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The politics of mobility in technology‐driven commodity chains: developmental coalitions in the Irish software industry

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  • Seá Ó Riain

Abstract

Through a case study of the Irish software industry, this article explores how an industry and region that was ‘locked in’ to a dependent relationship of routine production within the global software production network managed to partially move up the production and technology chain to develop more sophisticated operations among foreign firms and in the Irish‐owned sector. Relations within production networks tend to become institutionalized and self‐reproducing. Firms and territories tend to remain locked in to a particular niche, in the absence of a ‘development project’ or coalition that mobilizes resources and cooperation to generate a push into a niche further up the network hierarchy. The push for moving up the network comes when a marginalized or vulnerable group within or on the edges of the network makes an alliance with supportive public agencies. Global production networks institutionalize hierarchical relations, but it remains possible for developmental coalitions to mobilize around the connections and resources within those networks to enter new niches further up these hierarchies. In practice, this requires a concerted and ongoing state policy of industrial development and innovation promotion. A partir du cas de l'industrie irlandaise des logiciels, l'article examine comment un secteur et une région ‘emprisonnés’ dans une relation de dépendance, via une production routinière inscrite dans un réseau mondial de fabrication de logiciels, ont réussi à monter dans la chaîne technologique et productive pour mettre au point des opérations plus sophistiquées au sein d'entreprises étrangères et irlandaises. Les rapports dans les réseaux de production tendent à s'institutionnaliser et à s'auto‐reproduire. Entreprises et territoires restent plutôt prisonniers d'une niche donnée, en l'absence de ‘projet de développement’ ou de coalition mobilisateur de ressources et de coopération, capable de les pousser dans une niche supérieure du réseau hiérarchisé. Cette poussée se crée seulement si un groupe marginalisé ou vulnérable situé dans le réseau ou à sa périphérie s'allie à des organismes publics d'aide. Même si les réseaux de production mondiaux institutionnalisent des liens hiérarchiques, des coalitions de développement peuvent encore se mobiliser autour de contacts et de ressources appartenant à ces réseaux pour pénétrer de nouvelles niches, plus élevées dans les hiérarchies. En pratique, cela exige une politique gouvernementale concertée et durable de développement industriel et de promotion de l'innovation.

Suggested Citation

  • Seá Ó Riain, 2004. "The politics of mobility in technology‐driven commodity chains: developmental coalitions in the Irish software industry," International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(3), pages 642-663, September.
  • Handle: RePEc:bla:ijurrs:v:28:y:2004:i:3:p:642-663
    DOI: 10.1111/j.0309-1317.2004.00541.x
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    Cited by:

    1. Weiping Wu, 2005. "Dynamic cities and creative clusters," Policy Research Working Paper Series 3509, The World Bank.
    2. Georgios Angelidis & Charalambos Bratsas & Georgios Makris & Evangelos Ioannidis & Nikos C. Varsakelis & Ioannis E. Antoniou, 2021. "Global Value Chains of COVID-19 Materials: A Weighted Directed Network Analysis," Mathematics, MDPI, vol. 9(24), pages 1-19, December.
    3. David Bailey & Helena Lenihan & Alex De Ruyter, 2016. "A cautionary tale of two ‘tigers’: Industrial policy ‘lessons’ from Ireland and Hungary?," Local Economy, London South Bank University, vol. 31(8), pages 873-891, December.
    4. Miroslav Beblavý & Lucia Mýtna Kureková, 2016. "Labour regime in the ‘new economy’: The case of software industry in Central Europe," Discussion Papers 38, Central European Labour Studies Institute (CELSI).
    5. Collins Patrick, 2020. "Who makes the city? The evolution of Galway city," Administration, Sciendo, vol. 68(2), pages 59-78, May.
    6. Patrick Collins & Seamus Grimes, 2008. "Ireland's Foreign‐Owned Technology Sector: Evolving Towards Sustainability?," Growth and Change, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 39(3), pages 436-463, September.
    7. Johannessen, Jon-Arild & Olsen, Bjørn, 2011. "Projects as communicating systems: Creating a culture of innovation and performance," International Journal of Information Management, Elsevier, vol. 31(1), pages 30-37.
    8. Johannessen, Jon-Arild & Olsen, Bjørn, 2010. "The future of value creation and innovations: Aspects of a theory of value creation and innovation in a global knowledge economy," International Journal of Information Management, Elsevier, vol. 30(6), pages 502-511.
    9. Valentina De Marchi & Matthew Alford, 2022. "State policies and upgrading in global value chains: A systematic literature review," Journal of International Business Policy, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 5(1), pages 88-111, March.
    10. Giulio Buciuni & Lapo Mola, 2014. "How do entrepreneurial firms establish cross-border relationships? A global value chain perspective," Journal of International Entrepreneurship, Springer, vol. 12(1), pages 67-84, March.

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