This book discusses the role historical events played in determining the pattern of growth of Indian manufacturing. Two important historical events significantly influenced the course of Indian manufacturing from the 15th century AD. The first was the arrival of European merchants via sea route pioneered by Vasco-da-Gamma in 1498 and the other was the dawn of the Mughal Empire in 1526. The book explores how these two events provided the appropriate stimulus for the emergence of traditional flexible manufacturing in India and how they played a vital role in the pattern of growth of the Indian manufacturing: The Mughal Empire created an integrated economy of continental size whereas European trading companies expanded the commercial connectivity of the Indian economy and South East Asia. It further investigates how the circumstances created by the colonial administration, factor endowment and market conditions created the complex forms of manufacturing enterprises that India inherited at the time of independence. It is a valuable resource for students of history, economic history, business history and the history of technology.

The book outlines the importance of Indian manufacturing sector and its growth under alternative policy regimes. The authors highlight the significance of various firm-specific and macroeconomic factors on the level of efficiency and profitability of the firms operating in the diverse manufacturing sector during the post-liberalization era. The book also examines the dynamic relationship between the select manufacturing sector-specific stock market indices and the various macroeconomic variables.

This book focuses on the application of workstudy in productivity of manufacturing SMEs locally and abroad and also explores various industrial problems which face manufacturing SMEs in developing and underdeveloped countries in the rest of the world. Low productivity is currently a serious challenge facing manufacturing SMEs, where these SMEs are operating below expected production output levels which makes it difficult for them to compete in the global market. SMEs are the engine drivers of economic growth, one of which is manufacturing. The challenge is that government from various countries in developing and underdeveloped countries, mandated agencies in their respective areas, to ensure that there is economic progress for these SMEs, but productivity remains low in the manufacturing SMEs. When SMEs do not perform well, productivity of manufacturing SMEs declines and unemployment increases. Thus, an increase in unemployment results in a drop of GDP in the country and can become a global and economic crisis. This book describes a process which enables the reader to use effective knowledge that addresses problems facing the productivity of manufacturing SMEs such as work study tools and case studies and provides solutions and applications to improve the running of the manufacturing SMEs in growing their productivity.