COVID-19 and industrial resilience in the Global South. A case study on the auto parts sector in Mexico

Abstract

The global COVID-19 pandemic has exposed the low level of resilience of supply chains and the fragility of employment in most economic sectors. This research, which is based on two independent online surveys, explores the level of readiness of automotive firms in Mexico to adopt I4.0 technologies, as well as the mitigation strategies adopted by such firms to overcome the economic effects of COVID-19. The results indicate a low level of readiness and understanding of I4.0 technologies in the automotive parts sector in Mexico and that most of the COVID-19 mitigation efforts have been focused on workforce management strategies, rather than on technological solutions.