Ex-post Evaluation

1. Outline of the Project

Country:

China

Project title:

Shanghai Modern Molding Technology Training Center Project

Issue/Sector:

Industry

Cooperation Scheme:

Project-type Technical Cooperation

Division in Charge:

Mining and Industrial Development Cooperation Department, Second Technical Cooperation Division

Total Cost:

Period of Cooperation

1 September 1991 – 31 August 1995
(Follow-up:17 December 1999 – 31 March 2001)

Partner Country’s Implementing Organization:

Shanghai Light Machinery Corporation, Shanghai Modern Molding Technology Training Center, Shanghai Second Light Machinery School

Supporting Organization in Japan:

Ministry of International Trade and Industry, Cast and Wrought Products Division
The Materials Process Technology Center

Related Cooperation:

1-1 Background of the Project

Chinese government set molding technology as one of the most important technology in the Fourth Science and Technology Production Plan. Shanghai, an old industrial city and an important base in the coastal area, has been promoting the joint ventures with foreign capital. In order to develop a strong base for the developing molding industry, Chinese government requested that Japan provide technical cooperation to train senior technicians in practical molding technology.

1-2 Project Overview

The cooperation improves China's precision in molding production technology for plastics and trains instructors and technicians in the Shanghai Molding Technology Training Center (“the Center”).

(1) Overall Goal
To improve China's plastic molding production technology.

(2) Project Purpose
Molding Technology Center's ability to provide training on mold production technology is strengthened and training courses are implemented.

(3) Outputs
1) The instructors (C/Ps) learn the molding production skills necessary to give technical instruction in precision molding production technology for plastics.
2) Training courses are implemented.
3) Short-term courses and seminars are implemented.
4) Educational materials are prepared.
5) Instruction trips to private factories are carried out.
6) Technical guidance is held for private corporations.

(4) Inputs

2. Evaluation Team

Members of Evaluation Team

Team Leader/General: Takashi Tanaka (JICA China Office, Deputy Managing Director)
Evaluation Planning: Kazuhiro Yoshida (Office of Evaluation and Post-project Monitoring, Planning and Evaluation Department, JICA)
Analysis of Post-project Evaluation: Tsuyoshi Ito (IC Net Ltd.)
Analysis of Post-project Evaluation: Li Wei (Beijing Manyo Consultants Co., Ltd.)
Interpretation and Study Assistance: Liu Ran (JICA China Office)

Period of Evaluation

24 February 2002 – 9 March 2002

Type of Evaluation:

Ex-post Evaluation By Overseas Offices

3. Results of Evaluation

3-1 Summary of Evaluation Results

(1) Impact
In 1992, while the project was being implemented, the national policy shifted to privatization and the project’s original aim—to improve the technical strength of public companies— were redirected to privatized companies. In addition, despite changes in the external factors, such as a change of superordinating organization, the number of courses and trainees in the Center continues to increase even after the project completion.

In the responses of a survey from the participants’ affiliations (19 companies responded), "technology diffusion to other technicians" was most often given as the most significant effect of the training, and "improved quality" followed in frequency. "Training was linked to development of new products" was the third most common response. Although few companies responded that there were improvements in sales and production efficiency, these responses suggest sufficient positive impact.

Also, as impacts which were not anticipated at the project completion, practical training in Shanghai Er-Qing Mechanical School and other mechanical schools (corresponding to professional schools) are conducted at the Center, and not only improved the school education's practical training, it also raised the school's reputation to create an environment that makes attracting students easier.

The educational method at the Center combining theory and practical training accomplishes the role of the molding education model. Large- and medium-sized institutes (corresponding to vocational high schools, professional schools and junior colleges) offering molding design and specialized manufacturing courses send their instructors and students to the Center to have practical training courses — for example, Wuhan Train Industrial Institute, University of Shanghai, Halpin Industrial School, Tianjin Light Industry School and Changzhou Electronics School.

(2) Sustainability
Sustainability of the project effects is high. As mentioned above, the number of courses and trainees in the Center is still increasing after the project completion, and the content of the courses also has been developed. In the survey targeting people who completed courses (The questionnaire was sent to 36 people, and out of them 33 responded.), most ex-trainees were satisfied with the training course. After the project completion, short-term courses and seminars are held at a similar pace during the project implementation, and the number of technical guidance programs for private corporations also is on the increase.

In sustainability in personnel, the Center has been upholding the staff's independence as an organization; 22 ex-instructors out of 37 remained (approximately 59 percent), and ex-instructors who used to be counterparts are now working in key positions.

In financial aspects, there will likely to be no serious financial problems in the near future. Revenue in schools and the Center may fall; however, the support both from the school and the city government is expected to be stable.

Technical sustainability can be considered high for the following reasons. After the project completion, the Center has revised texts on its own. Also, information sources for the latest technical information are established which include domestic sources, the Internet and Japan's supporting institution. In 1998, large-scale CAD, CAM and CAE (computer-aided design, manufacturing and engineering) software was introduced, and in 1999, instructors participated in CAD and CAM software training courses to improve their technical skills. As a result, the range of capability has expanded from molding manufacturing for daily miscellaneous products, telephone receivers and camera bodies to molding designs for products with complex free-form surfaces.

3-2 Factors that promoted realization of effects

(1) Factors concerning Planning
N/A

(2) Factors concerning the Implementation Process
1) The Center receives stable financial support from the Science & Technology Commission of Shanghai Municipality, the board of education and the Light Industry Association, and direct support from Shanghai Er-Qing Mechanical School in personnel, finances and supplies. Therefore, the Center has the most advanced facilities in China and provides fulfilling practical training, leading to improvement in sustainability and realization of impacts.
2) As the Center already had high abilities as a training institution before the Project started, it was able to maintain and develop project effects after the project completion.
3) The Center not only conducts training but also accepts orders from companies demanding skills at a high level such as private companies and joint ventures with input countries. Thus, the Center effectively prevents its own techniques from becoming out-of date.

3-3 Factors that impeded realization of effects

(1) Factors concerning Planning
N/A

(2) Factors concerning the Implementation Process
N/A

3-4 Conclusion

The Project has achieved its sustainability. Given that approximately 60 percent of the 300 to 400 annual graduated trainees are from Shanghai city, impact on a nationwide scale as set in the overall goal is not yet possible to assess. But the Chinese government's policy to accept trainees from the central-western region on a preferential basis gives the expectation of contribution to the achievement of the overall goal in the future.

3-5 Recommendations (specific measures, proposals and advice for this project)

(1) To increase the number of trainees from the central-western region, the responsible agency should enable the Center to establish an annual plan by clarifying the role of the Center in terms of the assistance to improve the molding industry in the central-western area.

(2) It is necessary to establish the human resources development plan for trainers in response to the change and needs of the society, which leads to sustainable development of the Center.

3-6 Lessons Learned(matters which are helpful to identification/creation, implementation and management control of other similar projects)

(1) It is desirable to choose a city that has developed light industry (not only molding, but regions that have need for high level light industry skill) as a project site when creating similar projects. In this case, the training center could easily recruit students. In addition, the Center could improve its capability in ways consistent with local needs by receiving actual commissioned work from private companies in the surrounding areas.

(2) Since the trainees from private companies usually try to apply the knowledge and the skill they learned at the training center soon after, the project’s relevance and the impact of the technical training for private companies can be ascertained in a comparatively short period of time. On the other hand, as training centers are not under the formal education system, they must advertise and gather trainees independently. Until accomplishments of the Center are recognized, the number of applicants can be unstable. By creating a mutually complementary system through affiliations with professional schools that are human sources to companies, this particular project can provide an example of technology training for private companies.

(3) It is easy for "a training center" to establish a financial base with revenue from the trainees' course fees. This means; however, the financial capacity of a training center is limited by the number of trainees, and it influences whether it may be profitable or not. In case the primary target is company technician, it is difficult to train many trainees at one time. But it is possible to maintain stable finances such as this project that combines with professional schools.

(4) To ensure sustainability after the project completion, it is necessary to maintain the Japanese support system including information service as long as possible.

(5) It is essential to establish a monitoring system of the project implementation in order to reflect the review of goals and targets resultant from changes of external factors during the project implementation to the terminal and the ex-post evaluation.

3-7 Follow-up Situation

A request for in-country training has been submitted to train personnel in the central-western area. Currently, the Japanese side is considering future courses of action.