Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/1959.11/12548
Title: Manufacturing on the move? Beyond the high dollar in the debate about making things in Australia - the case of the Australian surfboard industry
Contributor(s): Warren, Andrew  (author); Gibson, Chris (author)
Publication Date: 2012
Handle Link: https://hdl.handle.net/1959.11/12548
Abstract: In October 2011 surfboard manufacturer BASE abruptly closed its factory on the Gold Coast resulting in the direct loss of 50 jobs. A few days later, nearby D'Arcy Surfboards also announced it was shedding workers and downsizing from a state-of-the art purpose built factory into a backyard workshop. Each business exported surfboards internationally and employed some of Australia's best known surfboard-makers. The troubles facing these workshops added to those brewing at the very same in Australia's steel, aluminium, automotive and garment industries. With renewed public debate and media commentary on the future of manufacturing, we now face a crisis in 'making things' in Australia. To inform debate about this crisis, in this discussion paper we focus attention on one industry - surfboard-making - where Australia has had an international comparative advantage, and on which we have been doing extended, detailed qualitative and quantitative research for over three years. ... The question we seek to pose is: beyond the dollar what other factors play a role in shaping the economic fortunes of manufacturing industries? In light of debates about Australia's future in making things we offer a fresh perspective focusing not just on the high state of the Australian currency but the internal features of manufacturing industries and the regions within which they are based. As geographers we argue this type of research can reveal important insights into the current state of manufacturing. A geographical perspective is highly attuned to the moving parts of those industries that apply human effort in the conversion of basic materials into useful products.
Publication Type: Working Paper
Grant Details: ARC/FT0991193
Fields of Research (FoR) 2008: 160401 Economic Geography
160403 Social and Cultural Geography
Fields of Research (FoR) 2020: 440602 Development geography
440404 Political economy and social change
Socio-Economic Objective (SEO) 2008: 910210 Production
869999 Manufacturing not elsewhere classified
861499 Machinery and Equipment not elsewhere classified
910202 Human Capital Issues
Socio-Economic Objective (SEO) 2020: 150510 Production
150502 Human capital issues
HERDC Category Description: W Working Paper
Publisher/associated links: http://www.uow.edu.au/content/groups/public/@web/@sci/@eesc/documents/doc/uow123352.pdf
Series Name: AUSCCER Discussion Papers
Series Number : 2012/2
Appears in Collections:Working Paper

Files in This Item:
2 files
File Description SizeFormat 
Show full item record

Page view(s)

2,194
checked on Aug 11, 2024
Google Media

Google ScholarTM

Check


Items in Research UNE are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated.