small talks: talks by students, for students <style type="text/css">  </style> </head> <body> <center>  <a href="http://dmse.mit.edu/"><img border=0 src="course3.jpg"></a> <a href="http://web.mit.edu/gso/faq/studentlifefee.html"><img border=0 src="gso.jpg"></a>  <a href="index.shtml"><b><font size=7><font color=black>small</font>TALKS</font><b></a> <a href="http://mtlweb.mit.edu/researchgroups/mems/"><img border=0 src="memsatmit.jpg"></a> <a href="http://rleweb.mit.edu/"><img border=0 src="rle.jpg"></a> <br> ♦ <i>talks by students, for students</i> ♦<br> Wednesdays, 4pm, 6-104<br> <a href="sponsors.shtml">sponsors</a><br> <a href="about.shtml">about small talks</a> </center> <p> 04.04.2007: Dr. Erica Fuchs (EngSystems)<br> <i>Innovation Myopia?: Beyond Labor Savings in Offshore Manufacturing</i><br> <h4>Abstract:</h4> My talk provides an introduction to the debate on firm and government policy regarding the offshoring of manufacturing. I focus on data from two industries -- automobiles and information technology hardware (specifically, optoelectronics). In both cases, my results show that when US firms shift production from the US to countries like China, often the most advanced technologies that were developed here no longer pay. Production characteristics are different abroad, and earlier technologies can be more cost-effective in countries like China. Among other issues, this leaves the most advanced technologies abandoned, and, in the case of the optoelectronics industry, creates a barrier to pursuing innovation in these technologies back the US. I conclude by discussing lessons from the two cases for a more general framework with which to approach offshoring policies. <p><p> <center> <small>Questions? Comments? Would you like to give a small talk?<br> [small-talks at mike india tango dot edu]<br> Oh, and sign up for our <a href="http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/small-talks-announce">announce list</a>! :)</small> </center> </body> </html>