A First Stage

The fifth international GERPISA colloquium, on June 12-13-14 last, was the first stage in the realization of the international GERPISA programme on "The possible internationalization paths of the automobile industry". Being especially dedicated to the theme of internationalization strategies and trajectories, it allowed us to make out the differences between firms which we have started to study and to put forward hypotheses on the reasons for these differences, on the conditions to make them disappear and on the emergence of new differences.

But this colloquium was also the occasion to do a lot of work on the three other themes of the programme during concurrent sessions, that is to say, "the strategies and trajectories of the new spaces", "the demand for automobiles and what determines it" and "productive organization and work relationships of international firms". What resulted from this, were either precise work plans or projects for comparative studies which could be done rapidly, if we take into account work already done by network members.

It also appears advisable to make groups to work more closely together by linking a "longitudinal" group to a "transversal" one: in this case "firms' internationalization strategies and trajectories" with "comparison of productive organization and work relationships in internationalized firms", on the one hand, and "strategies and trajectories of new spaces" with "automobile demand and its determinants" on the other hand. The experience gained from the first programme showed that transversal groups had difficulty producing a final book constructing a coherent ensemble with a few comparative studies on precise subjects, and that it would be better to consider as many publications as subjects treated (in appropriate forms: articles and books, according to the extent of comparison and the number of authors). On the other hand, it seems that the "longitudinal" groups needed comparative studies concerning them and vice versa. Hence the value of them working in liaison.

That is why you can find the research questions that were explicated during the debates at the colloquium, grouped together in two sub-units in the "programme news" rubric. The first text is about a few points which complete the analysis plan on the internationalization trajectories already established a few months ago. The second text presents a work plan for the "spaces" and "demand" groups, a plan which John Humphrey is completing and explaining in detail in a contribution that he has sent to a few members of the group he is participating in.

As we wait to get back to work again we wish, at least all the researchers in the northern hemisphere, an excellent summer rest, which is well deserved.

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