International Journal of Technological Learning, Innovation and Development 

About: International Journal of Technological Learning, Innovation and Development is an academic journal published by Inderscience Publishers. The journal publishes majorly in the area(s): Emerging markets & Computer science. It has an ISSN identifier of 1753-1942. Over the lifetime, 198 publications have been published receiving 3215 citations. The journal is also known as: IJTLID.

From clusters to cluster-based economic development

Abstract: Over the last decades, changes in the global economy and the emergence of Global Value Chains (GVCs) have raised the interest in understanding the specific conditions and cross-company interactions within and across locations. For companies, the need to choose the right location for specific activities moved from an operational to a strategic issue. For countries, regions and cities, competition raised the stakes of understanding how to improve productivity and attract firms in specific fields beyond providing low factor costs and subsidies. Many countries, from natural-resource-rich, to transition economies, and to developed countries have launched competitiveness policies and cluster initiatives involving various stakeholders. The paper addresses how clusters can be leveraged for economic policy and what the role of different stakeholders in this process is. This paper summarises the cluster concept, focusing on the main theoretical framework and on recent empirical findings, and discusses key pillars of a cluster-based economic policy approach. The paper concludes with an application of the concept to resource-rich, oil-dependent economies.

Globalisation of the automotive industry: main features and trends

Abstract: This paper lays out the main features of the global automotive industry and identifies several important trends. A boom in developing country sales and production has not yet overshadowed the importance of existing markets in developed regions. Regional integration is very strong at an operational level, yet the industry has recently developed a set of global-scale value chain linkages, and retains national and local elements as well. The paper highlights how global, regional, national and local value chains are nested to create a pattern of global integration that is distinctive to the industry. We use global value chain analysis to help explain the limits of build-to-order in the industry, the role of regional and global suppliers, the shifting geography of production and how the characteristics of value chain linkages in the industry favour tight integration and regional production. We describe how industry concentration focuses power in the hands of a few large lead firms and discuss the implications of this for value chain governance and the geography of production.

Innovations for the poor by the poor

Abstract: The concern for inclusive or harmonious development is being articulated worldwide. There is a belated realisation that for extreme affordability, there is no choice but to learn from green grassroots innovators and traditional knowledge holders. Honey Bee Network began scouting, spawning and sustaining innovations by knowledge rich-economically poor people more than 20 years ago. A database of more than 140,000 ideas, innovations and traditional knowledge practices has been pooled mainly from 500 districts of India and some other parts of the world. Blending formal and informal science has become imperative. Several new models have been proposed such as long tailored innovations, Kho Kho (relay) model, empathetic innovations, inverted innovations, and grassroots to global (g2G) to illustrate different dimension of innovations for the poor by the poor. The policy implications of these models have been drawn briefly besides explaining the conditions, which must be met for inclusive innovations.

Upgrading and restructuring in the global apparel value chain: Why China and Asia are outperforming Mexico and Central America

Abstract: This article uses the global value chain approach to analyse the upgrading trajectories of leading apparel exporters adapting to the end of textile and apparel quotas and the economic recession. These events have been coupled by the consolidation and reconfiguration of global supply chains. China has been the big winner while other Asian suppliers are expanding their roles, largely at the expense of regional suppliers. One key to Asia’s competitive success vis-a-vis Mexico and Central America has been end market diversification. Regional trade agreements (NAFTA; DR-CAFTA) have provided the latter with preferential access to the US market and ties to brand manufacturers, but they also created a reliance on US exports and have hindered suppliers from developing regional linkages into textile production, apparel design and branding. Growing apparel demand in emerging Asian economies and a regionally integrated production network has allowed Chinese apparel suppliers to upgrade and expand global market share.

Global value chains in the automotive industry: an enhanced role for developing countries

Abstract: In this paper, we apply global value chain (GVC) analysis to recent trends in the global automotive industry. We focus on how the recent economic crisis has accelerated pre-crisis trends towards greater importance of the industry in the developing world. The regional structure of production in the industry has largely confined the impact of the crisis within each major producing country/region. Opportunities to move up in the value chain for suppliers in emerging economies have proliferated and are likely to become even stronger now that an increasing number of new models are developed specifically for local markets. While it appears that some large developing countries, especially China and India, are gradually gaining more independence and autonomy as their industries and markets gain size and importance, supplier countries such as Mexico and countries in East Europe remain as dependent appendages of adjacent regional production systems.