▲ 169 ▼ Ford CEO tells employees Chinese automakers could enter U.S. market in next decade (www.reuters.com) submitted 3 months ago by sanitation@lemmy.today to c/technology@lemmy.world 65 comments fedilink hide all child comments
[–] OccamsRazer@lemmy.world 1 point 3 months ago (10 children) Why are Chinese cars so inexpensive? permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 10 child comments replies: [–] mechoman444@lemmy.world 8 points 3 months ago That's a very difficult question to answer. On one hand, there's a minimum price at which a product can be sold while still generating enough profit for a company to remain viable, pay its employees, and continue operating. On the other hand, there's the American business practice of maximizing every possible fraction of a cent in pursuit of higher quarterly profits. As we all know from game theory, pure min-maxing doesn't always produce the best long-term outcome. There has to be a balance. Nevertheless, many American companies are driven primarily by maximizing shareholder returns. In doing so, they can end up shooting themselves in the foot, making decisions that inflate short-term financial results while ultimately reducing their long-term profitability. China, by contrast, has a quasi-socialist market economy under a single-party government. It has invested heavily in developing strategic industries, including electric vehicles. The government sets national priorities and can exert enormous influence over companies. If corporate leadership fails to meet those objectives, it can be replaced far more easily than in Western economies. In the United States, corporations instead spend enormous sums lobbying politicians to pass laws favorable to their interests. But, as discussed above, relentlessly optimizing for short-term gains doesn't always produce the best long-term results. That's one reason Chinese cars are so inexpensive. Or rather, they're arguably priced closer to what cars should cost. The real question may be why cars in the United States have become so expensive. Automakers cite rising costs, regulations, technology, and financing practices, but prices seem to ratchet upward far more readily than they ever come back down. permalink fedilink source parent [–] Cherries@lemmy.world 4 points 3 months ago (3 children) The businessmen in China know they will be shot by the government if they are too exploitative. permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 3 child comments replies: [–] OccamsRazer@lemmy.world 1 point 3 months ago (2 children) You think workers have better quality of life in China? permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] Cherries@lemmy.world 1 point 3 months ago (1 child) In some areas, like being able to afford a car, people in China are probably better off than people in the US. permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 1 child comment replies: [–] OccamsRazer@lemmy.world 1 point 3 months ago Maybe, but vehicle ownership in the United States is way higher per capita. Something like 17 of households in China versus almost 90 in the United States. That could change with the availability and cost of electric vehicles, but as of now it's still pretty skewed. permalink fedilink source parent [–] AstralPath@lemmy.ca 3 points 3 months ago (1 child) Many reasons but two big ones are that they don't pay employees like North America does, and I'm fully convinced they're pulling the EEE technique to dominate the NA market once they're in. permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 1 child comment replies: [–] Bubbaonthebeach@lemmy.ca 1 point 3 months ago North American workers aren't earning much more than they did 20-30 years ago while vehicle sales prices went up 8-10x. So no, it isn't workers' wages driving the difference. Executive pay, stock buybacks & dividends, lobbying, advertising have all increased multiple times more than EE pay packages. permalink fedilink source parent [–] IndustryStandard@lemmy.world 2 points 3 months ago (2 children) Heavy jnvestment in battery industry and government steered subsidies into renewables vs endless money to bomb brown people. permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] OccamsRazer@lemmy.world 1 point 3 months ago (1 child) Yes, and don't forget low pay and long hours for their workers. permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 1 child comment replies: [–] IndustryStandard@lemmy.world 1 point 3 months ago Sucks to live in the real world with real money instead of colonial dollars that can be infinitely printed permalink fedilink source parent
[–] mechoman444@lemmy.world 8 points 3 months ago That's a very difficult question to answer. On one hand, there's a minimum price at which a product can be sold while still generating enough profit for a company to remain viable, pay its employees, and continue operating. On the other hand, there's the American business practice of maximizing every possible fraction of a cent in pursuit of higher quarterly profits. As we all know from game theory, pure min-maxing doesn't always produce the best long-term outcome. There has to be a balance. Nevertheless, many American companies are driven primarily by maximizing shareholder returns. In doing so, they can end up shooting themselves in the foot, making decisions that inflate short-term financial results while ultimately reducing their long-term profitability. China, by contrast, has a quasi-socialist market economy under a single-party government. It has invested heavily in developing strategic industries, including electric vehicles. The government sets national priorities and can exert enormous influence over companies. If corporate leadership fails to meet those objectives, it can be replaced far more easily than in Western economies. In the United States, corporations instead spend enormous sums lobbying politicians to pass laws favorable to their interests. But, as discussed above, relentlessly optimizing for short-term gains doesn't always produce the best long-term results. That's one reason Chinese cars are so inexpensive. Or rather, they're arguably priced closer to what cars should cost. The real question may be why cars in the United States have become so expensive. Automakers cite rising costs, regulations, technology, and financing practices, but prices seem to ratchet upward far more readily than they ever come back down. permalink fedilink source parent
[–] Cherries@lemmy.world 4 points 3 months ago (3 children) The businessmen in China know they will be shot by the government if they are too exploitative. permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 3 child comments replies: [–] OccamsRazer@lemmy.world 1 point 3 months ago (2 children) You think workers have better quality of life in China? permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] Cherries@lemmy.world 1 point 3 months ago (1 child) In some areas, like being able to afford a car, people in China are probably better off than people in the US. permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 1 child comment replies: [–] OccamsRazer@lemmy.world 1 point 3 months ago Maybe, but vehicle ownership in the United States is way higher per capita. Something like 17 of households in China versus almost 90 in the United States. That could change with the availability and cost of electric vehicles, but as of now it's still pretty skewed. permalink fedilink source parent
[–] OccamsRazer@lemmy.world 1 point 3 months ago (2 children) You think workers have better quality of life in China? permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] Cherries@lemmy.world 1 point 3 months ago (1 child) In some areas, like being able to afford a car, people in China are probably better off than people in the US. permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 1 child comment replies: [–] OccamsRazer@lemmy.world 1 point 3 months ago Maybe, but vehicle ownership in the United States is way higher per capita. Something like 17 of households in China versus almost 90 in the United States. That could change with the availability and cost of electric vehicles, but as of now it's still pretty skewed. permalink fedilink source parent
[–] Cherries@lemmy.world 1 point 3 months ago (1 child) In some areas, like being able to afford a car, people in China are probably better off than people in the US. permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 1 child comment replies: [–] OccamsRazer@lemmy.world 1 point 3 months ago Maybe, but vehicle ownership in the United States is way higher per capita. Something like 17 of households in China versus almost 90 in the United States. That could change with the availability and cost of electric vehicles, but as of now it's still pretty skewed. permalink fedilink source parent
[–] OccamsRazer@lemmy.world 1 point 3 months ago Maybe, but vehicle ownership in the United States is way higher per capita. Something like 17 of households in China versus almost 90 in the United States. That could change with the availability and cost of electric vehicles, but as of now it's still pretty skewed. permalink fedilink source parent
[–] AstralPath@lemmy.ca 3 points 3 months ago (1 child) Many reasons but two big ones are that they don't pay employees like North America does, and I'm fully convinced they're pulling the EEE technique to dominate the NA market once they're in. permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 1 child comment replies: [–] Bubbaonthebeach@lemmy.ca 1 point 3 months ago North American workers aren't earning much more than they did 20-30 years ago while vehicle sales prices went up 8-10x. So no, it isn't workers' wages driving the difference. Executive pay, stock buybacks & dividends, lobbying, advertising have all increased multiple times more than EE pay packages. permalink fedilink source parent
[–] Bubbaonthebeach@lemmy.ca 1 point 3 months ago North American workers aren't earning much more than they did 20-30 years ago while vehicle sales prices went up 8-10x. So no, it isn't workers' wages driving the difference. Executive pay, stock buybacks & dividends, lobbying, advertising have all increased multiple times more than EE pay packages. permalink fedilink source parent
[–] IndustryStandard@lemmy.world 2 points 3 months ago (2 children) Heavy jnvestment in battery industry and government steered subsidies into renewables vs endless money to bomb brown people. permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] OccamsRazer@lemmy.world 1 point 3 months ago (1 child) Yes, and don't forget low pay and long hours for their workers. permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 1 child comment replies: [–] IndustryStandard@lemmy.world 1 point 3 months ago Sucks to live in the real world with real money instead of colonial dollars that can be infinitely printed permalink fedilink source parent
[–] OccamsRazer@lemmy.world 1 point 3 months ago (1 child) Yes, and don't forget low pay and long hours for their workers. permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 1 child comment replies: [–] IndustryStandard@lemmy.world 1 point 3 months ago Sucks to live in the real world with real money instead of colonial dollars that can be infinitely printed permalink fedilink source parent
[–] IndustryStandard@lemmy.world 1 point 3 months ago Sucks to live in the real world with real money instead of colonial dollars that can be infinitely printed permalink fedilink source parent