...Framework for Analysis Jacques H. Trienekens Associate Professor, Wageningen University-Management Studies and Maastricht School of Management Hollandseweg 1, Wageningen, The Netherlands Abstract The paper presents a framework for developing country value chain analysis made up of three components. The first consists of identifying major constraints for value chain upgrading: market access restrictions, weak infrastructures, lacking resources and institutional voids. In the second component three elements of a value chain are defined: value addition, horizontal and vertical chain-network structure and value chain governance mechanisms. Finally, upgrading options are defined in the area of value addition, including the search for markets, the value chain- network structure and the governance form of the chain. Part of this component is the identification of the most suitable partnerships for upgrading the value chain. The three components of the framework are derived from major theoretical streams on inter-company relationships and from the literature on developing country value chains. The framework is applied in a case example of a developing country value chain. Keywords: Developing country value chains, research framework, upgrading Corresponding author: Tel: + 31 317 484160 Email: Jacques.Trienekens@wur.nl 51 2011 International Food and Agribusiness Management Association (IFAMA). All rights reserved Trienekens / International Food and Agribusiness Management Review...
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...Analysis of Global Production Networks within Consumer Electronic Industry. Introduction A diagnostic characteristic of contemporary globalization is that the component parts of the world economy are increasingly interconnected in qualitatively different ways from the past. Another way of saying this is that the world economy consists of tangled webs of production circuits and networks that cut through, and across, all geographical scales, including the bounded territory of the state. It is too simple to just define the global production networks, that involving a process of production, distribution and consumption of commodities, goods and services, as technical-economic mechanisms (Coe, Dicken and Hess, 2008). More than this oversimplified conceptual framework, Levy (2008) argues GPN as ‘simultaneously economic and political phenomena . . . organizational fields in which actors struggle over the construction of economic relationships, governance structures, institutional rules and norms, and discursive frames . . . GPNs thus exist within the ‘‘transnational space’’ that is constituted and structured by transnational elites, institutions, and ideologies’. In Levy’s theory, we can find out that more than a economic process of productions, GPNs is also a ‘social’ and ‘cultural’ phenomena in which the geographically differentiated political and social cultural circumstance are also shaped (Coe, Dicken and Hess, 2008). Considering the consumer electronic industry in particular...
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...ROLE OF MEDIA IN PROMOTING GOOD GOVERNANCE Media are the storage and transmission channel or tool used to store and deliver information or data. Media are (mostly) non state actors who define themselves apart from the state and from all other societal actors (what Edmund Burke described as a “fourth estate”, distinct from government, church and electorate). While this notion of free and independent media acting on behalf of the citizen against both state and other interests is a widespread ideal, the reality of most media worldwide is complex, rapidly changing and extraordinarily diverse. Media can consist of everything from national newspapers to student magazines, global broadcasters to community radio, websites and blogs to social networks and virtual communities, citizen journalists to government mouthpieces. This briefing focuses principally on media – and to a lesser extent on linked information and technologies - at a national level within developing countries. The term media refers to several different forms of communication required to educate and make a socially aware nation. The communication forms can be radio, television, cinema, magazines, newspapers, and/or Internet-based web sites. These forms often play a varied and vital role in our society. GOVERNANCE Recently the terms "governance" and "good governance" are being increasingly used in development literature. Bad governance is being increasingly regarded as one of the root causes of all evil within our...
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...Money Management Every company has a situation where it reflects before venturing into new investment means for increased profits. It is important to know the threats surrounding a company in terms of investment. For that reason, the organisation of choice has a risk profile indicating its positioning when thinking of investing in a new strategy. Apparently, the company has the willingness to take head-on the risks that would come along with any investment form. There are several financial instruments for investing in a new plan. The company has hatched mitigation measures for risks that may affect the incorporation of the strategy. The company’s decision to invest using the new financial instruments can realise increased costs, or losses in terms of trading in the finances, but these are some of the risks the organisation is willing to take head-on. In addition, with the current instability found in the financial sector after the infamous global financial crisis, companies run the risk of being caught up again in the recession. However, the company has engaged with the insurance companies and also with the necessary financial institutions so that in the event of unfortunate occurrence, the company remains safe. One example of financial instrument for investment is the Exchange Traded Fund (ETF), just like any other source of investment; it does not come along without its risks. In other words, there is no investment that is free from risk; they are all likely in one way...
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...solutions to the problems of property rights, governance structures, conceptions of control, and rules of exchange. These solutions are then linked to current perspectives in economic sociology: networks, population ecology, institutional theory, and the problem of constructing action. The term "markets as politics" is used in two dimensions: a) the formation of markets is a part of state-building and b) processes within a market which reflect two types of political projects: the internal firm power struggle (who will control the organisation and how it will be organised) and the power struggle across firms to control markets. Instability and Actors There are three phases in market formation: emergence, stability, and crisis. Differing conditions of market stability produce different kinds of politics. A stable market is defined as a market in which the identities and status hierarchy of firms (the incumbents and the challengers) are well known and a conception of control that guides actors who lead firms is shared. Markets in crisis are susceptible to transformation. There are two forms of potential sources of instability in markets: (1) the tendency of firms to undercut one another's prices, and (2) the problem of keeping the firm together as a political coalition. In markets, the goal of action is to ensure the survival of the firm (other authors might argue the goal of action is creating shared value. But this is probably a rumour). Actors will adopt different strategies to achieve...
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...international policy environment? How can the impacts of globalisation on democratic processes be managed to protect core values such as accountability, responsiveness, and transparency? What future do governments envisage for "global governance"? From Autonomy to Influence -- preparing for a global policy role THE IMPACTS OF GLOBALISATION ON POLICY-MAKING 1. Globalisation has changed the context in which governments operate. Even traditionally domestic issues are increasingly influenced by international actors and international events that are beyond national governments' ability to control, either individually or collectively. This has evoked a good deal of hand-wringing and fears that national policy autonomy -- or even national sovereignty -- is being undermined. These fears, while important, may be short-sighted. While globalisation poses many challenges for national governments, it also holds many opportunities. International co-operation offers new opportunities to improve overall policy effectiveness and to address common policy dilemmas. But are national governments adequately equipped to manage the problems and reap the benefits of globalisation? 2. The following discussion examines the impacts of globalisation on policy making1. It raises questions related to three main themes: 3. may international interest groups, the global newsmedia, multinational enterprises and the vagaries of globalised financial markets...
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...Graduate School of Development Studies A Research Paper presented by: Celeste Aida Molina Fernández (Guatemala) in partial fulfilment of the requirements for obtaining the degree of MASTERS OF ARTS IN DEVELOPMENT STUDIES Specialisation: Rural Livelihoods and Global Change (RLGC) Members of the examining committee: Prof. Dr Max Spoor Prof. Dr Peter Knorringa The Hague, The Netherlands November, 2010 Disclaimer: This document represents part of the author’s study programme while at the Institute of Social Studies. The views stated therein are those of the author and not necessarily those of the Institute. Research papers are not made available for circulation outside of the Institute. Inquiries: Postal address: Institute of Social Studies P.O. Box 29776 2502 LT The Hague The Netherlands Location: Kortenaerkade 12 2518 AX The Hague The Netherlands Telephone: +31 70 426 0460 Fax: +31 70 426 0799 Acknowledgments I would like to express my deepest appreciation to all the people who in one way or another contributed to the completion of this study, especially the interviewees, who generously shared their time and knowledge about the coffee sector in Ethiopia. My sincerest appreciation goes to Bilisuma Dito, who first introduced me to the ECX and provided me with key contacts for the fieldwork. Many thanks to Martha Kibru, Saba Yifredew...
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...Green Technology: A Cost Benefit Analysis of Business going Green Cost Benefit Analysis of Green Technology. I. Introduction Many business owners fear the costs associated with going green and although the net return varies according to the sector, in most cases these fears are unwarranted. Sustainable business practices should be evaluated based on a cost/benefit analysis. The benefits for things like brand reputation and employee loyalty, must be weighed against the costs and risks. When considering the value of sustainable practices businesses need to be notified of a wide range of benefits. Human resources are a good example of a department that benefits from greener practices. According to The Harvard Business Review’s summary of a number of green building studies, green facilities have been shown to increase the productivity of employees. Research further reveals that retailers who installed skylights saved energy and boosted sales by as much as 40 percent. Other research has indicated that loyalty and morale are positively impacted by a green workplace. Greening a physical environment contributes to health and reduces sick days. MonsterTRACK.com study revealed that people want to work for a company that is green. These factors enable green companies to attract and retain the best people, while saving human resources time and money. Green initiatives can save money, strengthen...
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...Contemporary Issues and Actors Elective, 2nd year BA ES, Period 3 (4.5 ECTs) 1. General overview 2. Organisational Issues 3. Participation 4. Attendance rules 5. Grading 6. Essay questions 7. Main rationale and acquired skills 8. Changes introduced to last year’s course 9. Lectures 10. Tutorials 11. Essay writing - Quality criteria 3 4 6 9 10 10 14 15 16 17 36 2 1. General Overview This course is about how we understand International Relations (IR) and what major international actors operate in a number of contemporary policy areas. As it serves as an introduction to the discipline of IR, it starts with some of the basic concepts in it: e.g. war and peace; the role of the state, etc. This is complemented by introducing the role of International (governmental) Organizations (IOs) such as the UN, WTO, NATO, the EU, OSCE, CoE; and International Non-Governmental Organizations (INGOs), such as Amnesty International; Greenpeace; Medicins Sans Frontieres; etc. The course also introduces the role of the individual and self-organized groups of individuals that claim actorness in IR (advocacy groups; epistemic communities, policy networks; guerrillas; pirates; terrorist groups, etc.). In covering these issues, students are acquainted with some of the main theoretical debates in IR (e.g. Neo-Realism; Neo-Liberal Institutionalism; Social Constructivism; etc.). The lectures provide the general framework for discussing the role of the abovementioned actors in a number of policy...
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...South-South cooperation for development 1. Introduction South-South Cooperation (SSC) and Triangular Cooperation (TC) are emerging forms of aid architecture far from the traditional “North-South” model. SSC, based on the attainment of internationally agreed development goals, including the Millennium Development Goals, is meant to strengthen developing countries’ voice and their bargaining power in multilateral negotiations. It also gives them the opportunity to promote self-sufficiency among them and strengthen their economic ties. South-South cooperation has existed for at least sixty years. It has become much more prominent in the past decade. Many Southern countries have emerged as important actors in the global economy. Their exact contribution to development is hard to quantify. Yet, they have provided ample support, in terms of financial assistance, capacity building, skill and personnel exchange, and technology transfer. However, despite the fact that SSC can be more sustainable than traditional North-South cooperation allowing better adaptation to the country situation, in practice there is still no shared understanding on the very nature and goals of SSC. This is true on the basis of the various and sometimes divergent “interpretations” on SSC given by both emerging economies and developed countries. Some argue that South-South Cooperation should not be seen as a substitute for, rather a complement to North-South cooperation, while others argue that the two models...
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...Toward Sustainability The Roles and Limitations of Certification Final RepoRt June 2012 prepared by the Steering Committee of the State-of-Knowledge assessment of Standards and Certification Toward Sustainability The Roles and Limitations of Certification Steering Committee Mike Barry Head of Sustainable Business, Marks & Spencer Ben Cashore Professor, Environmental Governance and Political Science; Director, Governance, Environment and Markets (GEM) Initiative; and Director, Program on Forest Policy and Governance; Yale University Jason Clay Senior Vice President, Market Transformation, World Wildlife Fund Michael Fernandez Director of Public Policy and Global Partnerships, Mars, Incorporated Louis Lebel Director, Unit for Social and Environmental Research, Chiang Mai University Tom Lyon Director, Erb Institute for Global Sustainable Enterprise, University of Michigan Patrick Mallet (Steering Committee chair) Director of Credibility, ISEAL Alliance Kira Matus Lecturer in Public Policy and Management, London School of Economics and Political Science Peter Melchett Policy Director, Soil Association Michael Vandenbergh Professor of Law, Tarkington Chair in Teaching Excellence; Director, Climate Change Research Network, Vanderbilt University Jan Kees Vis Global Director, Sustainable Sourcing Development, Unilever Tensie Whelan President, Rainforest Alliance RESOLVE Staff Abby Dilley Vice President of Program Development Jennifer Peyser Senior Mediator Taylor...
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...constitution came into force on 7 April 1948 and it has established itself as an important and trustworthy international actor. The main target of the organization is to provide leadership on global health matters, shape the health research agenda, set norms and standards, provide evidence-based policy options, provide technical support and also monitor and assess global health trends. Its objective is to ensure that everyone has the highest attainable state of health. (Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland 2008, WHO 2014.) FINLAND AND WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION According to Finland’s the...
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...What are the sources and limits of MNC power? Multinational Corporations in a Global Economy IR 120 - 201136597 - Catharina Knobloch 1. Introduction As MNCs are getting increasingly important as actors in political bargaining, the purpose of this essay is to provide a (more or less) detailed overview over the sources and limits of the power of multinational corporations (MNCs). In the first section, I am going to lead into this topic by giving some definitions. In addition to that, I am also going to explain the role of MNCs in the international governance based on the typology of regime types. Then I am going to examine the most important sources and forms of business power, before taking into account the limits and the vulnerability of MNC power. 2. Definitions First, the term of the “multinational corporation” is difficult to be generalised due to extensive variations among the current examples (corporations are of different size, age, nationality industry, pursuing distinct decision-making processes and strategy-setting patterns, etc.) In order to define it more precisely, a multinational corporation is a firm, which owns assets and controls activities in different countries. As a consequence, the corporation needs at least one subsidiary in a non-domestic country to be classified as an MNC (just foreign trade is not sufficient). Some examples of these include Shell, General Motors, IBM or BP that operates in more than 100 countries. There are four categories...
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...multinational corporations (MNCs) to adhere to international standards and codes of responsibility. Nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) have been important advocates for development and adoption of these standards and codes. • In this paper, we provide a brief review of the emergence of NGOs and their influence on debates about globalization, and a specific assessment of NGO efforts to promote stronger labor and environmental policies of multinational corporations. • We examine the role of NGOs in development and enforcement of twelve international agreements and codes of conduct addressing labor issues and environmental practices. We use findings from these cases and insights from international business and other managerial theory to develop propositions that explain the circumstances under which NGOs have more or less influence in developing and enforcing international codes. Key Results • We suggest NGOs will achieve the greatest impact on codes of conduct when: 1) they intervene early in the code development process; 2) they forge transnational coalitions with other organizations, including other NGOs, MNCs, and governments; 3) codes are devised outside of international organizations; and 4) the structure of the codes or agreements explicitly provides for involvement by non-business and non-state actors. Authors Jonathan P. Doh is assistant professor of management in the College of Commerce and Finance at Villanova University. Terrence R....
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...EU is a world global actor in the international system for its several characteristics: the scope and resources, the extensive experience, and the competence to operate in a united manner in a variety of internal and external policy settings. The two pillars of the EU’s external action: the Common Foreign and Security Policy including the Common Security and Defense Policy (CFSP/CSDP) and the External Relations such as the Common Commercial Policy (CCP) are the main features of the Union in establishing the external relations. The two pillars are extensively different from each other vis-à-vis decision-making processes and the role of the EU institutions in each pillar. The paper will review these differences in more details and provide argument for keeping the two pillars. 1. The Common Foreign and Security Policy came to function with the Maastricht Treaty in 1993 with the aims to ensure peace and stability in the European continent and in the world as a whole. It is considered as an intergovernmental mode of institution due to fact that it acts according to the guidelines of the national governments by viewing the different foreign policies of the member states. Along with other objectives such as promoting the fair democracy, the rule of law, and respect to human rights, the CFSP can also decide on arms embargo in conflict situations when necessary. 2. The second pillar of the EU’s external action, so called External Relations is the Union’s most important element keeping...
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