Since the 1980s, competitive pressure has increased in the world economy. In addition to traditional trade flows, the globalisation of production and markets has greatly enhanced the complexity of the international division of labour. Declining transaction and information costs have stimulated...

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...