International Journal of Automotive Technology and Management (9 papers in press)

Regular Issues

• Impact of e-Kanban and ERP integration on lean production: lessons from the Indonesian automotive supply chain  
  by Christian Ricky, Kuniaki Tanaka, Manabu Sawaguchi, Nobuaki Minato 
  Abstract: This study examines the roles of e-Kanban, enterprise resource planning (ERP), and lean production practices (LP) in enhancing supply chain collaboration (SCC) and operational performance in Indonesian automotive supply chains. Employing a mixed-method approach, we integrate a case study of a focal company with a survey conducted among 152 tier-1 suppliers. The relationships between these systems and practices were analysed using structural equation modelling (SEM). The results indicate implementing e-Kanban alone does not inherently improve lean operations; however, user satisfaction with these systems significantly boosts the effectiveness of LP. The integration of e-Kanban and ERP systems, particularly when aligned with just-in-time principles, improves key operational metrics such as cost efficiency, product quality, lead time, productivity, and flexibility, which positively influence SCC and overall performance. This study also provides practical insights for practitioners and highlights the need for further exploration of ERP and LP integration in diverse supply chain contexts.
  Keywords: e-Kanban; enterprise resource planning; ERP; lean production; just-in-time; JIT; Indonesia; supply chain collaboration; operational performance.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJATM.2025.10072489
   
  

Special Issue on: GERPISA 2024 Convergence and divergence of trajectories of changes in the automotive industry

• Leveraging the CASE Paradigm for Inclusive and Sustainable Public Transport: An Economic Evaluation of Autonomous and On-demand Services  
  by Fabio Antonialli, Sylvie Mira-Bonnardel 
  Abstract: This study evaluates the integration of Connected, Autonomous, Shared, and Electric (CASE) vehicles in public transport, focusing on enhancing inclusivity, reducing environmental impacts, and promoting economic sustainability. It aims to address peri-urban mobility challenges by offering adaptable, on-demand transport solutions that improve connectivity and accessibility for underserved populations. Key contributions include demonstrating how CASE vehicles can enhance social inclusion by providing flexible, reliable transport options, particularly in areas with limited traditional public transport; highlighting the potential of CASE vehicles to significantly lower carbon emissions and pollution, aligning with global sustainability goals; and evaluating the economic viability of autonomous transport solutions, showing how they can reduce operational costs and improve financial efficiency. The findings suggest that CASE paradigms can transform public transport networks into sustainable, inclusive, and economically viable systems, addressing the pressing mobility needs of modern urban landscapes.
  Keywords: CASE vehicles; Public Transport; Peri-urban Mobility; Sustainable Transportation; Economic Evaluation; Inclusivity.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJATM.2025.10069304
   
  
• Revisiting Foreign Input Exposure in the Auto Industry: Czechia Meets China  
  by Michal Hrubý, Stanislav Šaroch 
  Abstract: What is the input exposure of the automotive industry to foreign countries, including China? This paper revisits the traditional question from international economics with an updated input-output dataset spanning 1995-2020 and a new taxonomy for foreign production exposure. We summarise stylised facts on the development of the EU automotive supply and value chains, adding knowledge on trade in inputs. We find that the Czech auto industry’s total input exposure to China through gross trade flows in 2020 is 1.59 times higher than the directly observed exposure and reaches a 5.6% exposure level. The value-added input exposure also achieves a steadily growing trend in the observed period and the same significant acceleration within the last two observed years. Moreover, we show how Czech battery imports affect the trade balance with China and discuss the outlook for the Czech automotive industry with an almost non-existent domestic battery industry and its policy implications.
  Keywords: global value chains; input-output analysis; foreign exposure; input exposure; automotive industry; electromobility; battery electric vehicles; industrial policy; Czechia; China.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJATM.2025.10069305
   
  
• The Changing Geography of the Automotive Industry in an Era of Car Electrification: A Critical Assessment  
  by Stéphane Heim, Jaeho Lee, Kosuke Kakitani 
  Abstract: In an era of car electrification, new players are emerging along the supply chain, peripheral countries are playing a more important role, and the position of integrator of incumbent car makers is being called into question. The aim of this paper is to take a critical look at the real transformations taking place in the global automotive industry. It scrutinizes the renegotiation of the role of incumbent car makers in different parts of the world. It highlights three main trends. First, there are major and disruptive changes following the deployment of Chinese battery and EV makers. Second, the geography of the automobile industry has not been profoundly altered, and EVs accentuate the productive relocation to integrated peripheral nations. Third, Japan’s position as an all-electric alternative highlights the path dependency historically built around policies targeting GHG emissions, hybrid technologies, and product policies designed by car and component makers.
  Keywords: EV; geography of automobile production; LIB supply chain; path dependency; battery chemistries; industrial policies; product strategies; productive internationalization.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJATM.2025.10069616
   
  

Special Issue on: GERPISA 2024 Convergence and divergence of trajectories of changes in the automotive industry

• How UAW and Ford, GM, and Stellantis addressed U.S. battery manufacturing work in 2023-2028 contracts  
  by Kristin Dziczek 
  Abstract: The U.S. auto industry is undergoing a transition to electric vehicles (EVs) that holds both promise and peril for autoworkers, their unions, and the communities in which they work. This research examines battery manufacturing in the United States auto industry, the UAW's policy position on vehicle electrification, the 2023 UAW contract protections that address battery plant workers wages and job security with Ford, GM, and Stellantis, and the first UAW agreement with a U.S. battery manufacturer (GM-LG Joint Venture Ultium Cells LLC). The paper also explores the challenges and opportunities facing unions amid the global shift to electrified vehicles.
  Keywords: automakers; automotive industry; automotive manufacturing; battery industry; electric vehicles; employment; industrial policies; labour organisations; lithium ion battery; North America.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJATM.2025.10072374
   
  
• Understanding the emergence of Chinese new energy carmakers - the perspective of productive model  
  by Hua Wang, Chuanjuan Wu, Jinquan Xu, Bin Li 
  Abstract: This paper examines the emergence of Chinese carmakers in the global new energy vehicle (NEV) market through the framework of productive models (Boyer and Freyssenet, 2002). We observe that the competitive viability of Chinese NEV carmakers results from the joint endeavours of the government, industry stakeholders and the substantial market size, while highlighting the increasing influence of Chinese consumers, and the importance of leapfrogging towards the disruptive technology through the creation of ecosystem. To address these dynamics, the paper proposes an updated productive model that incorporates consumer and technology and ecosystem as integral components. A preliminary examination of BYDs productive model facilitates a comparative analysis of Taylorian, Fordian, and Toyotian paradigms, offering new insights into the evolution of productive models in the global automotive industry.
  Keywords: Chinese carmaker; consumer behaviour; industrial policy; geopolitics; new energy vehicle; NEV; productive model.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJATM.2025.10072404
   
  

Special Issue on: Variations of Digitalisation within the Global Automotive Industry

• Digital transformation within the Brazilian automotive industry  
  by Jorge Muniz Jr., Timothy P. Munyon, Anderson S. Costa, Vagner B. Ribeiro 
  Abstract: This paper aims to assess digital readiness in the Brazilian automotive industry. The findings are based on the perspective of Brazilian managers involved in digital transformation implementation. A survey was applied (five-point Likert scale) for 118 respondents from main Brazilian automotive companies who implement or use digital technologies. Although respondents indicate that their organisation has an inspiring vision of how digital technologies create a future of shared value and an understanding of how the competitive landscape changes due to digital trends, they indicate that their organisations need to improve their implementation plans for using digital technologies to achieve business objectives and also experience difficulty leveraging these technologies to improve strategic performance.
  Keywords: digital transformation; automotive; Industry 4.0; readiness; Brazil.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJATM.2025.10070774
   
  
• Digitalisation from logistics to assembly lines: applications in the Portuguese automotive sector  
  by António B. Moniz, Marta Candeias, Nuno Boavida 
  Abstract: The digitalisation of logistics and assembly lines in the Portuguese automotive sector is reshaping manufacturing processes, work organisation and competence requirements. The research aims to assess the challenges and opportunities associated with these technological changes and their impact on workforce skills and organisational structures. Findings suggest that digitalisation is progressing unevenly across logistics and production, with logistics leading in automation while production struggles with legacy systems and high costs. The shift to alternative engines supports digitalisation, but significant workforce skill gaps in AI and digital systems remain a challenge. Companies are implementing internal training, yet outdated vocational programs fail to address Industry 4.0 needs. Rather than full automation, digitalisation is fostering new human-machine collaboration, requiring cooperation between AI specialists, managers, and workers. To ensure success, policymakers and industry leaders must prioritise workforce reskilling and align digital strategies with labour market realities.
  Keywords: logistics; digitalisation; manufacturing; work organisation; qualifications; automotive; Portugal.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJATM.2025.10072451
   
  
• Variegated digitalisation? Comparing digital trajectories in two I4.0 manufactures in Northern Italy.  
  by Sara Caria, Francesco Garibaldo, Matteo Rinaldini 
  Abstract: This paper explores empirically the digital trajectories implemented by two German owned manufacture plants in Northern Italy Both firms, global leaders sports cars and high-tech room air conditioners, respectively, are inspired by lean principles and the I4 0 paradigm, but characterized by different industrial relations, business models, type of product and broader industrial environment Results suggest that, while a predominance of digital shadow can be found in both cases, the reasons leading to that outcome differ sensibly: in one case participation of unions to decision making processes seems to be a key element; in the other, the degree of automatization is constrained by production volumes and product type These findings make the case for a “varieties of digitalisation” argument, where digital trajectories are not determined by the technological potential of innovations, but can be seen as the outcome of different dynamic and polymorphic “variegated” process, involving different sets of rationales.
  Keywords: digital twin; digital shadow; Industry 4.0; industrial relations; varieties of digitalisation; automotive; manufacturing.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJATM.2025.10070300