Boy Luethje’s research on “Green cars―low wages? Changing value chains in the automotive industry in China” sheds light on the evolving dynamics of the automotive industry in the country. As China strives to become a global leader in green technology, the production and distribution of Electric vehicles are becoming increasingly important.
Luethje’s study suggests that the shift towards green cars is leading to changes in value chains within the industry. This transformation has implications for workers’ wages, as the demand for skilled labor in the production of electric vehicles increases. While green car production may lead to higher pay for some workers, others may experience a decrease in wages due to automation and changes in job requirements.
Overall, Luethje’s research highlights the complex interplay between technological advancements, environmental sustainability, and labor practices in the automotive industry. As China continues to push for greener transportation options, understanding these changing value chains will be crucial for policymakers, industry stakeholders, and workers alike.
Watch the video: Boy Luethje on “Green cars―low wages? Changing value chains in the automotive industry in China”
China is a leading force in new-energy vehicles, digital cars, and shared mobility. Driven by ambitious government policies and massive urban transformation, China has emerged as the world’s largest market and production site for electric vehicles. This process engenders deep changes in the automotive industry, shifting from traditional models of manufacturing (“Fordism”, “Toyotism”) to forms of network-based mass production as known from the information-technology industry. With this, large numbers of auto industry jobs are coming under threat, in industrialized countries as well as in China. This talk will explore the changing structure of value chains in the Chinese car industry and explore implications for production models, work, and politics.
Boy Luethje’s research at the East-West Center focuses on global production networks, labor standards, and industrial relations in China and the global economy. He currently directs a number of local research projects on advanced manufacturing and on the emerging electric-vehicle industry in South China and contributes to a major report by the International Labor Organization (ILO) on the future of work in the automotive industry. His publications include “From Silicon Valley to Shenzhen: Global production and work in the IT industry” and “Beyond the iron rice bowl: Regimes of production and industrial relations in China.” To contact Boy, email: [email protected].