1st Edition

The Moving Frontier The Changing Geography of Production in Labour-Intensive Industries

Edited By Lois Labrianidis Copyright 2008
    356 Pages
    by Routledge

    358 Pages
    by Routledge

    Originally published in 1992 and based on two theoretical approaches: the Global Commodity Chain and the Global Production Network, this book investigates the multitude of processes, as well as diverse consequences of global integration upon industries, regions, enterprises and employees. In doing so, it draws from the experience of Western and Eastern and South-eastern Europe. These European cases are complemented with evidence from Kenya, Thailand as well as US, China, India and Mexico. The book explores multiple causes of decentralization, arguing beyond the pursuit of cheap and adaptable labour. It goes on to argue that the effects of delocalization within Europe, unlike those in the rest of the developed world, are less negative than usually portrayed. It concludes by putting forward recommendations for best future practice of successful adjustment strategies and examines how these might be adopted elsewhere in the world.

    1. Introduction, Lois Labrianidis.  Part 1: Thematic Analysis of the European Experience.  2. Delocalization and Development in Europe: Conceptual Issues and Empirical Findings, Athanasios Kalogeresis and Lois Labrianidis.  3. Patterns of Enterprise Strategies in Labour-Intensive Industries: The case of Five EU Countries, Christos Kalantaridis, Ivaylo Vassilev and Grahame Fallon.  4. Social Consequences of Delocalization in Labour-Intensive Industries: The Experience of Old and New Members of the EU, Krzysztof Gwosdz and Boleslaw Domanski.  5. Between Policy Regimes and Value Chains in the Restructuring of Labour-Intensive Industries, Ivaylo Vassilev, Grzegorz Micek and Artemios Kourtesis.  Part 2: Industrial Analysis of the European Experience.  6. The Impact of Internationalization on the Clothing Industry, Christos Kalantaridis, Ivaylo Vassilev and Grahame Fallon.  7. The Impact of Delocalization on the European Electronics Industry, Runno Lumiste.  8. Footwear Industry: Delocatlization and Europeanization, Poli Roukova, Spartak Keremidchiev, Margarita Ilieva and Evgeni Evgeniev.  9. The Impact of Delocalization on the European Software Industry, Robert Guzik and Grzegorz Micek.  Part 3: The Experience From Elsewhere in the World.  10. Corporate Strategies for Software Globalization., Alok Aggarwal, Orna Berry, Martin Kenney, Stefanie Ann Lenway and Valerie Taylor.  11. Newly Emerging Paradigms in the World Economy: Global Buyers, value Chain Governance and Local Suppliers' Performance in Thailand, Carlo Pietrobelli and Federica Saliola.  12. African Cloth, Export Production and Second-hand Clothing in Kenya, Tina Mangieri.  13. Conclusion, Lois Labrianidis.

    Biography

    Lois Labrianidis is Professor of Economic Geography, Department of Economics, University of Macedonia, Greece.

    'This book illuminates central questions about the delocalization challenge in five EU countries whose collective experience is rarely examined: the UK, Greece, Poland, Estonia, and Bulgaria. Along with its detailed empirical findings for four industries (clothing, footwear, electronics and software) inside and outside of Europe, the book has a refreshing policy message: delocalization, within Europe at least, need not be a "race to the bottom" in terms of its employment or social effects, and it can be managed. This is a valuable contribution to our thinking about this topic.' Gary Gereffi, Duke University, USA '...an original and fresh contribution in perspective and results.' Economic Geography '...the authors touch on, bring together and deal with a number of issues that are under-explored and could be investigated further... the book provides a good starting point for those who want to familiarize themselves with the aforementioned topics and/or are in search for stimuli for postgraduate dissertations and research papers.' South-Eastern Europe Journal of Economics