Taiwan case study- development and globalisation

Asian Tiger case study- Taiwan and barbie

Barbie dolls were first produced in 1959 by the American toy company Mattel in Japan.  In the late 1960s the company, wishing to lower its labour costs, moved its main factory to the island of Taiwan. This was widely seen as the trialbalzer for the outsourcing of production by TNCs that was to make eastern Asia the worskshop of the world. At its height, the taiwan factory produced over half the barbie dolls made. However, within 20 years, rising incomes in Taiwan led Mattel to look agian for a cheaper labour force. In 1987 Mattel opened its first factory in China where wages were mcuh lower and gradually production was moved there. today, Mattel still makes barbie dolls in two chinese factories but alos has production centers in…