Company Analysis Report : Automotive Industry

The purpose of this report is to become familiar with research tools, to introduce a framework for secondary industry research and gain to practical experience in creating an executive summary. This research paper looks at a broad set of indicators on the Canadian new vehicle industries. The Canadian automotive industry produces light duty vehicles — cars, vans, pickup trucks; heavy duty vehicles—trucks, transit buses, school buses, military vehicles; and a wide range of parts, components, and systems used in vehicles of this nature. To complement its manufacturing activities, the industry boasts a well-developed vehicle dealer network, plus an aftermarket organization which has grown into a world-class distribution system and service provider (Canadian automotive industry, 2014). Canada accounts for a small amount of 4.6% of the Americas new cars market value (New Cars in Canada, 2016). Throughout the project I became more aware of how much the industry is worth. The worlds automotive industry accounts for around $1 trillion in annual sales. (Canada’s Auto and Auto Parts Industry Industrial Outlook, 2006). However, in 2015 the Canadian new cars market had total revenues of $15.0 billion. The market is expected to grow substantially by 18% in 2020 (New Cars in Canada, 2016).

Given the current economic climate, I think the automotive industry is going to be faced with a multitude of economic challenges in the next five years. As an oligopoly market, the auto industry is highly dependent on strategic decision-making, and the demand for dynamic innovation and supply at decreased-cost levels. Competition, possibilities of turning substitutes into compliments, and shifts toward higher demand in services are seemingly leading factors that face the current automotive industry in the immediate future. But first, we should not ignore the political forces at play within the market.

Several factors have affected how the American auto industry now positions itself on the world market, and big changes have been made to reflect this new direction. The introduction of new technologies in vehicles, the growing market for cars in new developing markets, the impact of the industry on the environment, legislative responses and demands, as well as the increased expectations from consumers, are some of the factors. More international cars are being designed, manufactured and bought by American consumers and exported to foreign markets today than those exclusively manufactured by American companies, redefining the American auto industry, while having a positive impact on its economy. International brands accounted for 45% of total sales in the U.S. in 2013 and have now risen to 59% of the market, and continue to grow. While the amount of American cars has decreased in the local U.S. market share to international ones, the increase of foreign car production on U.S. soil has had the effect of creating new jobs for Americans both in the auto industry as well as in related new industries. The industry has seen huge growth numbers in the last few years with more growth expected.

While car manufacturing is a global industry, automotive companies such as JLR operate in broader regions such as Europe and Asia. Three major trends were identified affecting car production in mature markets, the first was the fragmentation of mature markets, customers were demanding more choice, and this has made it difficult for manufacturers to obtain economies of scale, so cost had to be reduced and with the general

AutoZone’s primary industry is best categorized as the auto parts retailer industry since they sell an assortment of brand name and private label auto parts to consumers and commercial customers (Parnell, 2008). As a result, AutoZone’s primary industry would include companies such as, O’Reilly’s Auto Parts, Advance Auto Parts, Napa Auto Parts, and a litany of small family owned businesses that specialize in selling auto parts. AutoZone’s secondary industry includes a plethora of companies, such as, new car dealerships, giant discount stores like Walmart and Target, convenience stores, and Amazon, since they sell a multitude of products also sold by AutoZone and other stores in their primary industry. Therefore, the auto parts retailer industry

The automotive industry designs, develops, manufactures, markets and sells motor vehicles, and is one of the world’s most important economic divisions by profits. This analysis focuses on the industry, specifically, manufacturers of automobiles. There are five competitors in the StratSim environment: Firm A, B, C, D, and E. Industry sales in the most recent year were 4.3 million units, with expected growth in the next year. Within this industry, there are seven-vehicle classes: Economy, Family, Luxury, Sports, Minivan, Truck, and Utility. There are two new classes with potential – if properly marketed.

The last several years were also tumultuous for the U.S. auto industry. After dominating the market for decades, American automakers had grown complacent about product development. At the same time, rising gas prices and uncertainty about the economy caused consumer preferences to shift from SUVs to more fuel efficient vehicles. Foreign competitors entered the U.S. market offering more reliable, higher quality and more fuel efficient vehicles at a lower price and began to steal market share away from American automakers. In order to remain competitive, U.S. automakers need to focus on increasing production efficiencies and developing innovative product offerings. Firm Analysis

Ever since the 2008 recession US automobile companies have been on a steady downhill slide, but actually you can trace this downward trend even further back than 2008. US car companies have been feeling the heat since as early as the late 1980s when Japanese car companies laid claim to American manufacturing plants . Despite a shot in the arm in sales over the past five years, American firms are still on the decline. This case analysis aims to diagnosis the problem, provide analysis of the problem, and propose a viable solution to the problem from the perspective of the US automobile market share leader, General Motors.

Industry definition: "Companies in this industry manufacture cars and automobile chassis. These operations, which are referred to as automakers, typically produce cars, including electric cars, in assembly plants. The manufacture of light trucks (e.g. vans, pickups and SUVs), heavy trucks and motorcycles is excluded from this industry." [2]

Over the years, the U. S. auto industry's market has been experiencing fluctuations due to many reasons including: price, quality and foreign competition. General Motors Corporation (GM) which had been the leading car and truck manufacturer had been experiencing declining market share and facing stiff competition from both U.S manufacturers and foreign imports such as the Asian auto producers that included Toyota, Honda and Nissan. The main reason for increased foreign competition was that foreign cars were more fuel efficient, smaller, less expensive, and often more reliable than their American counterparts.

The United States Automotive industry has been dominated by five major auto manufacturers: GM, Toyota, Ford, Chrysler, and Honda. As globalization increases the domestic automotive market (GM, Ford, Chrysler) suffers from foreign competitors. Although with high entrance barriers the market suffers little to none from new entries. There are several reasons for this the largest being capital. It takes a lot of capital to obtain manufacturing plants, raw materials, as well as to hire and train employees. PASTEL Analysis

The automobile industry should make collaboration with the dealership as well. The 2015 Auto Industry Trends

Today, the automotive industry is one the top profitable industries in U.S. and all around the world. More than 1.5 million people involved in different segments such as engineering, designing, ordering, sell, and marketing. As a result of this statement, automotive industry has huge effects on employees, customer support, jobs vacancies, revenue and finally GDP which is the most important part of the economy for any countries (Statista Portal, 2016).

The characteristics of the global motor vehicle industry are a boom in certain places and a bust in others all due to economic conditions in different nations. Four years after tow of Detroit Michigan’s big three went into bankruptcy American car makers are going “full throttle” with sales in August hitting an annual rate that if substantiated can take them back over 16 million and that is a rate that was last hit before the economic crisis and 80% higher than 2009 when GM and Chrysler went into bankruptcy. The opposite is happening in Europe being in its sixth year slump now and with a weak economy, high petroleum prices and an aging

Today the automobile sector in India contributes 5% to the nation’s GDP, making it a prominent player in the economy. It will contribute around 19% of the Tax collection for financial year 2009-10. Following have been the features of Auto industry in the past financial year.