1、Reconfiguring the value chain architectureA study on trends in the automotive supplier industry,based on balance sheet key ratiosTheres no shortage of negative news circulating at present amongst the public about the German car-making and automotive supplier industry:The industry is fighting an unpr

2、ecedented and,above all,an inevitable battle against decline,so the claim goes.And its true that we are seeing a structural change,such as has not happened in the past 30 years.Technical dis-ruptions around the rise of electric powertrains and in-vehicle digitization,together with tectonic shifts in

3、 the market and competitor structure,are presenting the German supplier industry with massive challenges.But despite this,the situation is neither unprecedented nor inevita-ble.Earlier,the 1990s saw massive structural adjustment,with a comprehensive wave of con-solidation,more intensive price compet

4、ition,the outsourcing of component business by(US American)automotive manufacturers,and new business models the system suppliers.At that time,the industry thoroughly reconfigured itself.While the solutions of that era are not fit for today,they can nevertheless serve as reassur-ance that positive op

5、tions for shaping the future come about even from difficult starting posi-tions.These company-specific design options now need to be described and implemented.For this reason,this years Automotive Supplier Study sets out three priorities which the in-dustry needs to flesh out actively as it moves fo

6、rward.The message is:Its too risky to risk nothing.Sketching out the innovations of the future Understanding technical progress not only as improving what already exists,but as occu-pying the relevant technology domains of the future.This includes organizing innovation on a cross-company and collabo