A study of AMT in North America A comparison between developed and developing countries

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to report the findings of an exploratory survey administered in North America on advanced manufacturing technologies (AMTs). The objective of the survey is to compare the status of AMT investment, planning and implementation, and performance in two different regions: Anglo America (developed countries) and Middle America (developing countries). Design/methodology/approach - Responses from 97 Anglo-American companies (62 from Canada and 35 from the USA) were compared to responses from 125 Middle American companies (85 from Mexico and 40 from Costa Rica). The researchers used different statistical analyses such as exploratory factor analyses, analysis of variance and regression. Findings - In general, Middle American countries representing the developing region show higher AMT investment, planning and implementation activities, and finally, higher performance due to AMT implementation. This phenomenon was hypothesized since developed countries have shifted most of their manufacturing operations into developing countries, while they keep ownership of multinational firms. Therefore, big corporations that previously invested in AMT in their home countries are now investing in AMT in their manufacturing plants in developing countries. Originality/value - This research provides insights to the growing body of knowledge on AMT. Most AMT research has been done in developed countries. In this study, the researchers show results comparing developed versus developing countries.