What has made Silicon Valley so productive of new technologies and new firms? How did its pioneering achievements begin—in computer networking, semiconductors, personal computing, and the Internet—and what forces have propelled its unprecedented growth? This collection of nine chapters by...

The concept of Global Value Chains (GVCs) provides a pragmatic and parsimonious framework as we seek answers to questions about the dynamic organisation of global industries. In this paper, I discuss the evolution of GVC, the framework, especially the motivations for supplementing the...

In this paper, we apply global value chain (GVC) analysis to study recent trends in the global electronic hardware industry and their implications for upgrading opportunities for firms from developing countries. We identify three key firm level actors – lead firms, contract manufacturers, and...

This paper uses the case of contract manufacturing in the electronics industry to illustrate an emergent American model of industrial organization, the modular production network. Lead firms in the modular production network concentrate on the creation, penetration and defense of markets for end...

The concept of Global Value Chains (GVCs) provides a pragmatic and parsimonious framework as we seek answers to questions about the dynamic organisation of global industries. In this paper, I discuss the evolution of GVC, the framework, especially the motivations for supplementing the...

Growth in U.S. manufacturing’s real value-added has exceeded that of aggregate GDP, except during recessions, leading many to conclude that the sector is healthy and that the 30 percent decline in manufacturing employment since 2000 is largely the consequence of automation. The robust growth...

O conjunto dos capítulos deste trabalho aponta e elabora importantes alternativas de política capazes de retomar e sustentar novas formas desenvolvimento apropriadas, coesas e duradouras. Ao mesmo tempo, instiga e mobiliza reflexões sobre a relevância, tanto de aprendermos e acumularmos...

This presentation discusses a series of measures and actions to help explain the impact of governance on the behavior of global value chains. The topics include: 1) Supplier-led industrial upgrading strategies; 2) New constraints by global suppliers in industries that have already globalized; and...

Is the geographic trajectory of capitalism toward spatial clustering or dispersal? Recent theoretical work in the stream of 'relational' economic geography includes several dynamic elements that increase the importance of spatial clustering over time. This paper develops the concept of 'modular...

This paper presents evidence of the importance of electronics global value chains (GVCs) in the global economy, and discusses the effects of the recent economic crisis on the industry. The analysis focuses on how information is exchanged and introduces the concept of"value chain modularity."The...