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The purpose of the paper is to develop a model of distribution of human and machine labor at intellectual production in Industry 4.0.

The basis of the methodology of the research is regression analysis. The analyzed variables are independent variables that characterize the level of development of human and machine labor in the economy of a country; dependent variables that reflect the effectiveness of the production, marketing and innovative business processes in the economy of country according to “The Global Competitiveness Report” (World Economic Forum); and dependent variables, which show the share of the sphere (agriculture, mining industry, processing industry and service sphere) in the structure of GDP of a country according to the statistics of the World Bank. For determining the change of regression dependencies in dynamics in the interests of reduction of the probability of statistical error, the research is conducted for 2010 and 2018 with application of trend analysis.

Based on the full selection of modern countries that conduct digital modernization, the authors determine statistical dependencies of effectiveness of business processes and development of the spheres of economy on the intensity of application of machine and human labor. This allowed determining significant differences in automatization of business processes: perspectives of application of machine labor are the widest in production and the narrowest in marketing, differentiated logic of organization of intellectual production in different spheres of economy and the specifics of automatization of business processes and spheres of economy in countries of different categories, one of which has to be taken into account during organization of intellectual production in Industry 4.0.

The developed model of optimal distribution of human and machine labor at intellectual production in Industry 4.0 will allow reducing disproportions in effectiveness of different business processes, development of different spheres of economy and growth rate of developed and developing countries. This explains its contribution into provision of well-balanced development of the modern global economic system.

As the manufacturing industry is under pressure to face the global competition, it is necessary to improve productivity and reduce costs through minimization of wastage of resources for their survival. This paper aims to present an analysis of the status of resource flexibility and lean manufacturing through conducting a case study in an Indian textile machinery manufacturing company and also demonstrate the various areas of future scope for improving lean manufacturing.

The case study has been conducted using the flexible system methodology (FSM) framework (Sushil, 1994). For measuring resource (labour and machine) flexibility and lean manufacturing, various factors contributing towards labour flexibility, machine flexibility and lean manufacturing are identified. To determine their relative weights, an analytical hierarchy process (AHP) has been used. A specially designed questionnaire is used to collect the information during case study on different aspects of resource flexibility and lean manufacturing. SAP-LAP analysis has also been carried out to look in to the ways the company is building up resource flexibility and lean manufacturing.

The status of labour flexibility, machine flexibility and lean manufacturing is merely 49.30, 47.10 and 47.40 per cent, respectively. The most important factors of labour flexibility and machine flexibility attained a value of 59.50 and 61.17 per cent, respectively. Similarly, only 39.09 per cent wastes are eliminated through lean manufacturing. There is a huge scope to achieve a higher degree of lean manufacturing through focusing on continuous improvement, just in time (JIT) and resource flexibility factors.

The present study includes only labour and machines to compute the resource flexibility. Other resources may also be included to compute the overall resource flexibility.

The present study provides guidelines to analyze the status of resource flexibility and lean manufacturing. According to conclusions, frail areas in the manufacturing system can be identified and a suitable course of action could be planned for the improvement. Hopefully, this study will help the firm’s management to identify the problems to manage resource flexibility and implement an effective lean manufacturing.

In this work, the theoretical perspective has been used not only to update the original instrument, but also to study the subject from a perspective beyond that usually associated with resource flexibility and lean manufacturing.

The purpose of this paper is to approach the issue of taxation of robotic process automation (RPA) through an interpretive lens provided by both Adam Smith and Karl Marx. Both scholars have affected the understanding and attitudes of generations of economists, and their ideas have considerable influenced modern economic policy. It will be argued that Smith and Marx have much to offer to help contemporary economists understand the taxation of RPA, and their writings on machines, automation, and their impact on the human labor force will be discussed from their primary texts.

The paper interprets the works of Marx and Smith in relation to contemporary debates on automation, particularly, proposals to tax technological innovations to offset the social costs of automation’s displacement effects.

In the case of Adam Smith, there is not enough evidence to suggest that he would support a specific taxation of RPA; however, he very well might agree with a modest taxation of capital goods. Marx would very likely support a taxation in the short-run, however, would be inclined to caution that the ownership of robots should in the long run be transferred to society.

This paper uses primary texts from the discipline of history of economic thought to spark a discussion about compensating the externalities of technological innovation.

Manufacturing industry is under pressure to improve productivity and reducing costs through minimization of wastage of resources. This paper aims to present case study of an automobile component manufacturing company to implement lean manufacturing through resource flexibility and also demonstrate the various areas of future scope for improving lean manufacturing.

The case study has been conducted using the flexible system methodology framework. For measuring resource (labor and machine) flexibility and lean manufacturing, various parameters contributing towards labor flexibility, machine flexibility and lean manufacturing are identified. To determine their relative weights, analytical hierarchy process has been employed. A specially designed questionnaire is used to collect the information during case study on different aspects of resource flexibility and lean manufacturing. SAP-LAP analysis has also been carried out, to look into the ways the company is building up resource flexibility and lean manufacturing.

Although all parameters of labor flexibility contribute towards overall labor flexibility but ability of workers to work on different machines has the maximum impact of 35.16 percent. Ability of machines to perform diverse set of operations has maximum contribution of 40.38 percent towards machine flexibility. Similarly elimination of waste is 35.15 percent responsible for lean manufacturing implementation. There is also a huge scope to achieve higher degree of lean manufacturing by implementing zero defects, changing attitude towards change and installing flexible machines. It is inferred that 76.2 percent of lean manufacturing is endorsed by resource flexibility.

The present study includes only labor and machines as the elements of resource flexibility. Other resources may also be included to compute overall resource flexibility.

The present study provides guidelines to assess the status of resource flexibility and lean manufacturing. According to conclusions, feeble areas in the manufacturing system can be identified and a suitable course of action might be planned for the improvement. Hopefully this study will help the firm's management to identify the problems to manage resource flexibility and implement an effective lean manufacturing.

In this work, the theoretical perspective has been used not only to update the original instrument, but also to study the subject from a perspective beyond that usually associated with resource flexibility and lean manufacturing.

SO the miners have, by a pretty massive vote and against their leaders' advice and hopes, turned down an offer of extra payment tied to greater production. No form of incentive scheme whatever will be considered, they say.

The academic literature is currently placing significant attention on the study of the socio-economic consequences of the observable fast automation of all sectors of economic activity. The purpose of this paper is to systematize meaningful ideas on the economic impact of the rise of the robots.

With the goal of evaluating the channels through which the current wave of fast technological change affects the organization and performance of the economy and the behavior of agents, the paper is structured into two parts. The first part assesses the state of knowledge regarding the potential revolutionary role of robot use in production. The second part designs a model aimed at exposing the interplay between the most prominent features associated with the new economic reality.

The current wave of innovation has implications that escape conventional economic thinking. The evaluation and prediction of what the new phenomena brings is fundamental to design policies that prevent income inequality to widen and growth to slow down.

The full macroeconomic impact of the fast, pervasive and irreversible automation of production is far from being completely assimilated. At this level, no benchmark model should be interpreted as a definitive framework of analysis, and economic thought should evolve alongside with empirically observed evidence.

We are facing an automation convulsion that replaces humans by machines at an unprecedented fast rate. This paper systematizes ideas about this process and offers a novel conceptual model to better understand what really is at stake.

THIS month there will be assembling at Margate the Conference on Automation organised by the Institution of Production Engineers.

The article extends the distinction of semantic from syntactic labour to comprehend all forms of mental labour. It answers a critique from de Fremery and Buckland, which required envisaging mental labour as a differentiated spectrum.

The paper adopts a discursive approach. It first reviews the significance and extensive diffusion of the distinction of semantic from syntactic labour. Second, it integrates semantic and syntactic labour along a vertical dimension within mental labour, indicating analogies in principle with, and differences in application from, the inherited distinction of intellectual from clerical labour. Third, it develops semantic labour to the very highest level, on a consistent principle of differentiation from syntactic labour. Finally, it reintegrates the understanding developed of semantic labour with syntactic labour, confirming that they can fully and informatively occupy mental labour.

The article further validates the distinction of semantic from syntactic labour. It enables to address Norbert Wiener's classic challenge of appropriately distributing activity between human and computer.

The article transforms work in progress into knowledge for diffusion.

It has practical implications for determining what tasks to delegate to computational technology.

The paper has social implications for the understanding of appropriate human and machine computational tasks and our own distinctive humanness.

The paper is highly original. Although based on preceding research, from the late 20th century, it is the first separately published full account of semantic and syntactic labour.

This empirical study identifies individual, organizational, and job factors of the range‐number element of labor flexibility. Tenure and emotional stability are found to increase a worker's flexibility. Emphases on quality, speed, and flexibility (time) also have positive influences on labor flexibility. Finally, task complexity, joint responsibility for decision making, and automation require workers to expand their skill repertoire and therefore enhance their flexibility. This study focuses on a sound measurement of labor flexibility and proposes strategies to cultivate this capability.

PROGRAMME Evaluation and Review Technique, familiarly known as PERT, is a vital subject which is growing rapidly. Recognition of this drew an interested audience to a symposium at Keele University on July 13, when 14 companies contributed papers on different aspects of critical path‐planning techniques and their experience as users in such disparate fields as shipbuilding, aviation, nuclear and civil engineering, the chemical and electrical industries, and management consultancy.