Globalisation in reverse? Reconfiguring the geographies of value chains and production networks

Abstract

Standing at a crossroads, where ongoing ‘slowbalisation’ coincides with new forces such as the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, heightened geopolitical tensions, the emergence of disruptive technologies and the increasing urgency of addressing environmental challenges, many important questions remain unsolved regarding the nature and impact of the current economic globalisation. This special issue on ‘Globalisation in Reverse? Reconfiguring the Geographies of Value Chains and Production Networks’ aims at showcasing recent work that seeks to contribute to, and advance, the debates on economic globalisation and the reconfiguration of global value chains and production networks. This introductory article has three objectives: first, based on a broad literature review, we aim to identify four key forces, as well as the fundamental relatively stable capitalist logics contributing to the complex reconfiguration of global economic activities. Second, we will position the papers included in this special issue against the four main forces identified and discuss the contributions of each article to capture some emerging cross-paper patterns among them. Finally, we outline the contours of a research agenda that suggests promising avenues for further investigation of the phenomenon of value chain and production network reconfigurations in times of uncertainty.

Small but powerful—local value chains and sustainability‐oriented approaches in the agri‐food sector

“…Sustainability is a topic of high relevance in the strategy field (Cantele & Zardini, 2018; Danso et al, 2019; George et al, 2021; Hart et al, 2016; Husgafvel et al, 2018; Roxas et al, 2017; Walsh & Dodds, 2017). That is reflected in research on (global) value chains (Connell et al, 2018; Sarkis, 2021) and the regionalization/domestication of value chains (Gong et al, 2022; Kamakura, 2022). Consumers are increasingly interested in sustainably produced food and often perceive local production as positive (Korhonen et al, 2017).…”

“…Walsh & Dodds, 2017). That is reflected in research on (global) value chains (Connell et al, 2018;Sarkis, 2021) and the regionalization/domestication of value chains (Gong et al, 2022;Kamakura, 2022). Consumers are increasingly interested in sustainably produced food and often perceive local production as positive (Korhonen et al, 2017).…”

Post-offshoring manufacturing strategies: decision-making and implementation

“…However, an emerging sentiment is that offshoring decisions are often associated with hidden costs (Larsen et al, 2013), including the ones related to consumer response (Grappi et al, 2015). Therefore, such strategic choices have been increasingly under discussion (Gereffi et al, 2022;Gong et al, 2022;Panwar et al, 2022;UNCTAD, 2020b), requiring further development in research on the changes in the foreign operation modes within the dyadic theoretical perspectives which consider economic/strategic and behavioral/process approaches in post-entry modes (Elia et al, 2023;Putzhammer et al, 2020). More recently, the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic emerged as an additional trigger for companies to revise their offshoring strategies (Barbieri et al, 2020b;Miroudot, 2020;Strange, 2020;Verbeke, 2020).…”

“…Therefore, such strategic choices have been increasingly under discussion (Gereffi et al. , 2022; Gong et al. , 2022; Panwar et al.…”

Soziologie der Deglobalisierung

“…Deglobalisierung impliziert aus dieser Perspektive darum auch einen Rückbau transnationaler Räume und Interaktionen, was wiederum auf Skepsis stößt. Denn im Falle globaler Wertschöpfungsketten wird unter dem Schlagwort "Reshoring" zwar rege über Rückbauprozesse diskutiert (Gong et al 2022), beobachtbar sind aber bisher allenfalls ein Stocken der Internationalisierung oder eine Verschiebung transnationaler Produktionsnetzwerke (Butollo und Staritz 2022). Aktuelle Zeitdiagnosen zur Krise der Globalisierungsperiode bezeugen deren anhaltende gesellschaftliche Auswirkungen und betonen etwa, dass sich die kapitalistische "Hyperglobalisierung" nationalstaatlich-demokratischer Kontrolle und Regulierung entziehe und zu neuen sozialen Konflikten führe (Rodrik 2011;Streeck 2021).…”