This book was born from curiosity. To begin with, it was the curiosity of an economist who studied in the 60’s in an environment which has subsequently developed from national into global economics. Who has to recognize that politicians, scholars and large segments of society oblivious to supranational authorities and e- nomic globalization forces continue to labour under the notion that they are still fully autonomous and sovereign when shaping national economic policy. And pretend as though their own national state were still the "m- ter in its own house" that despite unbridled market economics could c- tinue to dictate to the economy and companies how to live and in which "rooms". All that has become fiction. The laws of globalization diminish the - noeuvring space for shaping national economic policy. Even if many folks today don’t want to hear it: The issue is no longer achieving what is soc- politically desirable for the own society but rather the optimal adaptation of society and social benefits to the politically practicable.

Inhaltsangabe:Definition of problem This paper deals with the future strategic orientation of manufacturers of luxury cars. The sociological, political, ecological, technological and economic environmental factors and their influence on corporate orientation will be highlighted and analysed. This fundamental problem for car niche brands is investigated through the example of Maserati, an upmarket brand which has become, like no other, both a trendsetter and a victim of the expectations of its patrons and customers and is now struggling for market shares together with its parent company. This paper will initially highlight influencing factors and also the need for efficiency in manufacture and production, as well as the new tasks and challenges arising from legislation. Macroeconomic factors, such as the shrinking purchasing power in developed countries like the U.S. due to inflation (and stagflation) worries (which result from the daily rise in raw material prices), exert just as great an influence on car sales figures as the growing number of super-rich in Third World countries. The question concerning the shift of target markets arises. Do the raw materials inhibit sales for these products? Or is the clientele immune? What innovations are demanded, and are they compatible with the attributes associated with super sports cars and luxury cars? Ferrari, Maserati, Lamborghini, and even Aston Martin are manufacturers who boast that they make cars with horrendous power ratings, fuel consumption, and emission levels. Their customers love the sound of the engines, comparable as they are with aircraft engines. They produce engines with eight, ten or even twelve cylinders, epitomising power, but at the same time are more suitable for the race track than for the road if one compares their figures with those of classic mass-market cars. The customers rate performance and sound higher than fuel consumption per litre and environmental awareness. These are geared to basic male instincts. Beauty of form, brute force and eroticism are mostly described in terms of beautiful women or sins or mythological mental attributes. The marketing is concerned with lifestyle, passion, and the child in people, the Freudian id. A man simply wants to own these mighty projectiles; forget common sense. The owner of such a car is, according to this car s marketing image, the one who has created it. He is successful, healthy, rich and good-looking. A majority of the world s male [...]

In large cities in developed countries, the share of manufacotruing has declined drastically in the last decades and the share of service has grown as many manufacturing firms have closed or moved to lower-cost locations. The process of deindustrialization is often seen as part of the inevitable shift towards a knowledge based economy and urban economies come to rely on research and development, financial services, tourism and the creative industries. This book looks at the changing link between manufacturing and knowledge-based activities in urban regions. The authors develop a new framework drawing on insights from organization studies and regional economic literature looking at various international case studies in Western and Eastern Europe, South America and Asia.

Profiles jobs in manufacturing such as aerospace engineers, cost estimators, industrial designers, industrial engineers, and more.

Understanding National Culture and Ethics in Organisations: A Study of Eastern and Central Europe reveals some leading questions in business research, linking ethics and national culture, with a particular emphasis on Eastern European countries.

Introduction -- The Lure and Challenges of the Automobile Industry -- Institutions, Politics and Developmental Divergence -- Thailand: Early opening and Export success -- The Philippines and Indonesia: Extensive Development Arrested and Delayed -- Korea: Successful Intensive Industrialization -- Malaysia: How Intensive Development Strategies Fail in the Absence of Appropriate Institutions -- China: Revamping socialist institutions for a market economy -- Taiwan: Balancing independent assembly, MNCs, and parts promotion in a small market -- Conclusion.