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Globalization of the automobile industry: traditional locations under pressure?

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  • Spatz, Julius
  • Nunnenkamp, Peter

Abstract

Even though the automobile industry is technologically advanced, the increasing integration of low-income countries into the global division of labor has put competitive pressure on traditional automobile producing countries. New end-producers emerged in Asia, Latin America as well as Southern and Central Europe. In addition, the automobile industries of Germany, Japan and the United States engaged in outsourcing of relatively labor intensive segments of the value chain, especially on a regional level. Our analysis of the labor market effects of these developments supports the predictions of trade models: Low-skilled workers and labor intensive subsectors of the automobile industry in traditional locations suffered deteriorating wage and employment prospects in the process of globalization. The adjustment to fiercer competition from below differed considerably between Germany, Japan and the United States. Economic restructuring was least pronounced in the US automobile industry, largely due to the resistance of trade unions. As a result, the employment record and the world-market performance of US automobile producers turned out to be poor compared to their German and Japanese counterparts.
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  • Spatz, Julius & Nunnenkamp, Peter, 2004. "Globalization of the automobile industry: traditional locations under pressure?," Open Access Publications from Kiel Institute for the World Economy 3248, Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW Kiel).
    • Handle: RePEc:zbw:ifwkie:3248
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    Cited by:

    1. Fertig, Michael, 2003. "The Impact of Economic Integration on Employment – An Assessment in the Context of EU Enlargement," IZA Discussion Papers 919, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    2. Truett, Lila J. & Truett, Dale B., 2017. "The German motor vehicle industry: Costs and crisis," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 48(C), pages 49-55.
    3. TINA M. Lila J. Truett & TINA M. Dale B. Truett, 2013. "The German Motor Vehicle Industry: Costs and Crisis During the late 1980s and 1990s, Japanese expertise with their flexible and efficient motor vehicle manufacturing system posed a substantial challen," Working Papers 0001, College of Business, University of Texas at San Antonio.
    4. Nunnenkamp, Peter, 2002. "Determinants of FDI in developing countries: has globalization changed the rules of the game?," Kiel Working Papers 1122, Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW Kiel).
    5. Nobuaki Hamaguchi & Silvio Miyazaki & Leonardo Correia, 2014. "State Space Application to Recent Automobile Sector Triangle Trade between Japan and Latin America," Discussion Paper Series DP2014-05, Research Institute for Economics & Business Administration, Kobe University.
    6. Jörg MAYER, 2004. "Industrialization In Developing Countries: Some Evidence From A New Economic Geography Perspective," UNCTAD Discussion Papers 174, United Nations Conference on Trade and Development.
    7. Cody, John,, 2015. "How labor manages productivity advances and crisis response : a comparative study of automotive manufacturing in Germany and the US," ILO Working Papers 994871573402676, International Labour Organization.
    8. Judit Nagy & Zsófia Jámbor, 2018. "Competitiveness In Global Trade: The Case Of The Automobile Industry," Economic Annals, Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Belgrade, vol. 63(218), pages 61-84, July – Se.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • F14 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Empirical Studies of Trade
    • L62 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Manufacturing - - - Automobiles; Other Transportation Equipment; Related Parts and Equipment

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