U. S. Automotive Industry : Policy Overview and Recent History

by Cooney, Stephen; Yacobucci, Brent D.

• ISBN13: 9781600211300
• ISBN10: 1600211305
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2006-05-25
• Publisher: Nova Science Pub Inc

Summary

Over one million Americans are employed in manufacturing motor vehicles, equipment and parts. But the industry has changed dramatically since the U.S. "Big Three" motor vehicle corporations (General Motors, Ford and Chrysler) produced the overwhelming majority of cars and light trucks sold in the United States, and directly employed many people themselves. By 2003, most passenger cars sold in the U.S. market were either imported or manufactured by foreign-based producers at new North American plants (so-called "transplant" facilities). The Big Three now dominate only in light trucks, and are also now being challenged there by the foreign brands. The Big Three have shed about 600,000 U.S. jobs since 1980, while about one-quarter of Americans employed in automotive manufacturing (nearly 300,000) work for the foreign-owned companies. It is clear that the U.S. automotive industry has undergone many drastic changes that have had a net adverse effect on American interests. This book examines the causes of these changes. Congressional acts, increasingly stringent emission laws, the effects of NAFTA, labour unions and globalisation are all within the scope of this book.

Table of Contents

Introduction and key findings	p. 1
Developments in the U.S. domestic automotive industry	p. 3
The automotive industry in the international context	p. 9
Impact of fuel economy and emissions standards	p. 13
Automotive industry outlook and policy issues	p. 17
Recent legislation	p. 19
Policy issues for the 109th Congress	p. 21
North American industry profile	p. 25
Consolidation of the North American industry	p. 33
Rise of international investment in North America	p. 39
Big three lead in light trucks - transplants grow rapidly	p. 45
Shifts in employment among companies	p. 49
Changes among states in automotive employment	p. 53
Divergence in labor relations organization	p. 59
Pension and health care issues	p. 67
U.S. automotive trade : data and policy issues	p. 71
The changing U.S. automotive trade balance	p. 77
Globalization of the automotive industry	p. 93
Globalization and the U.S. market	p. 95
Global performance of automotive manufacturing companies	p. 99
Performance by producing countries	p. 107
The global automotive supplier industry	p. 113
Fuel economy and emissions standards	p. 119
Fuel economy standards	p. 121
Emissions standards	p. 131
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