Analysis of the effects of the modular design model of car production on working conditions: the cases of VW Navarra and PSA Vigo

Abstract

Following the implementation of new systems of automobile manufacturing based on modular design, we undertook the study of changes in the working conditions of this sector. We choose to further explore these models of productive organization and their effects on working conditions in the automotive sector in Spain. Specifically, we focused on two of the most important plants in the Spanish automotive sector, PSA Vigo and VW Navarra, where new assembly systems have been applied on modular platforms. In our research, we adopted an analytical approach that would allow us address the complexity of this new production model, combining variables (profitability strategy, productive specialization, technical and social organization) and dimensions (within the Group, intra-company, inter-firm) through comparison of the two case studies. Our análisis represents a useful, functional way of studying the intrinsic organizational and productive aspects of current manufacturing processes, reflected in the working conditions and in the factors determining them.