MANAGEMENT CHALLENGES FOR AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRIES IN DIGITAL AGE BASED ON THE PERSISTENT COVID-19 PANDEMIC

Abstract

Technological progress is advancing further and faster. This coupled with globalization has simplified our life many times over. Worldwide production and supply chains ensure a faster and more cost-effective process for many companies. Over the last few decades, these processes have been further refined to achieve the best possible results. This also includes the German automotive industry. Which has continued to expand and become the largest industry in Germany. However, a pandemic that occurred in 2019 was enough to shut down production. The mutated coronavirus has been keeping mankind in special situation for more than 2 years and will probably be with us for several years to come. The economic damage is enormous, so that in stable countries the state had to help keep them alive. As the leading industry with most employers in Germany, the automotive industry got weakened over the past two years in several sectors. This deals with the damage that has occurred, the long-term consequences that are still to come, and possible solutions to be able to fight upcoming pandemics more efficiently with the help of digitization. The focus here is on the German automotive industry.