ADAPTABILITY AND PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT IN THE DANISH PLASTICS INDUSTRY

Development of new materials and material shifts play an increasing ro le in the development of industrial production. The main issue of this paper is the ability of the industry to adapt to new materials with p oint of departure in the Danish plastics industry. This study shows th at it has been difficult for established firms in Denmark, both within the plastics industry and outside, to undertake shifts in technology. According to our study there have been principally two reasons for th is. On the one hand the integration of the firms in the industrial str ucture and on the other hand the learning process in the firms themsel ves. The study also shows that firms most open to material adaptation have been firms based on product ideas not on materials. Another findi ng is that the Danish plastics industry has been characterized by high growth rates despite low R&D figures. The reasons for this are on the one hand the ability of Danish plastics firms to exploit existing kno w-how and on the other hand the increased specialization of the firms. Furthermore the study shows that neither institutional R&D nor instit utional education has played any noticable role in the adaptation proc ess of the Danish plastics industry.