Effects of modular platforms on suppliers companies: evidence from Volkswagen Polo manufacturing in Navarra (Spain)

Antolín, María José Paz; Gálvez, María Eugenia Ruiz

doi:10.1108/jmtm-02-2020-0057

Cited by 3 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 18 publications

(35 reference statements)

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“…As mentioned above, we distinguish five types of companies: the carmaker, suppliers of parts and components, pre-assemblers of modules, logistics companies and auxiliary companies. In Table 1, we synthesise our conceptual framework regarding sources of power, also collecting the indicators used for the case study (see also Paz and Ruiz Galvez, 2020).…”

Section: Case Study: Inter-firm Relations and Working Conditions In T...mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Among the supplier companies in the sample (see Paz and Ruiz Galvez, 2020, for more details), worthy of first mention is the group of suppliers of parts and components; these include both national and multinational firms of large size (global suppliers). Their activities are capital-intensive and have capacity for innovation.…”

Section: Case Study: Inter-firm Relations and Working Conditions In T...mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The technical and spatial organisation of the production process is represented in Figure 1 (Paz and Ruiz Galvez, 2020).…”

Section: Case Study: Inter-firm Relations and Working Conditions In T...mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Inter-firm power relations and working conditions under new production models

Antolín¹,

Rísquez

Ruiz-Gálvez

2022

Econ. labour relat. rev.

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In investigating recent changes to the automotive industry production process, such as modularisation, our work emphasises the process of fragmentation of production as a configuring element of inter-firm power relationships, and as an explanatory element in working conditions. From a theoretical framework focused on power relations, we analyse by way of a selected case study how the capabilities of companies and their network positions, together with the agency of labour, shape the power relations that influence the evolution of working conditions. The study does indeed find relevant changes to inter-firm relationships, for example, within networks of assemblers and suppliers, but without a consequent re-balancing of power. This finding serves to explain differences in the evolution of working conditions between distinct companies, these conditions being fully functional to a strategy for profitability and thus difficult to reverse. JEL Codes: J31, L14, L62

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Section: Case Study: Inter-firm Relations and Working Conditions In T...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Case Study: Inter-firm Relations and Working Conditions In T...mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Inter-firm power relations and working conditions under new production models

Antolín¹,

Rísquez

Ruiz-Gálvez

2022

Econ. labour relat. rev.

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Modularity in design and production relationships: a field study in two automakers

Kubota

Cauchick‐Miguel²,

Hsuan³

et al. 2022

Int J Adv Manuf Technol

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Modularity-in-design (MID) and modularity-in-production (MIP) relationship has been gaining the attention of scholars and practitioners along the years. However, the literature does not specify how this connection occurs and its implications. This paper analyzes the relationship between MID and MIP within the automotive scenario and investigates its main technical and organizational implications. Through an abductive, matched-pair case study carried out in two large automakers, the study gathered data from interviews, on-site observations, and eld notes from all interactions within the plants. The paper indicates that (i) both automakers prioritize modular design before modular production, characterizing a productrelated approach, and (ii) the investigated automotive companies have different approaches when developing MID. One automaker focuses on product functionalities to develop the modules; the other company dedicates efforts towards a MID-MIP relationship through the industrial condominium concept. Results indicate signi cant propositions to be tested regarding MID-MIP connection, with original insights from two make-to-order (MTO) automotive companies. modular product architecture. Changes in the hierarchies in production systems and inter-rm systems create tensions with product architecture, encouraging its rede nition [2]. Therefore, other studies have been defending that the changes towards separability, recombinability, exibility, loose coupling, process independence and autonomy, would affect decisions regarding component commonality, combinability, standardized interfaces and function interactions.Nevertheless, there are occasions when MID-MIP relationships may have a two-way trajectory (e.g., [1, 6,[31][32][33]). Such MID-MIP relationship trajectory and its respective organizational effects depend on the unit of analysis considered [32], suggesting that there are contingencies that moderate MID-MIP connection. MID-MIP paths result from [31]: (i) previous and current con guration of the examined organization; (ii) product architecture characteristics; (iii) rate of technological change and organizational learning.Modularity can be improved when its concept extends to manufacturing processes [9]. In fact, there is currently more consensus indicating that higher degree of MID over time enables manufacturing structure changes towards a higher MIP level, i.e., product architecture can generate technical and organizational changes in production processes, which characterizes a product-related approach. Furthermore, some authors claim that modularity choices in product development processes affect further decisions and activities regarding manufacturing processes, enabling MIP (e.g., [2,7,29,34]). However, it is noteworthy that companies may have different goals when applying modularity, which may lead to distinct levels of relationships between MID and MIP and different strategies and objectives [2,10]. Table 1 summarizes the theoretical evidence regarding the MID-MIP interrelationship, while Fig. 1 indica...

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The transformation of the automotive industry toward electrification and its impact on global value chains: Inter-plant competition, employment, and supply chains

Rísquez Ramos,

Ruiz-Gálvez

2024

European Research on Management and Business Economics

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Effects of modular platforms on suppliers companies: evidence from Volkswagen Polo manufacturing in Navarra (Spain)

Cited by 3 publications

References 18 publications

Inter-firm power relations and working conditions under new production models

Inter-firm power relations and working conditions under new production models

Modularity in design and production relationships: a field study in two automakers

The transformation of the automotive industry toward electrification and its impact on global value chains: Inter-plant competition, employment, and supply chains

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