The automotive markets of the industrialized world are saturated, holding little hope of growth for the "growth-minded" automotive industry. Who will survive? Who will drop out? What will be the consequences for suppliers? Which regions will lose, which will win? Emerging markets like China, India, and Eastern Europe are still too small to matter much, and wish to develop their own automotive production. This book offers an impressive account of the present state of the world's 11 big automotive companies and their prospects for the future, and offers a sound 10-year forecast.

Autorentext

Dr. Helmut Becker is a world-renowned expert on the automotive industry. He has served on the staff of the German Council of Economic Advisors. As Chief Economist at BMW, he headed the Corporate Economic Research and Policy department for several of his twenty plus years there. Currently, he is the founder and CEO of Business Relations Company AG, and in addition, runs his own institute for economic analysis. Dr. Becker holds degrees in Economics and Business Studies and a PhD in Political Science.

Klappentext

"From our point of view, the book provides a very interesting assessment of the current and future development of the competitive situation in the global automotive industry. It particularly makes clear that the Western sales markets can only return to a growth course by means of technical innovations and the further development of the product "automobile". This means that innovations to secure and extend individual manufacturers` market positions are absolutely necessary as part of the constantly intensifying elimination of competition in the automotive industry."

Prof. Dr.-Ing., Henning Wallentowitz, Director, Institut für Kraftfahrwesen, Aachen, Germany

"A book extremely worth reading for all those interested in the future of the global automotive industry - manufacturers, suppliers, the retail and service sectors, etc. It is particularly valuable because it is the first study to analyze the development of the industry from a global perspective and to give a blunt but realistic prognosis of the consequences of the coming intensified competition among the remaining 12 manufacturers ... For Bosch, it is particularly important that securing competitiveness in Germany, as a production location, requires all those involved to rethink in the long term. The competition with low-cost countries leaves us no choice!"

Dr. Adolf Ahnefeld, Executive Director, Corporate Development, Robert Bosch GmbH, Stuttgart, Germany 

"This book is extremely worth reading. Firstly, because the competitive situation is presented from a global perspective for the first fime, rather than from the point of view of a single country or company. Secondly, it is the first attempt to evaluate the individual manufacturers chances for the future in a cross-comparison. And finally, it is written by an "old-school economist" who has experienced the industrys heyday as well as the emerging predatory competition of the last threedecades at first hand, as an insider. The book provides  valuable information in an understandable style and entertaining form, but also makes clear statements on the tough consequences of global competition for the automotive manufacturers and the supply industry. Recommended reading for everyone in risk and asset management in the financial industry."

 Dr. Kurt Demmer, Chief Economist, Industriekreditbank (IHK), Düsseldorf, Germany

Zusammenfassung
This book was born from curiosity. To begin with, it was the curiosity of an economist who studied in the 60's in an environment which has subsequently developed from national into global economics. Who has to recognize that politicians, scholars and large segments of society oblivious to supranational authorities and e- nomic globalization forces continue to labour under the notion that they are still fully autonomous and sovereign when shaping national economic policy. And pretend as though their own national state were still the "m- ter in its own house" that despite unbridled market economics could c- tinue to dictate to the economy and companies how to live and in which "rooms". All that has become fiction. The laws of globalization diminish the - noeuvring space for shaping national economic policy. Even if many folks today don't want to hear it: The issue is no longer achieving what is soc- politically desirable for the own society but rather the optimal adaptation of society and social benefits to the politically practicable.

Inhalt
The current situation: markets in upheaval, turbulence in the sector oligopoly.- The Western European automotive industry: cost stress and profit pressure.- Global mega trends until 2015: intensified selection process.- Further concentration of automobile manufacturers by 2015.- Consequences for the Components Supply Industry.- The future map of global vehicle location some reflections.