XN000022-1975-10-09 — Page 2

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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 9, 1975

SPECIAL REVIEW ON SALIENT FEATURES OF INDUSTRIES

A SPECIAL REVIEW ARTICLE ANALYSING THE SALIENT FEATURES OF HONG

KONG INDUSTRIES APPEARS IN THE JULY ISSUE OF THE HONG KONG MONTHLY DIGEST

OF STATISTICS NOW ON SALE.

THE ARTICLE IS BASED ON RESULTS OF THE 1973 CENSUS OF INDUSTRIAL

PRODUCTION CONDUCTED BY THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT BETWEEN

APRIL 1974 AND FEBRUARY 1975.

THE ANALYSIS ARE CONFINED TO REPORTING MANUFACTURING ESTABLISHMENTS

ENGAGING 20 OR MORE PERSONS. THIS CATERGORY OF ESTABLISHMENTS (INCLUDING

THOSE THAT WERE OPERATING DURING 1973 BUT WERE CLOSED IN 1974) WERE

RESPONSIBLE FOR 84 PER CENT OF THE AMOUNT OF VALUE ADDED TO MATERIALS BY

THE MANUFACTURING PROCESS, AND EMPLOYED 77 PER CENT OF THE MANUFACTURING

LABOUR FORCE.

SOME INTERESTING STRUCTURAL INFORMATION WAS REVEALED IN THE ARTICLE.

FOR EXAMPLE, THE OVERALL LABOUR COST PER PERSON ENGAGED IN

MANUFACTURING ESTABLISHMENTS WITH 30 OR MORE PERSONS WAS $9,653 PER

ANNUM IN 1973.

THERE WERE HIGHER AVERAGE EARNINGS RECORDED IN THE INDUSTRY GROUPS

ENGAGED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF FURNITURE AND FIXTURES, BASIC ITAL INDUSTRIES,

AND MANUFACTURE OF TRANSPORT EQUIPMENT.

ON THE OTHER HAND, LABOUR COST PER PERSON ENGAGED IN GARMENT

FACTORIES WAS BELOW AVERAGE; THE SAME APPLIED TO PLASTIC FACTORIES AND FACTORIES

ENGAGED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ELECTRICAL MACHINERY, APPARATUS, APPLIANCES

AND SUPPLIES.

PRODUCTIVITY MEASURED IN TERMS OF VALUE ADDED PER PERSON ENGAGED

WAS HIGHER FOR LARGER ESTABLISHMENTS BUT ESTABLISHMENTS ENGAGING 1,000 PERSONS

OR MORE APPEARED TO BE LESS FAVOURABLE WHEN COMPARED WITH ESTABLISHMENTS

WITH 500-999 PERSONS.

/THE CAPITAL/LABOUR .....