Factory regimes and the dismantling of established labour in Asia: a review of cases from large manufacturing plants in China, South Korea and Taiwan

Abstract

This article is about factory regimes and more particularly about changes in factory regimes in East Asia. Its point of departure is Burawoy’s early and highly influential contribution to the understanding of factory regimes (Burawoy, 1985), which has very often been associated with the idea of ‘hegemonic despotism’ and increased attempts by management at ideological control. The article seeks to go beyond this particular interpretation. Theoretically, it seeks to make explicit and in one case expand elements in Burawoy’s original work by distinguishing three aspects of labour regimes: labour control, material support and contract. It then considers three factories in China, Taiwan and South Korea in the light of this reformulation and, by paying due regard to issues related to material support and contract, and not only to control, it advances the claim that some of the most significant changes that are occurring amount in each case to the dismantling of established labour – that is, labour that is generally permanent and relatively privileged not only with respect to wages but usually also other forms of material support.