Title: A study of new supply chain management practices in the Brazilian and Spanish auto industries

Authors: Sílvio R.I. Pires, Guillermo Cardoza

Addresses: Methodist University of Piracicaba, Rodovia do Acucar, Km 156 Piracicaba, 13400-911, SP, Brazil. ' Instituto de Empresa Business School, Calle Maria de Molina 12, Planta 5, Madrid 28006, Spain

Abstract: In the last decade, new practices in Supply Chain Management (SCM) have been implemented in leading industrial sectors such as the Automotive Industry (AI), usually at a greater speed than has been studied or reported by academia. In the case of Brazil, pursuant to a series of investments in new plants, the AI has become a reference in several aspects of SCM. Spain, in turn, after seeing its automotive sector grow and prosper for almost two decades, is now experiencing a phase of relative stagnation and of concern, particularly due to the growing membership in the European Union (EU) and the resulting establishment of new plants and investments in Eastern Europe. In this context, the main purpose of this paper is to present and discuss the major findings of a case study focusing on new practices in SCM implemented in Brazilian and Spanish automotive plants that use new supply chain configurations.

Keywords: supply chain management; SCM; automobile industry; automotive supply chains; industrial condominium; new practices; Brazil; Spain; supply chain configuration.

DOI: 10.1504/IJATM.2007.013384

International Journal of Automotive Technology and Management, 2007 Vol.7 No.1, pp.72 - 87

Published online: 24 Apr 2007 *

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