Identification and evaluation of determinants of competitiveness in the Indian auto-component industry

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to identify dimensions of competitiveness, factors affecting the competitiveness and building the framework of competitiveness for the Indian auto-component industry and further develop and validate a survey instrument based on the identified factors. Design/methodology/approach Dimensions of competitiveness and factors affecting it are extracted out after extensive literature review. A theoretical framework is developed using these factors. A survey instrument is developed based on the theoretical framework and validated through a pilot survey. Findings In total, 30 variables are found to be reliable in establishing the potential indicators of competitiveness. There are three significant contributions to the theory of competitiveness. It provides a theoretical framework of competitiveness to address the current market conditions of volatility. Second, it incorporates the dimensions like supply chain management, presence of global value chains and employee empowerment. Third, it clearly identifies the dimensions of competitiveness relevant in current context, like ethical behavior of firms, protection of intellectual property and innovation. Practical implications The proposed approach provides a good basis for assessing the competitive performance of the companies. This can help researchers and practitioners in deciding how to improve the competitiveness of a company. Originality/value The research proposes a theoretical framework for measuring the competitiveness of firms from a specific industry. This study indicates the factors affecting the competitiveness of Indian auto-component industry. The findings can be useful for both researchers and practitioners.