The effect of the government's manufacturing automation promotion policy in Taiwan

Abstract

Purpose

The adoption of automation has been suggested as one source to establish the competitiveness of manufacturing industries. The importance of government's role in promoting the automation adoption has been recognized. The Industrial Development Bureau (IDB) of the Ministry of Economic Affairs in Taiwan has been promoting the “Manufacturing Automation Promotion Policy (MAPP)” for more than 10 years. From the perspective of the government agent, whether the MAPP was effective is the most concerned issue. However, there is no research on evaluating the performance of MAPP undertaken by the government. This study aims to fill the gap.

Design/methodology/approach

This study employed survey method; and a questionnaire was delivered to prospect respondents through the IDB promotion team.

Findings

According to the analytical results, it was found that responding department has a significant impact on understanding automation policy and the need for technical personnel; enterprise size significantly affects needs for technical personnel.

Practical implications

The research findings show, by implication, that the MAPP conducted by the Taiwan's IDB has been effective to a certain degree. Several suggestions for further advancing the effectiveness of the MAPP are made.

Originality/value

This study is the first research to examine the performance effectiveness of MAPP conducted by Taiwan's IDB. After a comprehensive literature, this study suggests that the program effectiveness can be evaluated in terms of awareness of MAPP, understanding of MAPP, benefits of MAPP, perceiving automation policy as incentive, needs for policy assistance, and needs for technical personnel.

Citation

Chang, T., Chiou, C., Fu, H. and Chao, P. (2006), "The effect of the government's manufacturing automation promotion policy in Taiwan", Journal of Manufacturing Technology Management, Vol. 17 No. 1, pp. 73-88. https://doi.org/10.1108/17410380610639515