Alternative models of the European business organisation

Abstract

Since the beginning of the second industrial revolution in the 1970s, with the advent of automation and communication and information technologies, European and US businesses have been forced to re-evaluate their entire production philosophies and processes. This self-appraisal was emphasised particularly by their relative lack of competitiveness against Japanese and other Pacific Rim businesses. It has been an ongoing process affecting all involved in production. Many side-effects of this revolution have already been seen, such as the growth of long-term structural unemployment across the EU as staple industries have declined.