First wave, Japan for cheap manufacturing, followed closely by Taiwan. Then they started rising prices.How possible is that? Say, US does not get along with mainland China in late 1970s all through 1980s, so US companies go to Philliphines en masse when out-sourcing started?
Even a corrupt dictator isn't the real problem, that didn't stop South Korea or TaiwanIf the Philippines avoids Marcos, they might be able to raise infrastructure levels and overall HDI to position for export manufacturing.
Let's not forget about the incident where construction workers lost their lives while building the Manila Convention Center at the insistence of Imelda Marcos.The problem with Marcos was that the infrastructure he built wasn't too good (and cost inefficient, thanks to the whole corruption thing).
They already are a hub for call centers OTL.IIRC more than 60% of Filipinos can speak english, so the Philipines may also be a good candidate for some service work as well.
In 1960 this made the Philippines larger (in population terms) than South Korea and a third the size of Japan. In 1980...still larger than South Korea, nearly half the population of Japan. I'm not seeing how their population would make them a niche player of necessity?The bigger problem is the country only had 30 million people in 1960, and 50 million by 1980. So even if they became a low cost manufacturing powerhouse, they would still be a niche player, unable to take on a significant portion of manufacturing jobs Japan and US was off shoring.
In 1960 this made the Philippines larger (in population terms) than South Korea and a third the size of Japan. In 1980...still larger than South Korea, nearly half the population of Japan. I'm not seeing how their population would make them a niche player of necessity?
But it wasn't? Again, it was still bigger than South Korea, a little shy of half the population of Japan, and had 70% of the population of Mexico at the time, all of which were countries that developed important manufacturing sectors based on offshoring. I just don't see how the Philippines is supposed to be "too small" in this context, when it clearly falls in the same range as other countries that were successful.US was not off shoring huge numbers of low cost manufacturing jobs in 1960, they were by the 80s, by then Philippines was too small for that.
But it wasn't? Again, it was still bigger than South Korea, a little shy of half the population of Japan, and had 70% of the population of Mexico at the time, all of which were countries that developed important manufacturing sectors based on offshoring. I just don't see how the Philippines is supposed to be "too small" in this context, when it clearly falls in the same range as other countries that were successful.
You're not getting it. You keep saying "it's not big enough, it's not big enough," even though as I keep pointing out it was bigger than plenty of countries that developed perfectly successful and significant manufacturing industries. The OP's desire isn't for the Philippines to single-handle absorb every single low-wage job in the United States, it's just for them to become a major industrial nation like South Korea. Or Taiwan. Which are both less populous than the Philippines, and neither of which is a "niche player" in any particularly useful sense. So obviously to the extent that population matters, the Philippines is plenty large enough.I didn’t say it was too small to do manufacturing, rather it’s too small to absorb the massive off shoring of low cost manufacturing in the 80s to make a dent IOTL.
Sure you are. Plenty of Filipinos know English, so instead of needing all sorts of translation layers in between American executives and Filipino foremen, you just need a telephone. Also, Mexican GDP at the time was $341, greater than either, but the United States still ended up developing all sorts of industries there.If you’re talking about 1960. Philippines per capita GDP was $260, South Korea was $150. And you’re not getting a more skilled labor force for the higher wages.
Mexican GDP at the time was $341, greater than either, but the United States still ended up developing all sorts of industries there.
You're not getting it. You keep saying "it's not big enough, it's not big enough," even though as I keep pointing out it was bigger than plenty of countries that developed perfectly successful and significant manufacturing industries. The OP's desire isn't for the Philippines to single-handle absorb every single low-wage job in the United States, it's just for them to become a major industrial nation like South Korea. Or Taiwan. Which are both less populous than the Philippines, and neither of which is a "niche player" in any particularly useful sense. So obviously to the extent that population matters, the Philippines is plenty large enough.
Sure you are. Plenty of Filipinos know English, so instead of needing all sorts of translation layers in between American executives and Filipino foremen, you just need a telephone. Also, Mexican GDP at the time was $341, greater than either, but the United States still ended up developing all sorts of industries there.