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Working Paper
Digital technologies and ‘value’ capture in global value chainsThis paper examines whether digitalization can be a driver of ‘upgrading’ in global value chains and help developing countries move into higher value-added activities. In particular, the paper provides empirical evidence on the impact of digital...
Blog
Rethinking African industrialization on another Africa Industrialization Day
This week I attended the 28 th Africa Industrialization Day at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. Even sympathetic readers may reasonably...
Working Paper
Constraints on the performance and competitiveness of Tanzania’s manufacturing exportsThis study sought to examine the main constraints to manufacturing export competitiveness in Tanzania. Using panel data for the period 1997–2018, the study established that supply-side factors dominate demand-side factors in explaining manufacturing...
Working Paper
Digital de-industrialization, global value chains, and structural transformationDigitalization and shifting patterns of globalization are fast changing the rules of the game for countries embarking on a path of industrialization. In this study, we empirically examine the impact of digitalization and global value chains on...
Blog
Can the electric vehicle revolution solve the climate crisis and create opportunities for developing countries?
Electric vehicles (EVs) are confidently expected to decarbonize road transportation, contribute substantially to the net zero agenda, and so help to...
Blog
Metals for the global energy transition: Opportunities and salutary lessons
In a series of high-level UN Roundtables , in which I participated in 2021, experts and stakeholders explored the risks and opportunities presented by...
Working Paper
Pulling up or binding down: a review of upgrading trajectories in apparel and agro-processing global value chains for developing countriesThere exist a plethora of developing country value chain studies based on a variety of methodological approaches, both in the academic literature and through policy reports. However, there has been little systematic synthesis of the findings and...
Blog
New research horizons: Global value chains and transaction-level customs data
Over 70% of global trade goes through global value chains (GVCs). For firms in developing countries, insertion into GVCs has been associated with...
Journal Article
Digital Technologies and Product Upgrading in Global Value ChainsThis article provides empirical evidence on the impact of digitalisation on product upgrading in global value chains (GVCs). Analysis is done for a sample of Indian manufacturing GVC firms in the period 2001–15 from the firm-level database Prowess...
Working Paper
Exporters and global value chain participationUsing the South African Revenue Service and National Treasury firm-level panel data for 2009–17, this paper investigates how global value chain-related trade affects the export performance of manufacturing firms in South Africa. In particular, the...
Working Paper
Trade, technology, and absorptive capacityTrade-linked technological change has potential to increase incomes in low-income countries (LICs). The most labour-intensive segments of the textiles and apparel global value chain are in LICs. However, gaps between available technologies and best...
Blog
India’s manufacturing and services value-chains are shifting South: A curse or a blessing?
Much has been written on India as an outlier in Global Value Chains (GVC). Despite being one of the largest and fastest-growing markets located in...
Working Paper
Labour conditions in regional versus global value chainsWe explore how decent work varies across Southern Africa apparel firms participating in global value chains (GVCs) and regional value chains (RVCs), respectively. We draw on cross-section survey data from 135 workers in 31 firms across Eswatini and...
Background Note
Do more diversified suppliers rebound faster than concentrated suppliers in times of shocks?In this background note, we examine how different firms and sectors rebound or prevail in crises. We draw on insights from the performance (upgrading potential) of Kenyan horticulture, tea, and leather export firms during two recent, but very...
Displaying 16 of 21 results