Title: China's automotive industry: structural impediments to socio-economic rebalancing

Authors: Boy Lüthje; Miao Tian

Addresses: Institut für Sozialforschung, Senckenberganlage 26, 60325 Frankfurt/M, Germany ' Institut für Sozialforschung, Senckenberganlage 26, 60325 Frankfurt/M, Germany

Abstract: The paper examines the development of the Chinese automobile industry in the context of the rebalancing of China's economy towards domestically-oriented growth, increased consumption and industrial upgrading. The authors analyse the regimes of accumulation, modes of regulation, and regimes of production in the car industry in China, and assess the geographic expansion of automobile manufacturing into new greenfield sites in recent years. In the face of the rising economic, social and environmental costs of the present mode of growth, strategic approaches are discussed to integrate innovation, industrial upgrading and reform of labour relations.

Keywords: China; automobile industry; accumulation; regulation; labour relations; industrial policy; automotive manufacturing; structural impediments; economic rebalancing; greenfield sites; social costs; environmental impact; innovation; industrial upgrading; labour reform.

DOI: 10.1504/IJATM.2015.070277

International Journal of Automotive Technology and Management, 2015 Vol.15 No.3, pp.244 - 267

Received: 30 Oct 2014
Accepted: 23 Dec 2014
Published online: 01 Jul 2015 *

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