Economic and Social Upgrading of Supplier Firms in Global Value Chains: An Institutional Approach

Year 2023, Volume: 4 Issue: Current Issues in Management Research, 156 - 177, 25.10.2023

Yusuf Kurt

https://doi.org/10.54733/smar.1355795

Abstract

This paper develops a conceptual model that explains the relationships between global value chain (GVC) participation and economic/social upgrading. Furthermore, the model also introduces the moderating effect of institutions on the proposed relationships between GVC participation and upgrading. The model critically explores GVC literature and explains how economic and social upgrading can be achieved by supplier firms through participating in GVCs. Although the relevant literature has aimed at understanding the concept of upgrading, earlier studies have mostly applied a narrow approach and mainly focused on economic upgrading. However, the recent negative incidents in GVC (i.e., Rana Plaza collapse) has demonstrated that there should be holistic approach in upgrading and social upgrading should also be at the forefront of participating firms’ upgrading objectives. While previous literature shows how and in which conditions economic upgrading can be achieved, there is limited understanding on social upgrading and also the interaction between economic and social upgrading. Furthermore, previous studies have mostly focused on GVCs’ inner dynamics (i.e., governance) and overlooked the importance of external factors in affecting upgrading. Building on these research gaps, the present study makes a timely contribution to the literature by developing a conceptual model, which explains how and in which contexts economic and social upgrading can be achieved in GVCs. The interactions between GVC participation, economic and social upgrading, and institutions are critically explained and conceptualized with six propositions.

Keywords

global value chains, economic upgrading, social upgrading, institutions

Küresel Değer Zincirlerinde Tedarikçi Firmaların Ekonomik ve Sosyal Yükselmesi: Kurumsal Bir Yaklaşım

Abstract

Bu makale, küresel değer zinciri (KDZ) katılımı ile ekonomik/sosyal yükselme arasındaki ilişkileri açıklayan kavramsal bir model geliştirmektedir. Ayrıca model, kurumlar kavramının KDZ katılımı ve iyileştirme arasında önerilen ilişkiler üzerindeki düzenleyici etkisini de ortaya koymaktadır. Model, KDZ literatürünü eleştirel bir şekilde irdelemekte ve tedarikçi firmaların KDZ'lere katılarak ekonomik ve sosyal gelişmenin nasıl sağlanabileceğini açıklamaktadır. Her ne kadar literatürdeki çalışmalar yükseltme kavramını anlamayı amaçlamış olsa da bunlar çoğunlukla dar bir yaklaşım uygulamış ve çoğunlukla ekonomik yükselmeye odaklanmıştır. Bununla birlikte, KDZ'deki son olumsuz olaylar (örn. Rana Plaza'nın çöküşü), iyileştirmede bütünsel bir yaklaşım olması gerektiğini ve sosyal iyileştirmenin de katılımcı firmaların iyileştirme hedeflerinin ön saflarında yer alması gerektiğini göstermiştir. Önceki çalışmalar ekonomik gelişmenin nasıl ve hangi koşullarda sağlanabileceğini gösterse de sosyal gelişme ve ayrıca ekonomik ve sosyal gelişme arasındaki etkileşim konusunda sınırlı bir anlayış vardır. Ayrıca, önceki çalışmalar çoğunlukla KDZ'lerin iç dinamiklerine (yani yönetişime) odaklanmış ve yükseltmeyi etkileyen dış faktörlerin önemini gözden kaçırmıştır. Yukarıda bahsedilen araştırma boşluklarından yola çıkan bu çalışma, KDZ'lerde ekonomik ve sosyal gelişmenin nasıl ve hangi bağlamlarda sağlanabileceğini açıklayan kavramsal bir model geliştirerek literatüre anlamlı bir katkı sağlamaktadır. KDZ katılımı, ekonomik ve sosyal gelişme ve kurumlar arasındaki etkileşimler altı önermeyle eleştirel bir şekilde açıklanmış ve kavramsallaştırılmıştır. Küresel değer zincirleri, küresel ticaretin önemli bir bileşeni haline gelirken, bu çalışma, ekonomik ve sosyal gelişmenin nasıl ve hangi koşullar altında sağlanabileceğini anlamayı amaçlayan gelecekteki çalışmalar için fırsatlar yaratmaktadır.

Keywords

küresel değer zinciri, ekonomik yükselme, sosyal yükselme, kurumlar

Ethical Statement

Yazar herhangi bir çıkar çatışması olmadığını deklare etmektedir.

Supporting Institution

Çalışmada herhangi bir kurum ya da kuruluştan destek alınmamıştır.

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