Product Technology Obtainment and Supply Chain Performance: an Empirical Study Based on China's Auto Industry

摘要

The article focuses on a development history of China's auto industry over the past 30 years in learning from the foreign companies and obtaining their technologies, and the relationship between the obtaining methods and the results. Riding on the "opening up to the outside world" policy, the auto industry worked out a "market for technology" program and a number of domestic auto makers have established series joint ventures with their foreign counterparts. The joint ventures are said to have known something about the advanced technologies on production and management, but failed to master the critical capability of developing new products. Meanwhile, independent auto makers have begun leading the learners and the methods include introduction, badge engineering, joint development and merger. This is a peculiar way to learn from others with the auto industry. The various methods have achieved better results on an average, but they are reporting imbalances in terms of innovation and competitive edge.