By Torben Haugaard Jensen, Communications Officer, AAU Business School

The title of Primoz Konda’s lecture, which took place December 14, 2022, was “Windows of Opportunity, Industrial Policies and catching up in the Electric Vehicle Sector in China”.

Members of the assessment committee were:

• Associate Professor Associate Professor Birgitte Gregersen, Aalborg University Business School (chair)
• Professor Ari Kokko, Department of International Economics, Government and Business, Copenhagen Business School
• Associate Professor Yuan ZHOU, School of Public Policy and Management, Tsinghua University, China

Summary of the thesis

The thesis investigates how China managed to establish itself as the world's leading electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer.

Through an analysis of various factors such as policy regimes, development trajectories, knowledge creation and transfer, this thesis demonstrates the crucial role played by the Chinese government in creating opportunities for the emerging EV industry at its inception.

Unlike the development trajectories of other countries in the field, China prioritized market expansion before technological advancement, leading to its current dominance in the EV market.

A decade later, many developing countries still struggle to catch up in the electromobility sector. The findings of this study have the potential to inform policymakers and researchers in these countries, potentially accelerating the adoption of electromobility and resulting in positive societal and environmental impacts.

Further information

Primoz Konda 
Aalborg University Business School
Phone: +45 9940 3069
Email: pk@business.aau.dk