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Designated Drivers: How China Plans to Dominate the Global Auto Industry
An in-depth look at the Chinese car industry that sheds new light on the delicate nature of China's planned economy China's unprecedented growth over the last three decades, along with the recent financial crisis in the West, has raised questions about the superiority of state-led capitalism. In Designated How China Plans to Dominate the Global Auto Industry , G.E. Anderson, a specialist in finance and Chinese political economics, uses the auto industry to examine how China's industrial planning works, and explores whether state involvement in the economy really is a winning formula for sustainable growth. Bringing to light the strengths and weaknesses that define the Chinese economy, Anderson finds that in some ways the government has become its own worst enemy, unable to choose between industrial competitiveness and social stability. While the economy is booming now, evidence suggests that long-term success is far from assured. Tracing the evolution of the post-Mao auto industry through thirteen case studies, Designated Drivers raises the difficult questions about the future of China that few people have dared to ask. A painstakingly researched analysis of the Chinese automobile industry, Designated Drivers explains the risks and rewards inherent in doing business in China that anyone interested in, or already working there need to understand.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published April 2, 2012
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
December 16, 2012
G.E. Anderson in Designated Drivers: How China Plans to Dominate the Global Auto Industry offers a unique insight into how China plans to dominate not just the global auto industry, but the global economy at large.
He uses the automobile industry as his vehicle for a wider discussion of the economic structure of the Communist state. After reading this book, I'm not sure that China can dominate much of anything, as some noted China hawks have argued.
The Chinese system as depicted as a series of giant conflictions between the stated goals of the central government and the economic needs of localized governments.For example, the central government has wanted a more centralized car industry, but achieving this goal would mean shuttering hundreds of local operations and leaving thousands of people unemployed, which could create a source of instability that the government wants to prevent at all cost.
Adding further confusion to things, China claims they want a domestic car industry that can rival the world, yet have made nary a dent in the international marketplace. Yeah, they are good at copying foreign designs, but it also takes inventive minds that aren't exactly prized within the rigid structure of the Communist state system.
Not saying that China can't dominate industry, but the tangled mess of interaction between central state actors, local actors, and foreign companies in their auto industry casts doubt on those gloomy theorists who depict China as buying the world.
Anderson has a fairly free and engaging writing style and is very careful to explain key terms so that a ton of knowledge about the car industry is not a prerequisite to get something out of the book. The reality is that this book extends deeper than cars and acts as a primer on the entire Chinese economic system. Solid read.
He uses the automobile industry as his vehicle for a wider discussion of the economic structure of the Communist state. After reading this book, I'm not sure that China can dominate much of anything, as some noted China hawks have argued.
The Chinese system as depicted as a series of giant conflictions between the stated goals of the central government and the economic needs of localized governments.For example, the central government has wanted a more centralized car industry, but achieving this goal would mean shuttering hundreds of local operations and leaving thousands of people unemployed, which could create a source of instability that the government wants to prevent at all cost.
Adding further confusion to things, China claims they want a domestic car industry that can rival the world, yet have made nary a dent in the international marketplace. Yeah, they are good at copying foreign designs, but it also takes inventive minds that aren't exactly prized within the rigid structure of the Communist state system.
Not saying that China can't dominate industry, but the tangled mess of interaction between central state actors, local actors, and foreign companies in their auto industry casts doubt on those gloomy theorists who depict China as buying the world.
Anderson has a fairly free and engaging writing style and is very careful to explain key terms so that a ton of knowledge about the car industry is not a prerequisite to get something out of the book. The reality is that this book extends deeper than cars and acts as a primer on the entire Chinese economic system. Solid read.
November 16, 2012
Designated Drivers looks at how the Chinese auto industry has developed and the look for the future. Whether or not it will become a dominate force is left up to question at the end of the book. While Chinas is making many moves to become a major player they are still a long way from being one. The Chinese auto industry is a complicated weave of State government, local government and private enterprise with the occasional join venture thrown in. The state wants to promote a globally competitive auto industry but has not consolidated as much as it could due to the small local governments relying on auto industry for jobs in their provinces. The main goal of the companies has always been technology acquisition and while some Chinese firms have developed uniquely Chinese designs. The final push has been for new energy vehicles like electric in which the Chinese are much further along than most with bonafide electric cars. Given the spike in oil consumption from a growing Chinese’ middle class this seems a prudent investment to make in the long term. Overall Anderson’s analysis is very thorough and while the chapters are a little choppy there is great information here. For those looking to learn about the auto industry in China and how it developed to where it is this is the perfect book to start.
August 24, 2013
Awesome book! I'm not an economist, an industrialist, nor an historian. However this book captured and held my attention with good storytelling! The author, Dr. Anderson, uses his relationships, life experiences, and keen insights to develop the character of the parts and person of the culture. He weaves details and information using familiar images and language to paint a vivid picture of a people through one aspect of their economy, the auto industry. I've requested that my high school students read this book as an introduction not only to the culture, but to the strategic planning the Chinese are doing overtly and subtly to Dominate. Well done!
October 31, 2012
Read it for class. Review coming soon.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews