Although traditional manufacturing (textiles, clothing, footwear, furniture, etc) has been in decline in developed countries, it still represents an important part of European employment due to its labour-intensive character. Moreover, its geographical concentration particularly exposes certain regions of Europe to job loss as the industry declines. This book provides an explanation for the differences observed in the impact of globalization which is based on the influence of the territory and of the production specialization of the firms. The conclusions presented in the book are withdrawn from a detailed study of the Spanish textile-clothing sector. The book highlights the intensity of the relationship between the organizational model of the territory where the firms are located (high concentration of interrelated firms in a well-defined geographical area called "industrial district"), the specialization strategy implemented and the globalization of the economy. It also suggests the need to consider those factors as interdependent determinants of firm performance, particularly given the current trend for firms to simultaneously concentrate geographically and multilocalize domestically and internationally. The proposed methodology of analysis can be used to study other manufacturing sectors in other European countries.

The book highlights the intensity of the relationship between the organizational model of the territory where the firms are located (high concentration of interrelated firms in a well-defined geographical area called "industrial district"), the specialization strategy implemented and the globalization of the economy. It also suggests the need to consider those factors as interdependent determinants of firm performance, particularly given the current trend for firms to simultaneously concentrate geographically and multilocalize domestically and internationally.

This book provides an explanation for the differences observed in the impact of globalization which is based on the influence of the territory and of the production specialization of the firms.

This book focuses on the main challenges that cities, regions and other territories at sub-national level face when it comes to designing and implementing a territorial strategy for economic development and competitiveness. There is a widespread recognition that territories need to construct strategies that focus on shaping sustainable competitive advantages. To do this they draw upon their own unique resources and capabilities alongside intelligence on existing technological and market trends. However, there is still a notorious lack of both theoretical and empirical research on this issue. The first part of this book develops a theoretical framework for understanding and analysing territorial strategy. This framework asks three questions of territorial strategy – what for, what, and how – looking closely at the key relationship between strategy and policy. The second part is dedicated to exploring this framework in practice through application to a series of unique cases from around the world at different territorial levels, from regions such as the Basque Country, Navarre and Murcia in Spain, Okanagan (British Columbia) in Canada, Wales in the United Kingdom, and the cross-border region of the Øresund in Denmark–Sweden, as well as the city of Rafaela in Argentina. Each case offers something different and enables the framework to be thoroughly tested, generating concluding reflections that add real value for scholars and policy-makers interested in and working in the field of territorial strategy. This volume is intended for the academic community, the policy community (government leaders, policy-makers, policy researchers and consultants) and university students and teachers at different levels interested in the areas of territorial competitiveness, regional development, competitiveness policies and processes of territorial strategy.

Brings together a variety of scholarly contributions from a European perspective. This book covers dimensions of MNE corporate strategy in the face of complex policy environments: corporate strategic responses to national policy institutions; pro-active institution-oriented strategies; and, dynamics of international business-government relations.

This book applies a multiparadigmatic philosophical frame of analysis to the global political economy. Crossing two disciplines and lines of literature—social philosophy and global political economy—this book considers seven aspects of global political economy and discusses each aspect from four diverse paradigmatic viewpoints: functionalist, interpretive, radical humanist, and radical structuralist. The four paradigms are founded upon different assumptions about the nature of social science and the nature of society. Each paradigm generates theories, concepts, and analytical tools which are different from those of other paradigms; developing an understanding of the different paradigms leads to a better understanding of the multi-faceted nature of the subject matter. In this book, the first chapter reviews the four paradigms. Each of the next seven chapters provides four paradigmatic explanations for each of the seven aspects of the global political economy. The final chapter concludes by recommending further paradigmatic diversity. This book will be of particular interest to students and researchers interested in political economy, heterodox economics, political science and international relations.

Drawing on a large number of diverse sources, How China Disrupted Global Commodities comprehensively and systematically evidences the trends in the prices of different sets of commodities, analyses the drivers of China’s demand for commodities the factors constraining global supply and in the role which the financialisation of commodities is playing in constraining commodity production. It also documents and the growing role of China as a foreign investor in the commodities sectors. All of these trends are woven together to explore the fabric of strategic choices confronting public and private sector decision-makers.