Moscow, Moscow, Russian Federation
The paper presents the results of a study of models of European production networks in the automotive sector in the late XX – early XXI centuries. The model in the work is understood as a stable configuration of relationships between leading firms and suppliers of production networks, characterized by a specific technology for the production of automobiles, a unique organizational and network structure, as well as a well-established spatial configuration of production facilities, control centers and competencies. The research methodology was based on a qualitative and quantitative analysis of the location of enterprises, flows of finished and intermediate products, foreign direct investment, as well as the innovative activity of firms. As a result of the research, three unique models of network architecture were identified: traditional («core-periphery»), consolidating («cluster-network») and transformational («eco-network»). The first model dates back to the end of the 20th century. It is characterized by the dependent nature of the relationships between the enterprises of technologically advanced Western and comparatively lagging Eastern Europe. The second model took place at the beginning of the 21st century. It was characterized by the processes of combining simple nodes and ready-made modules and large platforms, the location of suppliers and assembly plants, as well as the formation of mega-suppliers as a special class of network agents. Finally, the third model is being deployed at the present stage and is characterized by the reconfiguration of the production technology of finished cars, the location of suppliers and the organizational structure of the network in the context of the transition to the production of electric vehicles and the active introduction of digital technologies. In particular, there is a reduction in the number of components in the final product, a corresponding decrease in the length of the production chain and the formation of separate «pulsating» growth points on the map of the European automotive industry. The results of the conducted research are important for determining relevant strategies for the development of the automotive sector in the Eurasian integration space.
production networks, automotive industry, Europe, network model, electric vehicles, core-periphery, intermediate products
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