IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/ipt/laedte/202110.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

The impact of IoT and 3D printing on job quality and work organisation: a snapshot from Spain

Author

Listed:
  • Rafael Grande

    (University of Malaga)

  • Alberto Vallejo-Peña

    (University of Malaga)

  • Cesira Urzi Brancati

    (European Commission - JRC)

Abstract

This paper analyses how the introduction of advanced digital technologies affected the business model, work organisation, and job quality in selected establishments in Spain. The focus is on two technologies: 3D printing and Internet of things (IoT). Two case studies were carried out in Spain: TTI-Algeciras (stowage and logistic port container terminal) and Airbus (manufacture of aerospace and defence equipment). A qualitative research methodology through semi-structured interviews was implemented. The results show the selected digital technologies has a positive impact on the busi-ness model of TTI-Algeciras and Airbus, either by increasing efficiency and competitiveness, or by improving work organisation. The main findings in terms of job quality, are: improvements in the physical environment resulting from a reduction in occupational hazards: the upskilling of the work-force, due to the need of new technical skills; the increase in worker responsibility and autonomy to the detriment of routine tasks; and, on the negative side, an intensification of work that is now de-termined by the technology. The analysis also shows the importance of communication and new ways of organising teamwork as a crucial factor for the successful introduction of digital technolo-gies in both companies. Finally, the consequences of the restrictive measures against Covid-19 during 2020 have favoured an acceleration of technological change in the workplace.

Suggested Citation

  • Rafael Grande & Alberto Vallejo-Peña & Cesira Urzi Brancati, 2021. "The impact of IoT and 3D printing on job quality and work organisation: a snapshot from Spain," JRC Working Papers on Labour, Education and Technology 2021-10, Joint Research Centre.
    • Handle: RePEc:ipt:laedte:202110
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC125612
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Enrique Fernandez-Macias & Martina Bisello, 2020. "A Taxonomy of Tasks for Assessing the Impact of New Technologies on Work," JRC Working Papers on Labour, Education and Technology 2020-04, Joint Research Centre.
    2. VAN DEN BERG, Annette & GRIFT, Yolanda & VAN WITTELOOSTUIJN, Arjen & BOONE, Christophe & VAN DER BREMPT, Olivier, 2013. "The effect of employee workplace representation on firm performance. A cross-country comparison within Europe," ACED Working Papers 2013016, University of Antwerp, Faculty of Business and Economics.
    3. Fernández-Macías, Enrique & Muñoz de Bustillo, Rafael & Antón, José-Ignacio, 2014. "Job quality in Europe in the first decade of the 21st Century," MPRA Paper 58148, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    4. Schniederjans, Dara G., 2017. "Adoption of 3D-printing technologies in manufacturing: A survey analysis," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 183(PA), pages 287-298.
    5. Baumers, Martin & Dickens, Phill & Tuck, Chris & Hague, Richard, 2016. "The cost of additive manufacturing: machine productivity, economies of scale and technology-push," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 102(C), pages 193-201.
    6. A. van den Berg & Y.K. Grift & A. van Witteloostuijn & C. Boone & O. van der Brempt, 2013. "The effect of employee workplace representation on firm performance: A cross-country comparison within Europe," Working Papers 13-05, Utrecht School of Economics.
    7. VAN DEN BERG, Annette & GRIFT, Yolanda & VAN WITTELOOSTUIJN, Arjen & BOONE, Christophe & VAN DER BREMPT, Olivier, 2013. "The effect of employee workplace representation on firm performance. A cross-country comparison within Europe," Working Papers 2013008, University of Antwerp, Faculty of Business and Economics.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Addison, John T. & Teixeira, Paulino, 2019. "Strikes, employee workplace representation, unionism, and industrial relations quality in European establishments," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 159(C), pages 109-133.
    2. Olaf Hübler, 2015. "Do works councils raise or lower firm productivity?," IZA World of Labor, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA), pages 137-137, March.
    3. John T. Addison & Paulino Teixeira, 2022. "The Incidence and Outcomes of Industrial Action: New Evidence from the 2019 European Company Survey," CESifo Working Paper Series 9685, CESifo.
    4. John T. Addison, 2016. "Collective bargaining systems and macroeconomic and microeconomic flexibility: the quest for appropriate institutional forms in advanced economies," IZA Journal of Labor Policy, Springer;Forschungsinstitut zur Zukunft der Arbeit GmbH (IZA), vol. 5(1), pages 1-53, December.
    5. Mohrenweiser, Jens, 2021. "Reconciling the opposing economic effects of works councils across databases," GLO Discussion Paper Series 895, Global Labor Organization (GLO).
    6. Addison John T. & Teixeira Paulino, 2019. "Workplace Employee Representation and Industrial Relations Performance: New Evidence from the 2013 European Company Survey," Journal of Economics and Statistics (Jahrbuecher fuer Nationaloekonomie und Statistik), De Gruyter, vol. 239(1), pages 111-154, January.
    7. John T. Addison & Paulino Teixeira, 2018. "The Shortfall in Formal Employee Participation at the European Workplace," CESifo Working Paper Series 7399, CESifo.
    8. Mohrenweiser, Jens, 2022. "Works Councils," GLO Discussion Paper Series 1103, Global Labor Organization (GLO).
    9. Addison, John T. & Teixeira, Paulino, 2017. "Strikes, Employee Workplace Representation, Unionism, and Trust: Evidence from Cross-Country Data," IZA Discussion Papers 10575, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    10. Addison, John T. & Teixeira, Paulino, 2018. "What Do Workers Want? The Shortfall in Employee Participation at the European Workplace," IZA Discussion Papers 11506, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    11. Marić, Josip & Opazo-Basáez, Marco & Vlačić, Božidar & Dabić, Marina, 2023. "Innovation management of three-dimensional printing (3DP) technology: Disclosing insights from existing literature and determining future research streams," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 193(C).
    12. Foshammer, Jeppe & Søberg, Peder Veng & Helo, Petri & Ituarte, Iñigo Flores, 2022. "Identification of aftermarket and legacy parts suitable for additive manufacturing: A knowledge management-based approach," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 253(C).
    13. Sun, Luoyi & Hua, Guowei & Cheng, T.C.E. & Wang, Yixiao, 2020. "How to price 3D-printed products? Pricing strategy for 3D printing platforms," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 226(C).
    14. Candi, Marina & Beltagui, Ahmad, 2019. "Effective use of 3D printing in the innovation process," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 80, pages 63-73.
    15. Naghshineh, Bardia & Carvalho, Helena, 2022. "The implications of additive manufacturing technology adoption for supply chain resilience: A systematic search and review," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 247(C).
    16. Zhao, Mengli & Yang, Jianjun & Shu, Chengli & Liu, Jinxin, 2021. "Sustainability orientation, the adoption of 3D printing technologies, and new product performance: A cross-institutional study of American and Indian firms," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 101(C).
    17. Beltagui, Ahmad & Kunz, Nathan & Gold, Stefan, 2020. "The role of 3D printing and open design on adoption of socially sustainable supply chain innovation," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 221(C).
    18. Kleer, Robin & Piller, Frank T., 2019. "Local manufacturing and structural shifts in competition: Market dynamics of additive manufacturing," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 216(C), pages 23-34.
    19. Dhir, Amandeep & Talwar, Shalini & Islam, Nazrul & Alghafes, Rasha & Badghish, Saeed, 2023. "Different strokes for different folks: Comparative analysis of 3D printing in large, medium and small firms," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 125(C).
    20. Marco Savastano & Carlo Amendola & Francesco Bellini & Fabrizio D’Ascenzo, 2019. "Contextual Impacts on Industrial Processes Brought by the Digital Transformation of Manufacturing: A Systematic Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(3), pages 1-38, February.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    3D printing; Internet of Things (IoT); digitisation; digitalisation; digital technologies; future of work;
    All these keywords.

    NEP fields

    This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:ipt:laedte:202110. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Publication Officer (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/ipjrces.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.