Change in the U.K. Mechanical Engineering Industry

The influence of trade unions on the adoption of computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing (CAD-CAM) equipment in the UK mechanical engineering industry is examined. A very simple model is specified and estimated that attempts to isolate the factors that influence an establishment's initial decision as to whether to adopt CAD-CAM. A distinction is made between manufacturing technology (computer numerical control) and design technology (CAD). The data were obtained by means of a sample survey carried out in the summer of 1983 and early 1984. The survey involved detailed personal interviews with 101 establishments in the UK. A shorter questionnaire was sent to a further 200 establishments, yielding 54 usable responses. In the case of computer numerical control, establishment size and the nature of the establishment's output are the major influences on the adoption of the technology. In the case of CAD, establishment size is the single most important influence. No significant union effect can be detected in either case.