European Institute for Asian Studies - EU-Asia Corporate Responsibility Research Agenda

EU-Asia Corporate Responsibility Research Agenda
8 November 2006
Venue: European Institute for Asian Studies

Listen to an interview with Wim Ilsbroux (mp3)
Listen to an interview with Christian Berggren and Andrew Watt (mp3)

RELOCATION, OUTSOURCING AND ALTERNATIVES
Outsourcing of production can promote trade and specialisation, increase productivity and raise living standards in low and middle income countries. It might also lead to a decline in real wages as well as un- and underemployment in advanced countries, in view of the changes in economic structures and technology, which are associated with the relocation, outsourcing and restructuring.

Inevitably the attitudes of employees to relocation and outsourcing will differ markedly across the different countries and sectors. What national development strategies and policies are best for achieving the mutually beneficial outcomes in advanced as well as developing countries?

One year ago the McKinsey Institute presented a study with the alarming title ‘One Million Jobs at Risk: The Future of Manufacturing in California’. One important conclusion of the study was that corporate management often made insufficient analysis of costs and benefits before taking a decision on outsourcing and relocation.

A Swedish study, undertaken by management institutes associated with several universities, published this year, reached similar conclusions. This study also emphasised that a number of industries did not decide to relocate or outsource, but instead successfully embarked on innovation of products and production processes. Employees and trade unions are therefore questioning managerial decisions taken across the USA and the European Union.

The Conference addressed the following pertinent questions:
1. Which strategies are to be followed with respect to outsourcing and relocation with a view to enhancing sustainable development in support of national development targets, including the Millennium Development Goals?
2. In which directions will the current position of trade unions and business on the controversial issues of relocation and outsourcing evolve?
3. What are the research needs of business with respect to outsourcing and relocation? What are the perspectives of their stakeholders (including employees, consumers and shareholders)?
ETUI

Conference Programme

12.30 -13.00 Sandwich Lunch
13.00 -13.10 Welcome and Introduction
Dr Willem van der Geest, Director of EIAS

13.10 -14.15 Session 1:
McKinsey research on management decisions on outsourcing
Wim Ilsbroux, McKinsey, Brussels - this presentation is available as a pdf file or shockwave

Listen to an interview with Wim Ilsbroux (mp3)

Alternatives: Winding up or developing businesses
Christian Berggren, Economic department of the Univ. of Linköping, Sweden
The text of this presentation is available as a pdf file and the visual presentation is a available as a pdf file or in Shockwave

Discussant : Prof. Sylvain Plasschaert, EIAS & University of Leuven
Chair : Dr. Willem van der Geest, Director, European Institute for Asian Studies

14.15 -15.15 Session 2 :
Relocation in Europe
Bela Galgoczi, ETUI
This presentation is available as a pdf file or in Shockwave

Outsourcing to Asia, especially China
Andrew Watt, ETUI
This presentation is available as in Shockwave or as a pdf file

Listen to an interview with Christian Berggren andAndrew Watt (mp3)

Discussant: Mr. Joern Keck, former Deputy Director General, DG Enterprise & EIAS
Chair: Bo Jonsson, Member of the Administrative Board, EIAS

15.30 – 17.00 Session 3:
Proposals for future research - a first needs assessment
A session with participation of trade unions and institutes of management at universities reviewing ongoing research and assessing the scope for research collaboration and identifying research needs.

Chair: Prof. Ludo Cuyvers Univ. of Antwerp Management School, Chairman EIAS

Meeting report from Bo Jonsson (pdf)

Listen to an interview with Wim Ilsbroux (mp3)
Listen to an interview with Christian Berggren and Andrew Watt (mp3)



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