The current trend towards globalization is posing a substantial challenge to SME clusters to restructure and reach out to distant markets and knowledge sources, while at the same time exploiting the advantages of local factors and agglomeration. This book represents a first attempt to analyze these issues in detail, employing novel empirical evidence. The authors focus on Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) in Italy and Taiwan, two countries in which these businesses characterize the national industrial structure. They find that in the current climate of globalization, there is no best practice model for organizing an industrial cluster since a diversity of successful institutional arrangements is possible. They demonstrate that over time SME clusters can evolve and that globalization can reshape their upgrading options by providing a variety of international knowledge linkages. Thus, the authors conclude that the development of local and global networks and new interactive modes of knowledge creation, which have co-evolved as a result of globalization, have provided the necessary conditions for competitive survival. Taking a multidisciplinary approach, the authors utilize a number of analytical tools to evaluate their survey data and present an original comparison between the experiences of two countries that are facing the challenges of globalization, often with differing strategies. This book will be of great interest to industrial and international economists, policymakers, and corporate and SME managers.

The current trend towards globalization is posing a substantial challenge to SME clusters to restructure and reach out to distant markets and knowledge sources, while at the same time exploiting the advantages of local factors and agglomeration. This book represents a first attempt to analyze these issues in detail, employing novel empirical evidence. The authors focus on Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) in Italy and Taiwan, two countries in which these businesses characterize the national industrial structure. They find that in the current climate of globalization, there is no best practice model for organizing an industrial cluster since a diversity of successful institutional arrangements is possible. They demonstrate that over time SME clusters can evolve and that globalization can reshape their upgrading options by providing a variety of international knowledge linkages. Thus, the authors conclude that the development of local and global networks and new interactive modes of knowledge creation, which have co-evolved as a result of globalization, have provided the necessary conditions for competitive survival. Taking a multidisciplinary approach, the authors utilize a number of analytical tools to evaluate their survey data and present an original comparison between the experiences of two countries that are facing the challenges of globalization, often with differing strategies. This book will be of great interest to industrial and international economists, policymakers, and corporate and SME managers.

Clusters of small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) have to adapt continually to a fast changing environment. This new book, containing contributions on countries ranging from Italy and Mexico to China and India, recognises the disparity between conditions in these countries and poses some interesting questions about what might be termed post cluster globalisation. This book will be of interest to students, academics and policy makers in the fields of economic geography, international business and entrepreneurship.

Clusters of small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) have to adapt continually to a fast changing environment. This new book, containing contributions on countries ranging from Italy and Mexico to China and India, recognises the disparity between conditions in these countries and poses some interesting questions about what might be termed post cluster globalisation. This book will be of interest to students, academics and policy makers in the fields of economic geography, international business and entrepreneurship.

Despite years of liberalization, African manufacturing is conspicuously unable to compete in the global market. Its exports are minuscule, its response to competition is weak, technical efficiency is low and there are few signs of technological dynamism. Part of the problem, the authors argue, lies in the institutions designed to help firms import, use and improve technology. This unique study draws on extensive fieldwork assessing technology systems in Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Zimbabwe in the context of their export competitiveness. Its emphasis is on the role of technology systems in building industrial competitiveness and in this it finds deficiencies in the systems in all these countries, though there are also significant differences between them. Comparisons are made with more successful economies, particularly those of East Asia, and policy implications are drawn for the strengthening of technology support systems. Central to the book is its combination of academic analysis with a strong policy focus - policy implications are drawn for each case-study country. Failing to Compete will be of interest to all academics and scholars of development economics, international competitiveness and technology studies.

This volume uses the study of firm dynamics to investigate the factors preventing faster productivity growth in Latin America and the Caribbean, pushing past the limits of traditional macroeconomic analyses. Each chapter is dedicated to an examination of a different factor affecting firm productivity - innovation, ICT usage, on-the-job-training, firm age, access to credit, and international linkages - highlighting the differences in firm characteristics, behaviors, and strategies. By showcasing this remarkable heterogeneity, this collection challenges regional policymakers to look beyond one-size-fits-all solutions and create balanced policy mixes tailored to distinct firm needs. This book is open access under a CC BY-NC-ND 3.0 IGO license.

Chile's export diversification and industrial development since 1974 represents a laboratory case of market liberalization based on neoclassical principles. Advocated by the World Bank as the chief development strategy for most developing countries, Chile implemented what the World Bank is recommending as the lesson of East Asia. The book examines whether the continuous implementation of these policies since 1974 turned Chile into a Tiger. This book investigates these issues in detail with original evidence and analyses at the macro, industrial and microeconomic levels.

Chile's export diversification and industrial development since 1974 represents a laboratory case of market liberalization based on neoclassical principles. Advocated by the World Bank as the chief development strategy for most developing countries, Chile implemented what the World Bank is recommending as the lesson of East Asia. The book examines whether the continuous implementation of these policies since 1974 turned Chile into a Tiger. This book investigates these issues in detail with original evidence and analyses at the macro, industrial and microeconomic levels.