‘Not a trend. It’s a tradition’: Remaking Pacific identity and culture at London Pacific Fashion Week 2019

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 111-130 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ceridwen Spark ◽  
Tait Brimacombe

In recent years, the recognition of creative industries such as art, design, media and fashion has thrust these sectors into the spotlight as valuable tools for economic development and integration into global markets. By establishing themselves as creative hotspots, developing countries grow small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and promote creative entrepreneurs who are involved in transforming culture. While an emphasis on incorporating ‘culture’ into design might also be seen as stultifying or essentializing culture, stakeholders working in the region consistently emphasize the significance of incorporating local cultures into their creations. In this article, we draw on interviews with Pacific designers and fashion festival organizers to demonstrate the range of ways in which ‘culture’ is woven into the story of Pacific fashion. In doing so, we highlight the ways in which participants are ‘remaking’ cultural identity and expression by ‘spinning it into something new’, keeping cultural connections alive and personal for those involved in these industries, while also allowing makers to situate their brand or product in the global market. Furthermore, we suggest that involvement in the world of fashion on a global scale represents an opportunity for participants to explore more inclusive and diverse versions of Pacific identity than those sanctioned or imagined outside the world of fashion.

2021 ◽  
Vol 20 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 77-97
Author(s):  
John Bosco Ngendakurio

Abstract This article seeks to reveal the primary barriers to fair economic development based on Kenyans’ perceptions of power and globalization. This search was initially sparked by the seeming disinterest of First World scholars to understand the reasons why poor countries benefit so little from the global market as reflected in a subsequent lack of a wide-ranging existing literature about the subject. The literature suggests that global capitalism is dominated by a powerful small elite, the so-called Transnational Capitalist Class (TCC), but how does this relate to Kenya and Africa in general? We know that the TCC has strong connections to financial capital and wealthy transnational corporations. It also pushes neo-liberalism, which becomes the taken-for-granted everyday language and culture that justifies state policies that result in a further class polarization between the rich and poor. Using Kenya as a case study, this article draws on original qualitative research involving face-to-face interviews with Kenyan residents in different sectors who spoke freely about what they perceive to be Kenya’s place in the world order. My interview results show that, on top of the general lack of economic power in the world order, the main barriers to Africa’s performance are neo-colonial and imperialist practices, poor technology, poor infrastructure, general governance issues, and purchasing power.


Author(s):  
Shokhrukh B. Akhmedov ◽  
◽  
Vladimir M. Kutovoi ◽  

The article assesses a significance of the most important component of the agreement on accession to the WTO, namely the agreement on trade-related investment measures (TRIMs), in increasing the attractiveness of developing countries to investors from abroad. In addition, traditional determinants of FDI placement, such as the macroeconomic stability, trade openness, and economic development, are considered. The authors carry out an analysis in the field of regulation of TRIMs by the example of economic policies in developing countries. The study shows that the extent to which TRIMs contributed to achieving the goals varied significantly, reflecting the specific economic and political conditions of the country using them. In some cases, they played a role in encouraging foreign companies to make more use of local sources or increase their exports from the host country. In other cases, the impact seemingly was negligible.


Author(s):  
Saundarjya Borbora ◽  
Mrinal Kanti Dutta

Economic development and information and communication technology (ICT) are found to move together in the present day era of globalization. ICT can contribute significantly in economic development of a region by providing adequate information at the minimum of time and cost, thereby enhancing productivity in different sectors of an economy. This fact is substantiated by several studies (Kraemer & Dedrick, 2001; Pohjola, 2001). Some country specific studies like that of Singapore (Wong, 2001) also highlighted similar results. ICT diffusion in the world has been quite rapid since the mid 1990s. While the developed countries have benefited substantially from the ICT growth, the developing countries could not reap similar benefits out of it which has resulted in emergence of a digital divide across the countries (Economist, 2000; Nkrumah, 2000; Norris, 2001). This divide is noticed not only across countries but also within a country and this is more prominent in developing economies like India. ICT diffusion is another area which needs more attention in India as it will lead to ICT access and application of ICT in real sectors to increase productivity and output. During the past one decade India has made rapid advances in ICT growth as reflected in the increase in the number of Internet connections and users. The growth of Internet connections and users in the country is shown in Table 1.


2009 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 395-409
Author(s):  
HANS MAHNCKE

Globalization, as evidenced in increased trade, economic development, and the emergence of new global powers, has meant that the world economy has undergone significant changes over the past two decades. The World Trade Organization (WTO) is more than a potent representation of these developments, it is often seen, along with its predecessor, the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), as having enabled the process of globalization. However, there are profound concerns about what lies ahead in an increasingly complex economic and regulatory setting, in particular for developing countries (DCs).


2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (5) ◽  
pp. 13-21
Author(s):  
Leonid Taraniuk ◽  
Oksana Zamora ◽  
Oleksii Demikhov

Goal. The purpose of the research is to conduct a comparative study of the work of the Central Bank of the world with their governments in the context of forming a mechanism for synergistic interaction of its economic policy instruments to improve the level of economic development. Topicality. The actualization of this study is the need to establish effective formal and informal links between the central bank as a system-forming financial institution that shapes the monetary policy of the state and the government as a governing body that creates a virgin economic policy. There is a need for a systematic comparative analysis of the experience of developed and developing countries in order to form an effective tool for economic policy of the central bank with its government and make effective management decisions aimed at improving the level of economic development. Results. The system of relations between the central bank of developed and developing countries and their governments is described. Factors of positive and negative influence on the formation of economic policy tools of the central bank of the countries and their governments are revealed. Formal and informal links have been analyzed between the world country’s central bank and its government in the process of implementing the central bank’s economic policy. The mechanism of synergetic interaction of the tools of economic policy of the central bank of the countries with their governments is improved, which contains indicative indicators of the interactions of the central bank, ministries, government of the countries for the purpose of making effective management decisions. The necessity of systematic work of all stakeholders (central bank, government, other stakeholders) in the process of forming economic policy, the implementation of which can affect the level of economic development of the state, is substantiated. Conclusions. The comparative analysis with elements of benchmarking estimation is carried out The mechanism of relations of the central bank of the country with its government is improved. The role of this interaction of the country's central bank with its government and other stakeholders was assessed.


2019 ◽  
Vol 27 (5(137)) ◽  
pp. 10-19
Author(s):  
Anna Antczak ◽  
Marianna Greta ◽  
Agata Kopeć ◽  
Jacek Otto

The aim of this study is to characterise the textile industry of the two global giants in this field - China and India and to discuss the impact they exert on the global economy. For centuries the fibre and textile industry has played a key role for humanity. The study also draws attention to international arrangements for trade in textiles and its liberalisation. This allowed for further development of this branch of the economy and participation in the global market of developing countries.


Equilibrium ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 79-106 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ewa Lechman

In recent years, enormous changes are noted worldwide during broad  adoption of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT). These unique  technologies – often perceived as economic development incentives – have a great  ability to spread at high pace and low cost in countries all over the world, bringing  people opportunities to contribute to economic development and growth. New Technologies  play a special role in developing countries, where their in-country adoption  lies in the centre of development strategies. ICT are treated as tools which bring  people access to information, education and knowledge, offering unlimited possibilities  for wealth-creation.  The paper, purely empirical in nature, reports on the pace of adoption of new Information  and Communication Technologies in developing countries, and – additionally  – investigates country-specific ICT diffusion patterns. We expect to uncover  the S-shape curve in the diffusion process in most of developing countries, as well as  in the whole country sample.  For the analysis purposes, we apply all counties which – according to the World  Bank nomenclature – are classified as low-income and lower-middle-income econ-  omies. Our sample covers 46 countries (upper-middle-income and high-income  economies are excluded from the study purposefully) which are classified as developing  economies. The time framework is set for the period of 2000-2011. All data  necessary for the analysis are derived from World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators  Database 2012 (16th edition).


Con-texto ◽  
2015 ◽  
pp. 77
Author(s):  
Kevin J. Fandl

<p>This article brings to the attention of those public servants involved in the design and negotiation of free trade agreements between the United States and developing countries, such as Colombia, the potential benefits and drawbacks of negotiating in a bilateral forum. Rather than critiquing the free trade agreement for its particular provisions, this article examines the U.S. policy of negotiating bilaterally with developing countries as opposed to multilaterally in the world trade system and what effects such an approach might have on the economic development of the latter. Using an incremental policy analysis, the article critiques the bilateral approach in terms of economic development and fair trade negotiations using the recent Colombia-U.S. trade agreement as a case study. The article concludes that a bilateral approach that is disconnected from a broader multilateral context may be detrimental to developing countries and recommends increased oversight of such agreements by the World Trade Organization to ensure a higher degree of fairness.</p>


2019 ◽  
pp. 802-816
Author(s):  
Nermeen Atef Ahmed Hegazy

Tourism is an attractive tool for economic development, especially in the developing world because tourism industry is considered as one of the largest and the most diverse industries in the world and it is one of the fastest growing sectors of the global economic. Many countries are seeking a way to improve their economic conditions; they see tourism as a major source of income, employment, and development of economic. The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) researches assesses that the Travel & Tourism industry's contribution to GDP and jobs for 184 countries and 24 regions and economic groups in the world1.


Author(s):  
Saundarjya Borbora ◽  
Mrinal Kanti Dutta

Economic development and information and communication technology (ICT) are found to move together in the present day era of globalization. ICT can contribute significantly in economic development of a region by providing adequate information at the minimum of time and cost, thereby enhancing productivity in different sectors of an economy. This fact is substantiated by several studies (Kraemer & Dedrick, 2001; Pohjola, 2001). Some country specific studies like that of Singapore (Wong, 2001) also highlighted similar results. ICT diffusion in the world has been quite rapid since the mid 1990s. While the developed countries have benefited substantially from the ICT growth, the developing countries could not reap similar benefits out of it which has resulted in emergence of a digital divide across the countries (Economist, 2000; Nkrumah, 2000; Norris, 2001). This divide is noticed not only across countries but also within a country and this is more prominent in developing economies like India. ICT diffusion is another area which needs more attention in India as it will lead to ICT access and application of ICT in real sectors to increase productivity and output. During the past one decade India has made rapid advances in ICT growth as reflected in the increase in the number of Internet connections and users. The growth of Internet connections and users in the country is shown in Table 1.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document