ABSTRACT
This chapter talks about the transformation of the industrial sectors, or more strictly the manufacturing sectors, of the world economy. Structural change can be perceived under two headings: production structures, involving continuous change in the distribution of employment and capital, and the structure of international trade. The tendances lourdes of structural change in manufacturing production are familiar enough: the transition from food processing, textiles, and clothing to metal using and chemicals, or from consumer goods to capital and intermediate goods. The chapter presents a detailed account of the product composition of imports into Western Europe, from all non-OECD countries. The changing structure of international trade reveals only part of the picture of structural change through market penetration. The imports from non-OECD countries are mainly from developing countries but also include imports from the socialist countries. The story for clothing indicates a somewhat stronger impact of imports from the developing world.
