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Upgrading in China’s apparel industry: international trade, local clusters and institutional contexts

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  • Shengjun Zhu
  • Canfei He

Abstract

This article focuses on the concept of upgrading, and seeks to move away from a firm-centred approach of industrial upgrading towards a framework that recognises not only a firm’s integration into global value chains, but also its embeddedness within local networks and the context of wider institutional arrangements. Based on one firm-level database, this article measures upgrading in China’s apparel industry at the firm level, which allows us not only to evaluate the extent of upgrading in the industry as a whole and to compare its extent among individual firms and selected groups of firms, but also to differentiate and measure different types of upgrading. Empirical results confirm that the heterogeneity of firms, global and local linkages and the wider historical, political, institutional and economic context have all played a critical role in the process of upgrading, suggesting that a focus on dynamics of firm upgrading alone is insufficient.

Suggested Citation

  • Shengjun Zhu & Canfei He, 2018. "Upgrading in China’s apparel industry: international trade, local clusters and institutional contexts," Post-Communist Economies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 30(2), pages 193-215, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:pocoec:v:30:y:2018:i:2:p:193-215
    DOI: 10.1080/14631377.2017.1362099
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Bancalari, Antonella & Berlinski, Samuel & Buitrago, Giancarlo & García, María Fernanda & Mata, Dolores de la & Vera-Hernández, Marcos, 2023. "Health Inequalities in Latin American and the Caribbean: Child, Adolescent, Reproductive, Metabolic Syndrome and Mental Health," IDB Publications (Working Papers) 13158, Inter-American Development Bank.
    2. Staritz, Cornelia & Morris, Mike, 2013. "Local embeddedness and economic and social upgrading in Madagascar's export apparel industry," Working Papers 38, Austrian Foundation for Development Research (ÖFSE).
    3. Staritz, Cornelia & Morris, Mike, 2012. "Local embeddedness, upgrading, and skill development: Global value chains and foreign direct investment in Lesotho's apparel industry," Working Papers 32, Austrian Foundation for Development Research (ÖFSE).
    4. repec:idb:brikps:34578 is not listed on IDEAS
    5. Artola, Ner & Zepeda, Eduardo & Rabellotti, Roberta & Gomes, Raquel & Amighini, Alessia & Maggi Campos, Claudio & Villaschi Filho, Arlindo & Pietrobelli, Carlo & Cassiolato, José Eduardo & Parrilli, M, 2006. "Upgrading to Compete: Global Value Chains, Clusters, and SMEs in Latin America," IDB Publications (Books), Inter-American Development Bank, number 247.
    6. Ner Artola & Eduardo Zepeda & Roberta Rabellotti & Raquel Gomes & Alessia Amighini & Claudio Maggi Campos & Arlindo Villaschi Filho & Carlo Pietrobelli & José Eduardo Cassiolato & Mario Davide Parrill, 2006. "Upgrading to Compete: Global Value Chains, Clusters, and SMEs in Latin America," IDB Publications (Books), Inter-American Development Bank, number 13158 edited by Roberta Rabellotti & Carlo Pietrobelli, February.
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    Cited by:

    1. Shi, Xin & Jiang, Haizhou & Li, Huan & Wang, Ying, 2020. "Upgrading port-originated maritime clusters: Insights from Shanghai's experience," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 87(C), pages 19-32.
    2. Mahmudul Hasan Fouji & Imranul Hoque, 2021. "Supplier Internationalization Through Upgrading in Global Supply Chain: Evidence from the Garments Industry of Bangladesh," International Journal of Global Business and Competitiveness, Springer, vol. 16(2), pages 116-129, December.
    3. Ayesha Javed & Rao Muhammad Atif, 2021. "Global Value Chain: An Analysis of Pakistan’s Textile Sector," Global Business Review, International Management Institute, vol. 22(4), pages 879-892, August.

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