Global Value Chains and Technological Capabilities: A Framework to Study Industrial Innovation in Developing Countries

15 - 01 - 2008 in Journal Articles, Publications Tags: Emerging Countries, Global Value Chain, Innovation

Oxford Development Studies, 36(1): 39-58

The paper is co-authored with Andrea Morrison and Carlo Pietrobelli.

It presents a critical review of the Global Value Chain literature in light of the “Technological Capabilities” approach to innovation in LDCs. Participation in GVC is beneficial for firms in LDCs, which are bound to source technology internationally. However, the issues of learning and technological efforts at the firm-level remain largely uncovered by the GVC literature.
We propose a shift in the empirical and theoretical agenda, arguing that research should integrate the analysis of the endogenous process of technological capability development, of the specific firm-level efforts and of the mechanisms allowing knowledge to flow within and between different global value chains into the GVC literature.

Upgrading to Complete: Global Value Chains, Clusters, and SMEs in Latin America

10 - 09 - 2007 in Articles, Media Tags: Argentina, Catch up, Chile, Emerging Countries, Innovation, Italy, South Africa, Wine industry

Foreign Affairs

Richard Feimberg reviewed my book edited with Pietrobelli.

Clusters facing competition: the role of external linkages

1 - 01 - 2005 in Books, Publications Tags: Clusters, Emerging Countries, Global Value Chain, Innovation, Small and Medium Enterprises

Published by Ashgate

Edited with Elisa Giuliani and Meine Pieter van Dijk

The book is a collection of papers on clusters in developing countries. The book explores the external sources of industrial cluster competitiveness and examines how they complement, integrate and substitute local, intra-cluster networks. The novelty of this book is to merge the cluster approach with two other conceptual approaches which have become increasingly popular in cluster and development studies: on the one hand, the Global Value Chains and their role in cluster upgrading processes; on the other, the National Systems of Innovation (NSIs) and their role in supporting the development of clusters in a national territory. The book explores these issues with empirical evidence from different countries in Latin America, Asia and the industrialized world.

«This book provides numerous and timely insights into new strategies for enhancing the competitiveness of firms and local clusters in the global economy. Replete with in-depth case studies across a broad range of industries and countries, this volume is must reading for anyone seeking to identify pragmatic as well as effective responses to the challenges of international competition today.»
Gary Gereffi,
Professor, Duke University, Durham, NC / USA

You can buy the book here