Abstract
Automotive industry is recognized as one of the most global of all industries. "On a global level, the assets of the top ten multinational automotive enterprises represent 28% of the assets of the world's top 50 companies, 29% of their employment and 30% of their total sales.
In 1999, four of the world's ten largest companies were in the automotive sector: General Motors (no 4), Ford (no 5), Toyota (no 6) and Daimler Chrysler (no 7). Several other European based companies can be found within the top 100 companies: Volkswagen (no 12), BMW (no 20), Renault (no 28), Peugeot (no 49), Fiat (no 51) and Volvo (no 88) (European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions, Sector futures, and the automotive sector at a crossroads).
In the middle of the 20th century, there were more than a hundred automotive producers. In the decades since, continuing consolidation of both producers and major suppliers due to overcapacity has led to the creation of major groups. Over the last 20 years, multinational groups have emerged such as Daimler-Benz, Chrysler and Mitsubishi; Ford, Volvo, Mazda
and Rover; Nissan and Renault; and General Motors, Fiat and Saab.
"In 1995, 1.2 million people were employed in manufacturing and assembling vehicles and over half a million in making parts. If the jobs in related industries are included, over 12 million EU citizens are employed in the automotive industry" (European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions, Sector futures, and the automotive sector at a crossroads). But, since the 1970s and 1980s, the native European automotive industry, and particularly, that of the United Kingdom, is declining, because of foreign direct investment by companies such as Toyota, Nissan, and General Motors. In 2005, production of cars was 66.5 million, 2 million more than in 2004. The market is dominated by a few numbers of companies that are known all around the world. General Motors is the first car manufacturer in terms of production (more than 9 million vehicles in 2005) before Toyota (more than 7.3 million) and Ford (almost 6.5 million). In the EU, Volkswagen, Ford (Volvo), PSA Peugeot Citroen, General Motors and Renault are the biggest players in the manufacture of passenger cars.
