09. September 2025
The automotive industry is a global key sector of enormous scale and strategic importance. Vehicle production alone involves millions of components, thousands of suppliers worldwide, and highly complex manufacturing facilities whose size can be compared to entire cities. Large plants, such as the one in Zhengzhou, China, cover more than 130 square kilometers, illustrating both the sheer scale and logistical complexity of modern automotive production.
Beyond physical manufacturing, the industry is increasingly software-driven. Modern vehicles integrate ever more complex digital systems – from driver assistance and infotainment to energy optimization – which are no longer determined solely by hardware.
The industry includes not only manufacturers but a comprehensive ecosystem of suppliers, logistics providers, research institutions, and service partners.
Within this vast network, the ability to systematically capture, connect, and make knowledge available for operational decisions has become a critical success factor. These developments mark not just a technological shift but a new dimension of industrial complexity and innovation dynamics.
In this context, the question arises as to what role knowledge management can play in the long-term success of companies. In their article on ResearchGate, Wang and Yin analyze the role of knowledge management in automotive production while considering cultural differences between Germany and China – albeit in very different ways. While Chinese plants focus on technological efficiency and rapid scaling, German manufacturers emphasize precision, quality, and the enhancement of human expertise.
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