ffect on the global market, but because the world economy is tightly integrated, this is not the case. Closing a plant and reducing the amount of disposable income in an area means that individuals will be able to purchase fewer of the goods available from global suppliers. Thus the reduction in force at a plant could reduce the number of cars sold in the area. Multiplied at plants across the country, this can be a significant economic event.
At the same time, the global market is affected by the level of skill that workers maintain. As workers progress through their careers, they receive training in procedures and operations which make them valuable to their employers, and which make employers able to compete better. If a plant is closed, this avenue of training is also closed. New plants that may open later hire workers who are no longer current in their field, and the company may find itself having to compete with these substandard workers.
In fact, the issue of quality is one that becomes critical when considering downsizing. When a company lays off workers, it lays off experienced personnel who understand the company and the environment in which it operates. These workers were, until the company
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