Riding the Transformation Waves: Chinese Players in the Electrification Race.

The automotive industry is undergoing challenging technological transformations, which have recently been further intensified by the emergence of Chinese newcomers who have the potential to become significant competitors in the electrification race, thereby challenging the dominance of incumbent manufacturing companies. This paper delves into the potential challenges posed by Chinese players and explores how automotive industry incumbents are navigating the transformative shift towards electrification. In doing so, we adopt an evolutionary perspective grounded in the conceptual frameworks of the three-dimensional window of opportunity and dynamic capabilities. The research design is based on a qualitative methodology and a narrative approach. The results highlight the advantages of Chinese players based on the multidimensional window of opportunities, and the implications suggest ways for incumbents to potentially defend their positions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]