Premium
Strategic coupling, state capitalism, and the shifting dynamics of global production networks
Author(s) -
Lim Kean Fan
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
geography compass
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.587
H-Index - 65
ISSN - 1749-8198
DOI - 10.1111/gec3.12406
Subject(s) - capitalism , china , production (economics) , developing country , economic system , business , state (computer science) , market economy , state capitalism , coupling (piping) , economic geography , lead (geology) , economy , industrial organization , economics , political science , economic growth , engineering , politics , algorithm , geomorphology , geology , computer science , law , macroeconomics , mechanical engineering
This paper critically evaluates the relationship between state capitalism and “strategic coupling” within global production networks (GPN). It underscores specifically the lack of cases on “coupling” involving state‐owned enterprises (SOEs) from developing countries and city‐regions within developed countries. Most existing studies focus on the connection between regions in developing economies with lead firms originating from developed economies. This leaves open a conceptual and empirical gap as SOEs from developing countries (like those of China and India) are (1) increasingly becoming lead firms in their own right and (2) investing in developed economies. Against this backdrop, this paper highlights conceptually significant points from the acquisition of Nexen, a Canada‐based oil and gas TNC, by CNOOC, a large Chinese SOE, and argues for a fresh research agenda that examines the strategic coupling of lead firms that are also SOEs from developing economies.