This article examines some of the growing body of literature on plant closings in order to develop early warning indicators of possible shutdowns. A variety of types of studies are reviewed including those that try to explain manufacturing job loss in general, those that explain specific firm relocations and shutdowns, studies of trends in particular industries, and industrial policy literature. From these sources, both the causes of shutdowns and indicators associated with specific causes are enumerated. The results of this analysis are tested against some case studies of shutdowns in the city of Chicago. An important outcome of the article is the identification of sixteen management practices that are easily visible to workers inside a plant and that can be considered early warning indicators.
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