GVCs meet robots: smiling, smirking or flattening? The case of the automotive value chain

Andreoni, Antonio; Anzolin, Guendalina

Abstract

The paper contributes to the fast-growing literature on the structural dynamics of digitalization with a focus on robotization, and its heterogeneous diffusion and impact along and within global value chains. Specifically, building on an innovative granular analysis of the International Federation of Robotics (IFR) dataset, we provide new empirical evidence of the disproportional distribution of robotization across countries, sectors and along different stages and production functions of global value chains (GVCs). Moreover, with specific reference to the automotive sector, we identify some features that characterize industrial robots’ adoption across different applications and along different stages of the automotive value chain. Such characteristics are also assessed through a sectoral case study analysis based on primary data collection conducted in the automotive sector in South Africa.

Citation

Andreoni, A., & Anzolin, G. (online). GVCs meet robots: smiling, smirking or flattening? The case of the automotive value chain. Innovation and Development, 1-23. https://doi.org/10.1080/2157930x.2025.2468060

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Feb 12, 2025
• Online Publication Date: Feb 26, 2025
• Deposit Date: Mar 8, 2025
• Publicly Available Date: Mar 8, 2025
• Journal: Innovation and Development
• Print ISSN: 2157-930X
• Electronic ISSN: 2157-9318
• Publisher: Taylor and Francis Group
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Pages: 1-23
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/2157930x.2025.2468060
• Keywords: GVC; automotive; robotization; upgrading; governance
• Publisher URL: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/2157930X.2025.2468060