Competitive Adjustment and Advancement in Global Commodity Chains: I. Firm Strategies and Trajectories in the East Asian Apparel Industry

Globalisation discourses increasingly depart from a network‐centred view of the world, and focus on the possibilities of leveraging economic globalisation – through incorporation in international production networks and global commodity chains (GCCs)– as a strategy for less developed countries (LDCs) to industrialise and advance their position in the world economy. This article goes beyond the question of incorporation and addresses the issue of sustaining positions, upgrading to more rewarding roles, and advancing to less dependent positions within production networks and GCCs. Drawing on experiences in the East Asian apparel industry, we present a framework for analysing such processes at both the firm and industry levels. We demonstrate that the East Asian experience provides a rather positive picture, despite a decline in the region's share of world trade. The present paper is a preliminary contribution; further research, using the framework presented, would enhance insights into competitive adjustment and advancement in GCCs, specifically, the forces underlying success or failure.     

洛杉矶时装业生产网络研究

近年来,生产网络已经成为研究热点,其对纳入网络中不同企业和地方的技术升级、价值增加和获得具有重要意义。本文以洛杉矶时装业生产网络为对象,深入分析其生产网络的运行体制,吸取成功经验。研究表明,时尚区内密集的社会网络和开放的劳工市场,快速与时尚的生产理念,地理空间聚集,各公司之间竞争、合作、信任关系以及商贸促进区对区域发展的调节与治理等都是其取得成功的重要条件。     

中国在东亚电子行业生产网络中的分工地位研究——以ICT部门为例

电子行业的跨国生产网络是东亚地区制造业的产品内分工模式的特征性现象,其中最具代表意义的是信息通讯(ICT)部门生产网络的迅猛发展。本文主要运用贸易差额、贸易平衡贡献度指数、显示性比较优势指数、三角贸易指数等指标,基于ICT部门细分行业的贸易数据考察了中国在东亚电子行业生产网络中的分工地位。研究结果显示:尽管中国ICT部门对东亚最终产品贸易存在明显的顺差,但零部件贸易上基本处于逆差地位;中国对东亚地区的ICT最终产品贸易对贸易平衡的贡献为正,而零部件贸易的贡献为负,零部件相对于日本、韩国、东盟6国乃至整个东亚处于明显的比较劣势地位;尽管中国ICT部门无论是最终产品还是零部件在东亚市场上具备了一定的出口供给优势,且零部件出口供给能力在不断增强,但中国在ICT部门零部件加工组装方面的比较优势更为明显;中国ICT部门的加工贸易程度较高,中国在东亚ICT部门的三角贸易格局中发挥着出口平台的关键作用。上述分析表明,作为东亚生产网络中的制造中心,中国在东亚电子行业生产网络中更多的是扮演加工组装的角色,尚处于价值链分工中的低端环节。     

Emulating The Celtic Tiger? A Comparison of the Software Industries of Singapore and Ireland

This article explores parallels between the economic development strategies of Ireland and Singapore through a study of the software sector. My central argument is that Singapore's embryonic software industry can learn important lessons from Ireland, which now exports over US$6 billion worth of products annually. Ireland's success has been achieved by attracting two forms of export-oriented foreign direct investment that are increasingly important due to globalisation trends in the software industry: software development centres, and software product manufacturing and localisation (translation and local adaptation) plants. Ireland has benefited from its position on the periphery of Western Europe, one of the largest software markets in the world, to emerge as a key production location for US transnational corporations. Singapore is perhaps now poised, with a similar range of financial, labour market and infrastructural attributes as Ireland, to benefit from rapid growth in the Asia-Pacific software market. Three corporate case studies from Singapore are used to illustrate this argument.     

亚洲新兴经济体服务贸易竞争力比较研究——基于亚洲“四小龙”服务贸易数据分析

本文采用服务贸易国际竞争力常用评价指标体系,对亚洲新兴经济体一亚洲“四小龙”的服务贸易国际竞争力进行了比较分析。研究表明：中国香港的服务贸易国际竞争力最强,优势部门为运输和金融;新加坡服务贸易发展最为迅速;中国台湾和韩国服务贸易处于较低水平,但韩国的政府服务遥遥领先,建筑业已处于世界先进水平。在此基础上,提出应加强亚洲“四小龙”的服务贸易合作,形成优势互补,提高国际竞争力。     

地方生产网络空间结构演化过程与机制研究——以潮汕纺织服装行业为例

采用社会调查法,借助社会网络分析软件,运用演化经济地理学核心概念,对中国潮汕地区的纺织服装生产网络进行了案例研究。结果表明:①改革开放后,潮汕地方生产网络内部空间结构不断演变,从多点集聚向多个孤立集群网络演进,再向跨集群地方网络发展;②网络演化本质上是企业关系的变化,企业间关系是在外部环境作用下企业根据自身能力做出的战略选择,地理临近与路径依赖使潮汕集群网络结构得以保持(即"遗传"),企业创新需求作用下的路径创新推动了集群间联系的发展(即"变异");③生产网络演化机理的研究还应加强对路径创新与地方产业升级的研究。     

“本地和非本地”的北京企业联系：时空格局与影响因素

区域的中心—腹地关系一直是区域与城市发展领域关注的经典内容。全球化和信息化的推进产生了“流空间”和“中心流理论”,为现代城市间关系的研究提供了理论支撑,企业联系流反映的城市间关系受到学者的广泛关注,但多数研究聚焦在“整体空间”的城市网络特征表述,少有从特定问题出发,在更广阔的“非本地”范围研究中心城市与腹地的关系。论文基于1990—2018年县域尺度的企业流数据,研究北京与河北(本地)和京津冀区域外(非本地)的企业联系的时空格局和影响因素,从企业联系视角为北京与河北的经济落差提供解释,主要结论如下： ① 1990—2018年北京的本地性企业联系较弱,企业联系较强的县市主要集中在非本地,尤其是长三角等地区,非本地联系是北京企业联系的主要形式。从投资金额来看,北京与本地联系最强的行业为制造业,与非本地(主要是长三角)联系最强的行业为租赁和商务服务业;从建立分支数来看,北京与本地和非本地联系最强的行业都为金融业。② 北京的本地企业联系主要受本地的经营环境(金融环境、政府干预、政策环境)和区位条件(地理邻近)的影响,非本地企业联系主要受关键资源(政治资源、科技投入)、经营环境(经济开放)和市场潜力(消费水平)的影响。河北综合承载力较弱、与首都产业链不协调和不匹配等问题给北京与之建立本地联系上带来了一定的阻力,使北京倾向于与具有更优越市场潜力和经营环境的城市建立跨区域的非本地联系。     

亚运会城市更新对社区居民影响的跟踪研究——基于广州市三个社区的实证调查

亚运会的成功举办对广州的经济、社会、文化产生了深远影响,同时也触发了广州新一轮的城市更新,涉及颇多社区与居民。现有研究仅关注亚运会前期的影响,缺乏对其后续影响的跟踪研究。本文对亚运会期间更新改造的三个案例进行跟踪研究,对比更新前后社区居民在物质、社会和心理层面上所受影响。研究表明:由于城市更新缺乏对社区居民的全面考虑,更新改造导致部分居民的社会经济地位降低,社会网络破坏,邻里关系拆散,社区满意度下降。这场快速、效果显著的城市更新,在物质层面上一定程度地改善了居民的居住环境和质量,但在社会层面和心理层面却对社区居民造成了较大负面影响。作为与政府和开发商不均衡博弈中的弱势方,社区居民成为亚运轰轰烈烈的城市更新改造中的社会成本承担者。城市更新应更多关注社会利益与公众参与,提倡多元化的城市更新目标。     

The Singapore River thematic zone: sustainable tourism in an urban context

This paper explores the concept of sustainable tourism and how it applies to urban destinations such as Singapore. As tourism is an important industry in Singapore, in terms of employment, business activity and an income generator, the Singapore Tourism Board is continuously looking at potential avenues to make Singapore a competitive destination. We examine the use of thematic zones in Singapore as a strategy to achieve its ambition of becoming a tourism capital of the world. By focusing on a case study of the Singapore River thematic zone (one of the 11 thematic zones identified by the Singapore Tourism Board), we assess the viability of thematic zones in ensuring sustainable urban tourism. The paper closes with some theoretical reflections and policy implications arising from our key findings.     

“21世纪海上丝绸之路”航运服务业网络格局研究

在“一带一路”倡议下，发展航运服务业对于巩固与提升中国在全球航运网络中的地位具有重要意义。构建103家跨国公司在“21世纪海上丝绸之路（海丝之路）”沿线1 054个城市的分布数据库，分析7种航运服务业在“海丝之路”沿线的网络特征。研究表明：① “海丝之路”沿线航运服务业网络的层级分布特征明显，处于第一层级的均为亚洲城市，说明亚洲航运服务业在航运服务业网络中地位重要。② 在“海丝之路”这一层面，伦敦、香港、新加坡等城市和地区构成大的联系三角，在中国层面，上海、香港、北京构成小的联系三角。③ 高端航运服务业主要分布在欧洲城市，亚洲城市在中端航运服务业方面占据重要地位，在低端航运服务业方面，非洲城市在仓储服务业表现突出，亚洲和欧洲城市则在船舶修造业实力雄厚。④ 高端航运服务业往往受城市的历史、文化、语言、法律、制度影响较大，对地方的根植性较强，倾向于首都等内陆城市，而中低端航运服务业主要依托于货物运输，受自然条件和区位条件等因素的影响较大，往往随货物运输转移而转移，倾向于分布在港口城市。     

Strong growth in weakly-developed networks: Producer-user interaction and knowledge brokers in the Greater Shanghai chemical industry

This paper investigates the developing spatial and social division of labor in the Greater Shanghai chemical industry. This industry experienced strong growth after the Asian financial crisis, when policy support was extended beyond “new economy” industries to include traditional manufacturing sectors. Based on a conceptualization that emphasizes the role of producer-user networks and interactive learning as a basis for ongoing innovation and business success, an explorative study was designed to investigate the supplier and customer linkages in different locations of the Greater Shanghai region. The results suggest that inter-firm networks are not extensive and often involve limited producer-user interaction. Important chemical firms in the region concentrate on business with their established international customer basis, use state-controlled distribution channels or rely on intermediaries that act as knowledge brokers. Neither of these practices of market interaction includes intensive information exchange and feedback on products, customer experience and demand changes. As such, these practices do not provide a sound basis for self-sustained growth or innovation in the future. The paper concludes that regional policy needs to support the establishment of combined “bonding” and “bridging” relations between chemical producers and their user industries.     

我国省域出口增加值的核算及其对产业结构的影响评估

以 2010 年中国非竞争型区域间投入产出表为基础,对 30 个省区市的出口增加值进行核算,从全国和区域尺度分析其对产业结构的影响。结果显示：省域出口增加值对全国产业结构的影响存在显著差异,划分出资源消耗型、技术引领型、服务业促进型和出口起步型 4 类区域,前 3 类区域通过出口增加值分别提升了全国 GDP中资源密集型产业、技术密集型产业和服务业的比例;从出口增加值对本地产业结构的影响来看,欠发达地区出口增加值普遍有利于推动本地产业结构升级,发达地区出口增加值提升了资源密集型产业和技术密集型产业在地区 GDP 中的比例,但阻碍了服务业比例的提升,出口增加值结构需要进一步优化。最后提出促进和改善出口增加值的政策建议。     

Nationalism, Populism, Dependency: Southeast Asia and Responses to the Asian Crisis

Opposition to neoliberal globalisation has been especially intense since the Asian crisis. This paper assesses three responses to the crisis: a broad localist reaction in Thailand, and the approaches adopted by two major Asian-based organisations, the Third World Network (TWN) and the Focus on the Global South. The discussion of these approaches focuses on the issues of nationalism and populism; dependency; industrialisation and the state; and liberalisation, international institutions, and local society. Their critiques range from the conservative populism of the localists, to reformism of TWN, and to the more radical "deglobalisation" approach of the Focus group. However, none have been able to free themselves of the influence of dependency models. Their populism and "progressive nationalism" prevents an accurate location of the causes of exploitation in capitalist processes. This paper questions whether the national-global dichotomy of these approaches is an adequate way to conceptualise capitalist production and exploitation in the era of globalisation.     

全球-地方联结与产业集群的技术学习 ——以河南许昌发制品产业为例

以产业区理论、管制理论和全球生产网络理论为基础,以学习创新为核心,构建了一个融生产体系与社会生产体制、制度与协调机制、地方生产网络、全球生产网络“四位一体”的学习型产业区分析框架;运用该框架,以河南许昌发制品产业集群为案例,研究了全球-地方网络联结的方式、动态及其对技术学习的影响。研究发现,通过全球与地方生产网络的建构和有机联结,传统产业集群的技术学习是可以从“低端道路”迈向“高端道路”的,发展学习型产业区应作为我国经济发展与技术创新的一项重大战略和政策。     

无锡城市制造业企业区位调整与苏南模式重组

苏南地域广阔,区域和城市发展路径多样。较多研究关注全球化背景下国家和省级开发区发展带来的苏南模式创新,但是城市化对苏南模式重组影响同样值得关注。基于企业数据的空间分析以及企业访谈和问卷调查资料,从制造业企业进入和退出的角度,考察无锡市南长区在从乡镇企业典型发育地区(郊区)转变为城区过程中的产业升级和空间格局调整过程。研究表明:南长区制造业经历了产权重组、结构重组和空间重组三个过程,呈现出中小高新技术企业为主、空间上高度集中等城市化特征。政府表现出明显的"企业化"倾向,与传统苏南模式中直接介入企业经营不同,地方政府通过规划调控以及开发区建设、税收等金融刺激政策和措施影响企业区位行为,从而推动城市产业结构的转型升级和空间再集聚。     

全球生产网络中企业去地方化的形式与机理研究

经济活动的去地方化既是生产活动的空间转移过程,也是企业供应链在不同空间尺度的分离与再组合的功能整合过程,并且对地方产业的前后向联系、社会资本和就业等方面产生影响。在文献综述的基础上,提出在全球生产网络中企业去地方化的动力主要是网络权力的拉力和社会资本的粘性。在两种力的相互作用过程中,产生了不同的网络权力的依赖关系,形成了不同类型的企业去地方化形式。企业去地方化可能会导致地方生产网络断裂,并且由于去地方化形式的不同,对企业经济绩效和地方集聚经济产生的影响也不同。最后,对中国沿海外贸加工业的去地方化情况和发展前景进行了初步思考。     

南京内城商业绅士化发育特征研究

商业绅士化是指城市中传统商业、居住或工业被更高价值商业取代和置换的现象,与居住绅士化互为因果。由于城市发展阶段、模式和管制环境不同,不同国家和地区商业绅士化社会空间特征表现出显著差异。20世纪末以来,在城市社会空间转型语境下,具有异域风情的餐厅、酒吧、咖啡馆、健身房等高档消费场所置换传统住宅或社区商业并在城市特定空间中集聚,是中国最典型的商业绅士化现象。遴选出符合商业绅士化特征的六类高端商娱场所,采用空间核密度等方法,对2008年和2018年南京内城上述商娱场所空间集聚、演进模式和机理效应进行分析。研究发现：① 商业绅士化“热点区”首先出现在城市传统商业中心和文化历史街区,随后向商业中心周边和新兴商业地段跳跃式扩散;② 根据实践路径差异,可将南京内城商业绅士化分为整体植入式、侵入演替式和转型升级式三种模式,分别以1912街区、南京大学—南京师范大学（南大—南师大）片区和新街口地区为代表;③ 经济和文化力量在推动商业绅士化的发生演化中均发挥重要作用,其中地方政府、资本联手对“商业租差”的追逐,以及年轻、高收入绅士化群体日益增长的时尚、高端文化消费需求,从供需两端驱动着商业绅士化过程;④ 商业绅士化在提升城市商业活力和经济效益的同时,也在一定程度上产生对原住居民和低端商业的排挤和置换效应。     

Far beyond the Gulf: the implications of warfare for Asian labour migration

The implications of the Gulf War are assessed for the countries in Asia that send labor migrants to the Middle East. "This paper seeks to examine the effects of...the loss of remittances (and related issues, including return migration), primarily in terms of the long-term implications of the War for the future of contract labour migration in the Asian region...."     

FORTY YEARS OF PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY IN THE JOURNAL

Up to June 1993, 207 articles on physical geography have been published in the Malayan Journal of Tropical Geography (MJTG) (1953–57), Journal of Tropical Geography (JTG) (1958–79) and the Singapore Journal of Tropical Geography (SJTG) (1980–93). These articles are examined initially in terms of their sub-fields (Biogeography, Climatology, Geomorphology, Hydrology, and Soils), area of focus (the tropics, Africa, America, East Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia excluding Malaysia and Singapore, Malaysia, Singapore, and Southwest Pacific) and the area of origin of the authors. The more significant papers in the sub-fields are indicated. Various factors influencing the contributions to the Journal and some insights on the contributions of local staff (Singapore and Malaysia) are also given. The significance of the Journal as an avenue for local and foreign authors and for papers on physical geography in the tropics is briefly evaluated.     

An Examination of the Challenges of Charlotte Manufacturers

Manufacturing employment has steadily declined in the Charlotte metropolitan area, with significant losses occurring in textiles, apparel, and related industries. Production activity remains widespread in the region, however, both in terms of the number of manufacturers and workers and the wide range of industries in which they are involved. Evidence from a survey of manufacturers within the Charlotte region indicates that a number of firms continue to succeed despite various competitive issues on the local and national scales. This article examines these challenges, their implications, and the strategies used to address these issues. Overall, manufacturers across the region are in a period of rapid change.