How labor manages productivity advances and crisis response: A comparative study of automotive manufacturing in Germany and the US

Abstract

This research study will examine how labor manages productivity advances and crisis response in both the United States and Germany's automobile manufacturing sector, particularly in the context of technological application, workplace organization, and the political economies of both countries. In the US, labor is increasingly challenged through reductions in the workforce and lower wages while in Germany, labor has remained resilient even during the global economic crisis of 2008. This paper utilizes in-depth interviews with key actors in the automotive industry, field research at automotive plants, and an examination of relevant literature and data. Among the areas examined are automation, workforce training regimes, institutional factors, and outsourcing.