O presente estudo tem por objetivo básico investigar, dentro do quadro de reestruturação da indústria mundial, quais são os principais fatores que têm motivado as grandes empresas a adotarem estratégias de "desintegração vertical", com a contrapartida de "terceirização" e "subcontratação" de pequenas empresas (fornecedoras de peças, componentes, etc.). Busca, ainda, entender este fenômeno a partir das estratégias da grande empresa industrial em busca de maior flexibilidade e tendo em vista o advento do novo paradigma de produção industrial, onde as relações inter-empresas sob a "filosofia" 'just-in-time' e de qualidade assegurada (qualidade total) passam a ganhar maior relevância. Inicialmente são apresentados alguns aspectos dessa problemática a nível da indústria automobilística mundial para, posteriormente, analisar-se, a partir da pesquisa de campo, o caso do complexo automobilístico brasileiro.

The aim of this study is to investigate, based on the context of the global industry restructuring, the main factors which have induced the process of vertical desintegration of the larger companies in the brazilian automobile industry. It involves the consequent increase of outsourcing process by the same companies. Thirteen case studies are presented (5 automakers and 8 autoparts companies) with the purpose of identifying the tendency of these fenomena (vertical desintegration / outsourcing process) within the brazilian automobile complex. These case studies provide some evidence which allow us to reach some conclusions, for instance: the relationship between the automakers and the autoparts companies belonging to the first step of the "subcontracting pyramid" has become less conflicting. But the relationship between the autoparts companies ("first step") and their suppliers (second, third,...steps) is still based upon the "exit strategy", representing a lot of problems to both sides (e.g. : delay in delivers, high rate of low quality products, etc.). The tendency in the forthcoming years is to improve the relationship between suppliers and costumers , mainly between the automakers and these companies that produce most complex autoparts (such engine, gearboxes, brake systems, etc.). The same kind of relationship, when it comes to lower steps as the "subcontracting pyramid", seems to be more difficult.