Surfing the Global Tide

Car manufacturing epitomizes modern industry, yet the overall perspective has been lost in speculation and self-promotion. Based on six years of research, this book is the first in years to reassess the industry. The result is a paradigm that quantifies the fundamental economies of scale and firm organizational structure.

'This book is a highly interesting historical, economic, and conceptual analysis of the automobile industry from a 'paradigmatic' perspective. It explains in great detail how scale and structure of car companies worldwide are determined by economies of scale and a certain extent of vertical integration. It also shows the limits of the present 'Budd' paradigm and provides an outlook to alternatives. This book is highly recommended for those interested in cars (nearly all of us), especially in this time of economic crisis that has great impact on the car industry as we know it.' - Philip J. Vergragt Ph.D, Professor Emeritus of Technology Assessment, Senior Associate, Tellus Institute

'Surfing the Global Tide' is an important book at an important time. With automakers worldwide being battered by the global financial crisis, speculation abounds about consolidation, realignment and bankruptcy. Wynn-Williams' ambitious work applies to any company on the edge. In pinpointing the minimum size a carmaker must be to survive on its own, his research draws richly from both the theories of economics and the realities of the factory floor. His answer is that successful automakers can churn out a surprisingly low number of vehicles per year. The implications are broad reaching for a range of manufacturers, from Japan's Mazda Motor Corp. and Germany's Daimler AG to the nascent Chinese brands. 'Surfing' is fascinating read for anyone interested in the future path of the globalized auto industry.' - Hans Greimel, Asia Editor, Automotive News

MICHAEL WYNN-WILLIAMS is currently the Senior Analyst (Japan and South Korea) for IHS Global Insight and has extensive experience of the automobile industry in both a professional and academic capacity. He holds a PhD in automotive economics from Cardiff Business School and an MBA from Heriot-Watt University.