| dc.description.abstract | Food processing as an activity, is crucial to the
nation's economy both as part of manufacturing and the
overall food system. The states across the nation have
differed in their contributions to this sector, with New
York having been the leader in the production of processed
food before World War II. By 1960 it had slipped to second
place, and it ranked seventh by 1982. Production of the food
manufacturing industry increased by 24 percent during the
period, but it was less than a fourth the US rate. The drop
in employment was also four times the US rate.
Nevertheless, food processing still maintains a sizable
share of both the nation and state's economy. This research
aims at providing a portrait of food manufacturing with
special emphasis on New York state. By making a comparative
analysis of the state, the Mid-Atlantic region and the US,
it is hoped that this quest will reveal the key regional and
national factors that affect the food processing industry.
The study uses data from the US Bureau of the Census to
analyze performance of the sector.
The analysis reveals that although New York state may
seem to be on the decline, its performance still compares
favorably to the rest of the nation. Using Industrial
Organization theory, a model is designed to quantify the
performance response of the industry to the behavioral
environment it faces. It was found that as a whole, the
industry's performance is heavily impacted on by the cost of
labor as compared to other input costs. This suggests the
increasing importance of human resources, with the skills
and capacity of the work force taking on major consideration
in determining the efficiency and competitiveness of the
food processing industry. | en |
