Comment la production modulaire transforme l'industrie automobile

Abstract

In this paper, we explain why and how the adoption of a modular product-architecture transforms the organisation of industry. Considering the auto industry, we show that modularity-as-process transforms the overall automobile industry: carmakers, suppliers and buyer/suppliers relationships. Modularity-as-process is a key driver of carmakers vertical disintegration, growth of suppliers and emergence of mega-suppliers, international division of labour and delocalizations. This single-industry case study provides some evidences of the mirroring hypothesis (Colfer and Baldwin). In the last part of the paper, we stress that some carmakers develop a new generation of modular platforms. We examine their motivations but also the limits of these platforms and the risk of new unfilled promises.?