Global Value Chains and Industrial Relations in the Global South: Social Upgrading Paths in Different Industries

2021 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 214-236
Author(s):  
Christina Teipen ◽  
Fabian Mehl
Keyword(s):  
Value Chain ◽  
Industrial Relations ◽  
Global Value Chains ◽  
Value Chains ◽  
Value Chain Analysis ◽  
Theoretical Approaches ◽  
Chain Analysis ◽  
Governance Modes ◽  
Social Upgrading

Abstract The article compares social upgrading trends in four global value chains (apparel, automobiles, electronics and it services) and six developing and emerging economies (Bangladesh, Brazil, China, India, South Africa and Vietnam). It applies a framework, which combines analyses of industry-specific governance modes with recent theoretical approaches from the field of industrial relations. The empirical results show that prospects for social upgrading within similar segments of a particular value chain considerably depend on the national context. The article thus highlights the importance of integrating the role of national institutions into global value chain analysis in order to better explain variegated upgrading dynamics across different countries and industries.

Value chain analysis: an iterative and relational approach for agri-food chains

2016 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
pp. 352-362 ◽  
Author(s):  
Janet Howieson ◽  
Meredith Lawley ◽  
Kathleen Hastings
Keyword(s):  
Diagnostic Tool ◽  
Value Chain ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Value Chains ◽  
Food Chains ◽  
Value Chain Analysis ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Relational Approach ◽  
Chain Analysis ◽  
Original Contribution

Purpose Value Chain Analysis (VCA) is established as a diagnostic tool. The purpose of this study is to extend existing applications and develop an iterative and relational method. to facilitate the application of VCA to agri-food chains as a strategic process rather than a diagnostic tool. Design/methodology/approach Using a multiple case study design, the new approach to VCA was applied to four Australian prawn fisheries. These fisheries varied in size, location, management structures and marketing arrangements and allowed the general applicability of the approach to be explored. Findings The application of the revised VCA revealed the importance of undertaking a strategic approach, with the outcome for all fisheries being a greater understanding of their consumers and an enhanced realisation of commercial opportunities. Two fisheries completed the revised VCA, and the findings show that a relational approach is crucial in creating value. In addition, it was shown that formalised structures and the informal behaviours of the value chain members have a strong positive impact on the relationship process. Research limitations/implications The research furthers the value chain literature and contributes an iterative approach to the application of VCA. The research also shows that obtaining improvements is not achievable for all chains, and, if the entire chain is not engaged with the process, the value of the results will be compromised. Further research is needed to confirm the validity of findings in other food industries. Originality/value The relational approach is an original contribution to the area of VCA research and provides industry with a blueprint for creating successful value chains. Specifically, the areas of implementation and evaluation make an original contribution to the theoretical and practical knowledge of value chains.

scholarly journals The ‘factory manager dilemma’: Purchasing practices and environmental upgrading in apparel global value chains

2019 ◽  
Vol 52 (4) ◽  
pp. 766-789 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mahwish J Khan ◽  
Stefano Ponte ◽  
Peter Lund-Thomsen
Keyword(s):  
Value Chain ◽  
Global Value Chains ◽  
Global South ◽  
Value Chains ◽  
Global Value Chain ◽  
Social Upgrading

Economic and environmental upgrading in global value chains are intertwined processes. The existing global value chain literature has so far articulated the relationships between economic and social upgrading but has only recently started to explore the challenges of environmental upgrading from the perspective of suppliers in the Global South. In this article, we examine the ‘factory manager dilemma’ as a way of conceptualising the purchasing practices and environmental upgrading requirements faced by suppliers in their dealings with lead firms in global value chains. Specifically, we analyse the environmental upgrading challenges experienced by Pakistani apparel firms. We conclude that Pakistani apparel suppliers are required both to absorb the consequences of global buyers’ unsustainable purchasing practices and to reduce their own profitability – all in the name of sustainability.

scholarly journals The REVIEW ON CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES OF VEGETABLES VALUE CHIAN ANALYSIS IN ETHIOPIA

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Haile Tamiru Tamiru Urgessa
Keyword(s):  
Value Chain ◽  
Farming System ◽  
Value Chains ◽  
Vegetable Production ◽  
Value Chain Analysis ◽  
Total Size ◽  
Chain Analysis ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities ◽  
System Sustainability ◽  
Decision Making Behavior

ABSTRACT In Ethiopia, vegetables are important for economic, nutrition, health. Smallholder and farming system sustainability and generate foreign direct investment. On the contrary, the level of consumption is very low for reasons of unavailability and market imperfection. Even with limited pocket areas of production, the product suffered low price and lack of market. As a result, glut and spoilage are common. Analyzing value chain of vegetables in Ethiopia with specific objectives of vegetable value chain analysis in Ethiopia. In this reviews determinant factors assessed waste transportation access to the farmers like road infrastructure, market efficient assess structure-conduct-performance of vegetable marketing and vegetable production and marketing, and to analyze crop and buyer choice decision-making behavior. The other determinants like distance from main road, frequency of extension contact, active labor power, total size of owned land and quantity produced, and volume of market supply were reviewed.  This all show how much farmers did not consider price offer but clearing off. To review the vegetable analysis value chains different parameters like; actors in  vegetable producers and consumers value chains, input suppliers support actors and value chain governance were assessed by this review.  

scholarly journals Value Chains Of Carrot Commodity On Suthomadansih Agropolitan Area In Karanganyar Regency

2015 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 59
Author(s):  
Dwi Feri Yatnanto ◽  
Indah Susilowati
Keyword(s):  
Value Chain ◽  
Local Governments ◽  
Agricultural Sector ◽  
Value Chains ◽  
Development Programs ◽  
Qualitative And Quantitative Analysis ◽  
Value Chain Analysis ◽  
Agriculture Sector ◽  
Central Java ◽  
Chain Analysis

<p><em>In 2007, Central Java Government has been starting the implementation of agropolitanprogram in some regency that has the potential in the agriculture sector, Karanganyar Regency one of them. Through this program, SuthomadansihAgropolitan Area was established. One of the leading commodities from Suthomadansih is carrot commodity. Carrot commodity is then taken into consideration in the implementation of agropolitan program, in the form of provision of infrastructure and community development programs. The objectives of the research study are to investigate the value chain of carrot in Suthomadansih, as well as to analyze how the implementation of agropolitan program supports the value chain of carrot. Meanwhile, in order to investigate how the implementation of agropolitan program in suthomadansih supports to value chain of carrot, there are three indicators that will be identified; the development of supporting infrastructure, agribusiness system, and development of human resource (Iqbal and Iwan, 2009). Both of qualitative and quantitative analysis has been applied into the study with the performance table of the implementation of agropolitan program and value chain analysis as tool to conduct the analysis. Based on the value chain of carrot in Suthomadansih, some development programs from Local Government through the agropolitan program has been conducted from upstream to downstream of carrot commodity. However, some programs are failed to support the value chain of carrot so that the improvement of value chain of carrot could not be optimized. Those programs are Agribusiness Sub Terminal, Worta Cluster, Vitmaka, and Farm Road Improvement Program.The implementation of agropolitan program is not sustainable because of the absence of the budgets of local governments. The program is only implemented for 3 years (2007-2009) so that there are no significant effects of the program on the agricultural sector, especially for carrot commodity.</em><em></em></p><em></em>

scholarly journals Relationship between innovation and networks in chestnut value chain: A case study in Italy

2018 ◽  
Vol 64 (No. 1) ◽  
pp. 43-51 ◽  
Author(s):  
Focacci Marco ◽  
Meo Isabella De ◽  
Paletto Alessandro
Keyword(s):  
Value Chain ◽  
Chestnut Blight ◽  
Value Chain Analysis ◽  
Mountainous Areas ◽  
Gall Wasp ◽  
Chain Analysis ◽  
New Ideas ◽  
Institutional Actors

In the last decades, the chestnut production has decreased in Italy due to diseases such as chestnut blight and chestnut gall wasp, and progressive depopulation of mountainous areas. The aim of the paper is to analyse the role of social network to enhance the dissemination of new ideas and innovations in view of the chestnut value chain development. The study was conducted in the Mugello-Val di Sieve area in the Tuscany region (Italy). A participatory value chain analysis approach was used for the strengthening of the local chestnut value chain. The data were collected by administering a questionnaire to a sample of 126 chestnut growers (83 chestnut growers enrolled and 43 not enrolled in the Consortium of “Marrone del Mugello Protected Geographical Indication”) to highlight the relationships between farmers and institutional actors. The network of the Consortium members was compared with the network of the non-members. The results show that a well-structured network allows for better dissemination of information and knowledge between farmers and greater diversification of product market sales.

scholarly journals Socioeconomic Impact of Genome Editing on Agricultural Value Chains: The Case of Fungal-Resistant and Coeliac-Safe Wheat

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (22) ◽  
pp. 6421 ◽  
Author(s):  
Oliver Maaß ◽  
Nicola Consmüller ◽  
Hella Kehlenbeck
Keyword(s):  
Genome Editing ◽  
Value Chain ◽  
Qualitative Content Analysis ◽  
Value Added ◽  
Socioeconomic Impact ◽  
Value Chains ◽  
Value Chain Analysis ◽  
A Value ◽  
Food Retailers ◽  
Chain Analysis

Genome editing (GE) is gaining increasing importance in plant breeding, since it provides opportunities to develop improved crops with high precision and speed. However, little is known about the socioeconomic impact of genome editing on agricultural value chains. This qualitative study analyzes how genome-edited crops could affect agriculture value chains. Based on the hypothetical case of producing and processing fungal-resistant and coeliac-safe wheat in Germany, we conducted semi-structured, in-depth interviews with associations and companies operating in the value chains of wheat. A value chain analysis and qualitative content analysis were combined to assess the costs and benefits of the crops studied along the value chains of wheat. The results show that the use of fungal-resistant and coeliac-safe wheat can provide benefits at each step of the value chains. Fungal-resistant wheat benefits actors by reducing the problems and costs resulting from fungal-diseases and mycotoxins. Coeliac-safe wheat benefits actors by producing high value-added products, which can be safely consumed by patients suffering from coeliac disease. However, the results also show that low acceptance of GE by society and food retailers poses a significant barrier for the use of genome-edited crops in agricultural value chains.

scholarly journals Poverty chains and global capitalism

2018 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 71-97 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benjamin Selwyn
Keyword(s):  
Value Chain ◽  
Firm Value ◽  
Value Added ◽  
Global Value Chains ◽  
Global South ◽  
Value Chains ◽  
Global Value Chain ◽  
Original Material ◽  
Value Chain Analysis ◽  
Secondary Sources

The proliferation of global value chains is portrayed in academic and policy circles as representing new development opportunities for firms and regions in the global south. This article tests these claims by examining original material from non-governmental organizations’ reports and secondary sources on the garment and electronics chains in Cambodia and China, respectively. This empirical evidence suggests that these global value chains generate new forms of worker poverty. Based on these findings, the article proposes the novel Global Poverty Chain approach. The article critiques and reformulates principal concepts associated with the Global Value Chain approach – of value-added, rent and chain governance – and challenges a core assumption prevalent within Global Value Chain analysis: that workers’ low wages are a function of their employment in low productivity industries. Instead, it shows that (1) many supplier firms in the global south are as, or more, productive than their equivalents in the global north; (2) often predominantly female workers in these industries are super exploited (paid wages below their subsistence requirements) and (3) chain governance represents a lead firm value-capturing strategy, which intensifies worker exploitation.

scholarly journals Innovation and Collaboration: Opportunities for the European Seaweed Sector in Global Value Chains

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (7) ◽  
pp. 693
Author(s):  
Trond Selnes ◽  
Else Giesbers ◽  
Sander W. K. van den Burg
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Value Chain ◽  
Global Value Chains ◽  
Global Scale ◽  
Business Development ◽  
Value Chains ◽  
Scientific Publications ◽  
Sustainable Products ◽  
European Sector

The European seaweed sector transitions from harvesting wild stocks only to harvesting and farming seaweed. This transition comes with the need to rethink the role of the European sector on the global scale; insight is needed into the organization of, and innovation in, the global seaweed value chain. This article presents results from our study on value chains using Gereffi’s conceptual framework. A systematic review of scientific publications published between 2010 and 2020 was executed for five markets: pharmaceuticals, bioplastics, biostimulants, alginate and cosmetics. It is concluded that innovation in the use of seaweed takes place across the globe and thus that a focus on high-value applications alone will not set the nascent European seaweed sector apart from established producing regions such as Asia. The studied global value chains are organised around strong lead firms that require suppliers to produce according to codified product characteristics. The European seaweed sector needs to increase the collaboration and develop joint efforts to develop safe and sustainable products that meet the demands of regulators, lead firms and consumers. Stronger coordination in the value chain will facilitate further business development, by stimulating collaboration and innovations.

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