Abstract | What signifies the term "socialist markets economy" (SME)? What is the concrete change from the socialist planning to this SME? What impact of the change on one industrial sector (automotive)? On the production danweis? We will study these questions in this PhD thesis. Our approach is empirical based on our first observations and numerous on-site interviews. Our approach is also systemic and institutional as the reforms, by modifying the rules of the game, have an impact on the organization and the structure of an industry and danweis. We highlight the evolution of the socialist production networks to differential industrial sectors still branded by their past. We analyze the particularities of the Chinese automotive industry and compare them to those of an automotive industry in the capitalist market economy. The results of our research are: In the mainstream economic thoughts, the idea of "market socialism" is associated to the idea of a market system which would avoid the problems of unequal richness distribution linked with the private ownership system. But the Chinese case shows us that it is rather a coexistence of two parallel systems than a compatibility between socialism and market. Parallely to a socialist system which endures, political power and administration tend to be reduced, with a more independent legislation, and a progressive installation of market mechanisms. For the industries, the reforms tend to transform the vertically and horizontally isolated socialist production networks into industrial sectors. To transform the multi-functional danweis, the reforms try different management methods by experimentation, the danweis tend to become "economically responsible", while the public ownership system must stay intact (socialist ideology).
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