This text discusses the trend of increasing importance of labour skills for good business performance within the new context of international competition. The research looks at the Brazilian automobile industry chain, focusing on the analysis of the relationship between the firms which make up the various level of this chain. Despite the fact that the general trend is present throughout the chain, it is not the only prevailing one. Also discussed are the aspects of the job uncertainties, which in their turn limit the diffusion of new skills requirements, this is combined with discrimination by gender and age present in the labour market. In addition to a theoretical discussion about productive restructuring and work, the article analyses data from field research and reaches several conclusions.
Author Biography
Marcia de Paula Leite, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, UNICAMP
graduação em Ciências Sociais pela Universidade de São Paulo (1972), mestrado em Ciência Política pela Universidade Estadual de Campinas (1983) e doutorado em Sociologia pela Universidade de São Paulo (1990). Atualmente é professora titular- ms6 da Universidade Estadual de Campinas.
