International production and R&D strategies of German automotive suppliers

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Résumé:

The global markets of automotive manufacturers (OEM) have shifted significantly in recent years. Growth markets in emerging economies, especially China, have significantly gained importance, while Western Europe and North America stagnated. As a result, exports and domestic value added decreased, while value added and employment were expanded in the target countries.
Little is known so far, however, how German automotive suppliers organize their international presence, as this is not covered by statistical data. In this context, the following research questions arise:
• To what extent and where do German automotive suppliers plan to expand their international presence in production and R&D?
• What different patterns between 1st tier suppliers and suppliers of 2nd tier and following, as well as between large suppliers and SMEs, can be seen?
• To what extent and in which regions do suppliers implement a co-location of production and R&D?