Research project on "Mechanical subcontracting in Emilia-Romagna between crisis and reorganisation of supply chains. Which strategies are needed to compete"
In collaboration with R&I-Research and Interventions of industrial and labour policy, CNA and Confartigianato Emilia-Romagna
April-December 2016
Project objectives
1. to outline the effects of the process of reorganization of the supply chains and the crisis on the subcontracting craft enterprises of the mechanical sector;
2. to describe the crisis response strategies of these enterprises and the restructuring and innovation processes involving them;
3. to identify the structural aspects of the changes in progress, related to organisational models and division of labour between companies, types of subcontracting and networks of relationships within the supply chains;
4. to identify critical aspects of the subcontracting chain and the possible areas of intervention for targeted industrial policies.
Modalities of implementation and actions envisaged
The research is based on the study of about thirty company cases related to mechanical enterprises that are clients and subcontractors located in the provinces of Bologna, Modena and Reggio Emilia. The case studies will be carried out through direct interviews with the owners of subcontractors and production managers of the contracting companies, using a semi-structured questionnaire partly with closed and open questions. Direct interviews will be conducted by senior researchers and will be recorded for later transcription. The texts of the interviews will be analysed through a comparison between the several types of enterprises. The results of the research will be inserted in a research report, which will include an overview of the regional mechanical engineering industry in the national and European context.