This pioneering work focuses on the crucial role that the cooperation of Japan, a major stakeholder in production networks in North America, is playing in supporting Mexico's domestic suppliers of the automotive industry. The importance of Japanese cooperation is analyzed with an examination of the transfer of knowledge and technology crucial for reshaping the automotive industry. Additionally, particular interest is given to the challenges posed to Mexico's automotive industry by the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), the Covid-19 disruptions, and the transition to electric vehicle (EV) manufacturing. The book demonstrates the importance of cooperation in economic partnership agreements such as the one between Japan and Mexico to strengthen the role of investment in complex regional integration networks and to face new challenges. Academics and policymakers will find a framework to guide research and decision-making regarding the transformation of automotivemanufacturing and production networks in Mexico's automotive industry. Specifically, the new conditions facing small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and the important part that Japanese cooperation will play in the industry's evolution.

Autorentext

Dr. Leo Guzman-Anaya is a research professor at the University Center of Economic and Managerial Science (CUCEA), University of Guadalajara, Mexico. He graduated at the bachelor's level in International Business from the University of Guadalajara, earned a master's degree in Economics from Tokyo International University, Japan, and a Ph.D. in Economics and Management Science with a specialization in Applied Economics from the University of Guadalajara. His research is oriented toward International Economics with a special interest in inter-industry spillovers and location determinants from Japanese investment. During his academic career, he has been consulted on topics related to foreign direct investment by Mexican and Japanese government agencies. He is currently a member of Mexico's National System of Researchers.