Joint Ventures, Technology Acquisition and Emerging Multinaltionals: The Case of The Chinese Automotive Industry

This chapter focuses on the relationship between partnerships and joint ventures - as key instruments of learning – and the trajectories of multinational growth in the automotive industry in China. This sector, considered as vertically integrated, plays a crucial role for its economic and social impact. The processes of technological catching up, by leveraging knowledge in the joint ventures or by different strategies, are a pre-condition for the early stages of multinational growth by Chinese companies. These emerging multinationals are also affected by institutional and policy factors. This chapter provides empirical evidence, and sheds light on relevant policy issues.