© 1985 Urban Studies Employment Change in Manufacturing: The Case of Surviving Plants

Summary. The paper analyses employment changes in the stock of manufacturing plants in Ireland which survived throughout the period 1973 to 1981. Employment change is analysed with respect to size, ownership and age of establishments and results suggest hat it is young plants in the 11-50 size category of all ownership groups that display significant upward dynamism. Only 1 per cent of indigenous single plant firms employing fewer than 20 in 1973 had expanded to over 50 by 1981. Similarly, only 6 per cent of multinational branches with 0-50 employed in 1973 had over 100 on the payroll in 1981. The employment growth of indigenous firms has come almost exclusively from domestic demand which constrains their growth potential. Both large and small firms, domestic and overseas, have important roles to play in shifting Irish manufacturing towards higher value added products