ABSTRACT
This chapter outlines the context of the empirical research and provides an historical background to the nature of work and organisational life in contemporary organisations operating in the automotive sector. It identifies the distinct phases related to the employment relationship and work organisation that characterise the development of the sector, drawing upon the approaches adopted by producers in the United States and Europe. The entry of Japan as a leading agent of change to work practices in both Europe and the United States is discussed, in terms of the influence and transferability of its ‘lean’ approaches. In tandem with that, the simultaneous effects of the global nature of change characterised by flexibility, human resource management and excellence, are considered. The chapter continues with an exploration of what might be termed ‘post-lean’ developments, together with the future of the automotive sector itself, clearly increasingly operating within a global environment that is characterised by market saturation, mergers, alliances and new producers emerging from Eastern Europe and the Asia-Pacific region. In view of such increased competition and globalisation, it is clear that managing change and continuous improvement will be key issues, essential to ensure survival for contemporary organisations in the sector. The chapter concludes that the organisations most likely to survive will be those that engage the commitment of people to learn and innovate, thereby ensuring continuous improvement – provided that appropriate systems, structures and processes are in place for this to occur.
