Automobiles In China Research Articles

Motivating small-displacement car purchasing in China

Due to the rapid development of the automobile industry and the ever-increasing quantities of produced and sold automobiles in China, many problems such as fuel scarcity and air pollution have emerged. To alleviate such problems, one solution is to promote households to purchase small-displacement (engine) cars (SDCs). Based on the theory of planned behavior, we develop a theoretical framework to examine how influencing factors such as environmental attitude, subjective norm, self-image and environmental knowledge motivate SDC purchasing behavior through SDC purchasing intention in China. We further extend the research framework to examine whether the factor of economic incentives moderates the relationships between SDC purchasing intention and behaviors. Using an empirical study with 232 usable questionnaire responses, we observe that SDC purchasing intention partly mediates the relationship between three of four influencing factors (environmental attitude, self-image, environmental knowledge) and SDC purchasing behavior. Statistical results also show that the factor of economic incentives moderates the relationship between SDC purchasing intention and behavior. Our results indicate that three of four influencing factors can yield SDC purchasing behavior, especially when SDC purchasing intention exists. Economic incentives such as financial support from the government could promote SDC purchasing intention to transform into purchasing behavior.

Impact of Network Centrality Positions on Innovation Performance of the Firm: Evidence from China Automobile Industry

Innovation has attracted attention of researches in last 20 years, while networks and clusters are relatively new research subjects. In our paper we made an attempt to find the relationship between network centrality indexes and innovation performance. Each index represents different features of being in the network. To find the network indexes we have constructed adjacency matrixes based on alliance data. For our research we have chosen China’s automobile industry network as an example, for the reason that Chinese automobile industry showed tremendous growth in recent decade and is fit to research scope which we are conducting. We have collected the data on innovation performance for 59 firms in China’s automobile industry. We used UCINET software program to get the data regarding network properties. After we ran the negative binomial regression model on Gretl software program and constructed 5 models, with total of 7 variables. We have analyzed the relationship between innovation performance and three network centrality measures. According to our new findings firms in the network with more total number of connections and firms with more connections with well-connected firms have better innovation performance. We found that there is no effect on innovation performance when firms have capability to pass information fast.

Market Equilibrium and the Environmental Effects of Tax Adjustments in China's Automobile Industry

Abstract This paper explores the effects of consumption-tax and fuel-tax adjustments in the Chinese automobile industry. Applying the model and simulation method of Berry, Levinson, and Pakes (1995), we conduct a comparative static analysis of equilibrium prices and sales, fuel consumption, and social welfare before and after tax adjustments. For the first time, we compare the progressivity of both taxes. Our empirical findings suggest that the fuel tax is effective in decreasing fuel consumption at the expense of social welfare, while the consumption tax does not significantly affect either fuel consumption or social welfare.

Research on Chinese Automobile Independent Brand Strategy

In recent years, China's auto market has continued to take over the first position in automobile production and sales in the word, the automotive industry has become an important pillar of our national economy. But foreign brands has been dominating the market in the brand, Chinese-brand cars are still going ahead with difficulties. Xu Heyi, the chairman of Beijing Automotive Group, said smoothly that there is a very important criterion to measure the world’s automotive power, that is, whether or not it owns world-class brands. In the promotion of automobile brand, we should focus on the security configuration of the car, interior space, price, comfort, environmental protection, energy-saving, after-sale service and other core elements of the brand’s planning and innovation, which is the fundamental cornerstone of the automobile brand strategy to survive and develop. We should strive to do the following: first, keep the market-driven strategy, choice the target market. Second, improve the overall quality of China's automobile by product innovation and the concept of innovation. Third, optimize brand structure, enhance the brand value, highlight the brand culture. Fourth, establish and perfect after-sales service system, foster credit system of enterprises.

A Research-based Analysis of the Local Mnaufacturers of Large-sized Plastic Mould for Automobile in China--Business Style and Technical Level of Sample Manufacturers in the Greater Shanghai Area--

A Research-based Analysis of the Local Mnaufacturers of Large-sized Plastic Mould for Automobile in China--Business Style and Technical Level of Sample Manufacturers in the Greater Shanghai Area--

Manufacture of Copper-Niobium High-Intensity ADI Driving/Driven Spiral Bevel Gears for Load-Carrying Trucks

This paper discusses utilizing Austempered Ductile Iron (ADI) to manufacture driving/driven spiral bevel gears for big-horsepower (under 350 Hp) heavy truck rear axles, which is a breakthrough in China. Through the carry out of focused research and experiments on main craft process key points of the components, and with all-round analysis to technical/quality outcome achieved, the authors have finally developed this new generation copper-niobium alloy ADI main/sub spiral bevel gear that is suitable for heavy truck (under 350 HP) rear axle uses. While being able to replace 22CrMo and 18CrMnTi alloy forged steels in use, this new gear has also achieved replacing forging & steel with casting & iron. Cutting of two main process steel-making and steel-rolling has not only raised production efficiency, but also lowered the its cost. At current, rear axle spiral bevel gears for automobiles in China are manufactured through forging, with 40Cr18CrMnTi22CrMo as key materials; cemented quenching and tempering techniques are applied in the production process.This method is also used in manufacturing of driving/driven spiral bevel gears for trucks rear axles. Such combination of high-quality steel and forging means high material cost, complicated process, and production inefficiency.

Determinants for Purchasing an Automobile in China

Determinants for Purchasing an Automobile in China

AUTOMOTIVE EXTERIOR NOISE OPTIMIZATION USING GREY RELATIONAL ANALYSIS COUPLED WITH PRINCIPAL COMPONENT ANALYSIS

This paper investigates optimization design of the thickness of the sound package performed on a passenger automobile. The major characteristics indexes for performance selected to evaluate the processes are the SPL of the exterior noise and the weight of the sound package, and the corresponding parameters of the sound package are the thickness of the glass wool with aluminum foil for the first layer, the thickness of the glass fiber for the second layer, and the thickness of the PE foam for the third layer. In this paper, the process is fundamentally with multiple performances, thus, the grey relational analysis that utilizes grey relational grade as performance index is especially employed to determine the optimal combination of the thickness of the different layers for the designed sound package. Additionally, in order to evaluate the weighting values corresponding to various performance characteristics, the principal component analysis is used to show their relative importance properly and objectively. The results of the confirmation experiments uncover that grey relational analysis coupled with principal analysis methods can successfully be applied to find the optimal combination of the thickness for each layer of the sound package material. Therefore, the presented method can be an effective tool to improve the vehicle exterior noise and lower the weight of the sound package. In addition, it will also be helpful for other applications in the automotive industry, such as the First Automobile Works in China, Changan Automobile in China, etc.

The Price Evolution in China's Automobile Market

The automobile market in China has seen unprecedented expansion during the past decade with rapid model turnover and dramatic price decline. This paper aims to document the evolution of price and investigate the sources of price decline, paying attention to both market structure and cost factors. We estimate a market equilibrium model with differentiated multi product oligopoly using market-level sales data in China together with information from household surveys. Our counterfactual simulations show that (quality-adjusted) vehicle prices have dropped by 33 percent from 2004 to 2009. The decrease in markup from intensified competition accounts for about one third of this change and the rest comes from cost reductions through learning by doing and other channels. In addition, our simulations show that the price decline would have been larger had it not been for the growth of household income during this period.

Assessing Countermeasures Designed to Reduce Hazards Between Bike Lane Occupants and Right-Turning Automobiles in China

Transportation professionals in China are facing challenges resulting from increased conflicts between various transportation modes in mixed traffic. This research examines practical and low-cost measures that could reduce the number of conflicts at intersections between bike lane occupants and right-turning vehicles, while maintaining or improving existing operational performance. To test different configurations, three representative intersections in Kunming, China, were analyzed using microsimulation software. The unique traffic flows and geometric layout of the intersections resulted in different alternatives being applied at each intersection. Changes included signal phase changes, such as delayed green signals and separate bicycle phasing; and geometric changes, such as the addition of turn lanes and upstream merge sections for conflicting traffic. Two main operational parameters are used to evaluate existing conditions and alternatives: delay and queue length. Each alternative was compared with the existing conditions to determine the impact on operations, while potentially reducing conflict. The addition of right-turn lanes, which displaces conflicts relative to other alternatives, yielded generally shorter queue lengths and delay, mostly because of added capacity. Partially protected through-bike signal phases proved to only slightly increase delay for most road users, and in some cases reduced delay, but could be more effective at reducing conflict than right-turn lane geometric strategies.

The Strategic Transformation of Automobile Industry in China

In the past few years, the global automobile industry is developing difficultly because of the influence from the financial crisis. In contrast, China's automobile production and sales are still having a blowout type growth, and jumped into the world's largest automobile production and sales market. At the same time, Chinese automobile companies continue to deepen and join with international brand cooperation; independent research and development of the independent brand production, and their technical also get greatly strengthened. Similarly, in the tide of industrial upgrading and international acquisitions, strategic transformation era of Chinese automobile industry has gradually started. This paper based on the world economic crisis brought both challenge and opportunity to the automobile industry in China, comprehensively analysis China's automobile industry development present situation and development trend in the transformation era, with case analysis of China's automobile companies, and then gives some suggestions on China's automobile industry strategy adjustment in transformation.

A Study on Institution Factor for China's Automobile Industry -Focusing on Industry Policies' Transition & Characteristic-

A Study on Institution Factor for China's Automobile Industry -Focusing on Industry Policies' Transition & Characteristic-

Buying an automobile in China: How customer satisfaction is linked to perceived subjective well-being

The objective in this study conducted in mainland China was to explore how an individual's satisfaction as a customer in the purchase and use of an automobile is linked with the social level indicator of that person's perceived subjective well-being (SWB). We found that having the ability to afford major household assets like an automobile that fulfils their needs and gives them satisfaction, arouses a feeling of happiness and perceived SWB in the context of the society they live in, and determines their underlying satisfaction with national economic policy.

Development of Electric Automobiles and Electric Vehicle Charging Facilities in China

The problem of energy saving and environment protection has become more and more crucial in China. New promising technology that makes the problem solved is reviewed in this paper, including electric automobiles and electric vehicle charging systems. It is given the group of customers and charging mode of electric automobiles in China. It is suggested the matches between charging modes and vehicle types. In the short term, conventional gasoline or diesel vehicles is the most realistic and effective, while in the long run, China will meet the urgent challenges of energy crisis and greenhouse gas reduction. It needs technology breakthroughs in battery, public awareness and government input to the development of electric automobiles.

Recycling of electronic control units from end-of-life vehicles in China

In China, electronic control units (ECUs) from end-of-life vehicles (ELVs) are either discarded carelessly or smashed into pieces along with the vehicles for material recycling. With the rapid growth of vehicle population and ECUs in automobiles in China, this recycling scheme poses a serious pollution threat to the environment and wastes resources. This paper presents a new high value-added reuse scheme of ECUs from ELVs and develops a technology roadmap in accordance with China’s actual conditions.

French Automobiles and the Chinese Boycotts of 2008: Politics Really Does Affect Commerce

Abstract We explore the economic impact of boycotts of French automobiles in China during the time of the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Conditions were favorable for a boycott, enabling Chinese consumers to overcome the collective action problems that can prevent boycott success and other voluntary contributions to public goods. We use brand and model level data in a difference-in-difference specification to investigate the boycotts’ effects on sales. A robust pattern of large impacts emerges: sales of French automobile brands fell 25-33 percent or more. Consumers substituted mostly toward Chinese and other Asian cars. The sales of the French models did not experience similar relative sales declines in countries other than China—triple-difference estimates point toward even larger relative loss of market share in China. Our results provide evidence that commerce can be used as an effective political weapon.

Research on Time-Efficiency Oriented Mechanism of After-Sale Service Logistics Operation - China's Automobile Maintenance Industry as Example

In recent years, with the quick development of domestic automobile industry, the after market’s demand is demonstrating strong progress. However, due to lack of customer quick responsive system of after-sale service logistics, quite a few enterprises suffer from gradual loss of profit and customer resource. The article summarize the as-is status for time-efficiency management of after sale logistics, explaining the driving factor of current issues, i.e., task oriented current system, capacity constraint of logistics activities, lack of customer time efficiency evaluation and blank of after sale logistics operation staff. Based on these, together with investigation of companies, bring forward the mechanism of time-efficiency oriented after-sale logistics operation. This mechanism consists of eight sub-systems: organization structure, network planning and layout, reverse logistics operation procedure, time window evaluation mechanism, automatic replenishment system, reverse forecasting system, Kan-ban message system as well as disposal & reuse system. Furthermore, the article makes analysis of the internal operations and external relevance of these eight sub-systems.

Review of "Country Driving: A Journey through China from Farm to Factory"

Peter Hessler's book provides a valuable account of the central role played by the automobile in China’s ongoing urbanization.

Productivity impact of technology spillover from multinationals to local firms: Comparing China's automobile and electronics industries

This study compares the impact of innovative activities of multinationals on local firms in China's automobile and electronics industries. In the automobile industry we find that both multinationals and local firms in the assembly industry have vertical spillovers to local parts supply firms. In contrast, in the electronics industry, only a small amount of vertical spillover effects from local firms can be found. Furthermore, we find that horizontal spillovers exist in neither the automobile industry nor the electronics industry.

From hierarchy to hybrid: The evolving nature of inter-firm governance in China's automobile groups

Despite the rapid growth of automobile industry in China, much remains to be known about the governance structure especially the inter-firm relationship within the Chinese automobile groups. Against China's changing institutional environment and compared to the established knowledge on automobile group governance in Japan, this study provides a case analysis of the evolving nature of inter-firm relationship in one of China's major automobile groups, Tianjin Automotive Group (TAG). A top-down hierarchical administration characterizes the inter-firm relationship in TAG before 1999 due to the heavy influence of the old institutional arrangement. Over time, especially entering 2000, weakening institutional ties between the state and TAG forced the group to be more responsive to market changes and to systematically learn Japanese-style supplier management from a joint venture with Toyota Group. The paper provides rare insights into the evolution of governance structure among the emerging Chinese automobile groups and extends the institution-based view of strategy into the studies of inter-firm relationship in automobile industry.