IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/bla/rdevec/v10y2006i1p71-86.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The Division of Labor and the Formation of Industrial Clusters in Taiwan

Author

Listed:
  • Tetsushi Sonobe
  • Keijiro Otsuka

Abstract

While the role of clusters in promoting industrial development has been increasingly recognized in the literature, the locational choice of industrial clusters and the underlying factors affecting such a choice have seldom been analyzed, particularly in the context of industrial development in developing countries. In this article, the authors hypothesize that industrial clusters tend to be formed in suburban areas, where the division of labor among enterprises producing diverse products is intense. They obtained supportive evidence through regression analyses of changes in employment and value‐added ratio using township‐level census data of selected industries in Taiwan from 1976 to 1996.

Suggested Citation

  • Tetsushi Sonobe & Keijiro Otsuka, 2006. "The Division of Labor and the Formation of Industrial Clusters in Taiwan," Review of Development Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 10(1), pages 71-86, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:rdevec:v:10:y:2006:i:1:p:71-86
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-9361.2005.00301.x
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9361.2005.00301.x
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1111/j.1467-9361.2005.00301.x?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. T. Sonobe & D. Hu & K. Otsuka, 2002. "Process of Cluster Formation in China: A Case Study of a Garment Town," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 39(1), pages 118-139.
    2. Chen, Tain-Jy, 1992. "Technical Change and Technical Adaptation of Multinational Firms: The Case of Taiwan's Electronics Industry," Economic Development and Cultural Change, University of Chicago Press, vol. 40(4), pages 867-881, July.
    3. Gary S. Becker & Kevin M. Murphy, 1994. "The Division of Labor, Coordination Costs, and Knowledge," NBER Chapters, in: Human Capital: A Theoretical and Empirical Analysis with Special Reference to Education, Third Edition, pages 299-322, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    4. Abe, Makoto & Kawakami, Momoko, 1997. "A Distributive Comparison of Enterprise Size in Korea and Taiwan," The Developing Economies, Institute of Developing Economies, Japan External Trade Organization(JETRO), vol. 35(4), pages 382-400, December.
    5. Glaeser, Edward L & Hedi D. Kallal & Jose A. Scheinkman & Andrei Shleifer, 1992. "Growth in Cities," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 100(6), pages 1126-1152, December.
      • Edward L. Glaeser & Hedi D. Kallal & Jose A. Scheinkman & Andrei Shleifer, 1991. "Growth in Cities," NBER Working Papers 3787, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
      • Glaeser, Edward Ludwig & Kallal, Hedi D. & Scheinkman, Jose A. & Shleifer, Andrei, 1992. "Growth in Cities," Scholarly Articles 3451309, Harvard University Department of Economics.
    6. Humphrey, John & Schmitz, Hubert, 1996. "The Triple C approach to local industrial policy," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 24(12), pages 1859-1877, December.
    7. Thomas J. Holmes, 1999. "Localization Of Industry And Vertical Disintegration," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 81(2), pages 314-325, May.
    8. Eiji Yamamura & Tetsushi Sonobe & Keijiro Otsuka, 2003. "Human capital, cluster formation, and international relocation: the case of the garment industry in Japan, 1968--98," Journal of Economic Geography, Oxford University Press, vol. 3(1), pages 37-56, January.
    9. Ho, Samuel P S, 1979. "Decentralized Industrialization and Rural Development: Evidence from Taiwan," Economic Development and Cultural Change, University of Chicago Press, vol. 28(1), pages 77-96, October.
    10. Henderson, Vernon & Kuncoro, Ari & Turner, Matt, 1995. "Industrial Development in Cities," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 103(5), pages 1067-1090, October.
    11. Kawasaki, Seiichi & McMillan, John, 1987. "The design of contracts: Evidence from Japanese subcontracting," Journal of the Japanese and International Economies, Elsevier, vol. 1(3), pages 327-349, September.
    12. Amsden, Alice H., 1977. "The division of labour is limited by the type of market: The case of the Taiwanese machine tool industry," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 5(3), pages 217-233, March.
    13. Romer, Paul M, 1990. "Endogenous Technological Change," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 98(5), pages 71-102, October.
    14. Sonobe, Tetsushi & Kawakami, Momoko & Otsuka, Keijiro, 2003. "Changing Roles of Innovation and Imitation in Industrial Development: The Case of the Machine Tool Industry in Taiwan," Economic Development and Cultural Change, University of Chicago Press, vol. 52(1), pages 103-128, October.
    15. Schmitz, Hubert & Nadvi, Khalid, 1999. "Clustering and Industrialization: Introduction," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 27(9), pages 1503-1514, September.
    16. Henderson, Vernon, 1997. "Externalities and Industrial Development," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 42(3), pages 449-470, November.
    17. M. A. Adelman, 1955. "Concept and Statistical Measurement of Vertical Integration," NBER Chapters, in: Business Concentration and Price Policy, pages 281-330, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    18. George J. Stigler, 1951. "The Division of Labor is Limited by the Extent of the Market," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 59(3), pages 185-185.
    19. George J. Stigler, Chairman, Universities-National Bureau Committee for Economic Research, 1955. "Business Concentration and Price Policy," NBER Books, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc, number univ55-1.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Ruan, Jianqing & Wei, Longbao & Zhang, Xiaobo, 2006. "Clustering as a Way to Lower Capital Barriers: The Case of the Cashmere Sweater Cluster in Zhejiang," 2006 Annual Meeting, August 12-18, 2006, Queensland, Australia 25280, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    2. Tetsushi Sonobe & John E. Akoten & Keijiro Otsuka, 2009. "An Exploration into the Successful Development of the Leather‐Shoe Industry in Ethiopia," Review of Development Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 13(4), pages 719-736, November.
    3. Henri L.F. de Groot & Jacques Poot & Martijn J. Smit, 2007. "Agglomeration, Innovation and Regional Development: Theoretical Perspectives and Meta-Analysis," Tinbergen Institute Discussion Papers 07-079/3, Tinbergen Institute.
    4. Xu, Cheng-Gang & Guo, Di & Jiang, Kun & Yang, Xiyi, 2017. "Clustering, Growth, and Inequality in China," CEPR Discussion Papers 12543, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    5. Long, Cheryl & Zhang, Xiaobo, 2012. "Patterns of China's industrialization: Concentration, specialization, and clustering," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 23(3), pages 593-612.
    6. Masaki Nakabayashi, 2017. "Honesty, Diligence and Skill: Risk Sharing and Specialization in the Kiryu Silk Weaving Cluster, Japan," Review of Development Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 21(4), pages 1401-1424, November.
    7. Keijiro Otsuka, 2006. "Cluster‐Based Industrial Development: A View From East Asia," The Japanese Economic Review, Japanese Economic Association, vol. 57(3), pages 361-376, September.
    8. Merima Ali & Jack Peerlings & Xiaobo Zhang, 2014. "Clustering as an organizational response to capital market inefficiency: evidence from microenterprises in Ethiopia," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 43(3), pages 697-709, October.
    9. Hinh T. Dinh, 2017. "Jobs, Industrialization, and Globalization," Books & Reports, Policy Center for the New South, number 22.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Sonobe, Tetsushi & Hu, Dinghuan & Otsuka, Keijiro, 2006. "Industrial development in the inland region of China: A case study of the motorcycle industry," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 34(4), pages 818-838, December.
    2. Li, Dongya & Lu, Yi & Wu, Mingqin, 2012. "Industrial agglomeration and firm size: Evidence from China," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 42(1-2), pages 135-143.
    3. Jonathan Brookfield, 2008. "Firm Clustering and Specialization: A Study of Taiwan’s Machine Tool Industry," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 30(4), pages 405-422, April.
    4. Dauth, Wolfgang, 2010. "The mysteries of the trade: employment effects of urban interindustry spillovers," IAB-Discussion Paper 201015, Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), Nürnberg [Institute for Employment Research, Nuremberg, Germany].
    5. Koen Frenken & Frank G. van Oort & Thijs Verburg & Ron A. Boschma, 2004. "Variety and regional economic growth in the Netherlands," Papers in Evolutionary Economic Geography (PEEG) 0502, Utrecht University, Department of Human Geography and Spatial Planning, Group Economic Geography, revised Dec 2004.
    6. Rebecca Bradley & Joshua S. Gans, 1998. "Growth in Australian Cities," The Economic Record, The Economic Society of Australia, vol. 74(226), pages 266-278, September.
    7. Stéphane Riou, 2003. "Géographie, croissance et politique de cohésion en Europe," Revue Française d'Économie, Programme National Persée, vol. 17(3), pages 171-220.
    8. Diego Puga, 2010. "The Magnitude And Causes Of Agglomeration Economies," Journal of Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 50(1), pages 203-219, February.
    9. Babur Wasim Arif & Tetsushi Sonobe, 2012. "Virtual Incubation in Industrial Clusters: A Case Study in Pakistan," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 48(3), pages 377-392, March.
    10. Ali, Merima & Peerlings, Jack & Zhang, Xiaobo, 2010. "Clustering as an organizational response to capital market inefficiency: Evidence from handloom enterprises in Ethiopia," IFPRI discussion papers 1045, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    11. Bostic, Raphael W. & Gans, Joshua S. & Stern, Scott, 1997. "Urban Productivity and Factor Growth in the Late Nineteenth Century," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 41(1), pages 38-55, January.
    12. Giulio Cainelli & Donato Iacobucci, 2012. "Agglomeration, Related Variety, and Vertical Integration," Economic Geography, Clark University, vol. 88(3), pages 255-277, July.
    13. Dinlersoz, Emin M., 2004. "Cities and the organization of manufacturing," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 34(1), pages 71-100, January.
    14. Merima Ali & Jack Peerlings & Xiaobo Zhang, 2014. "Clustering as an organizational response to capital market inefficiency: evidence from microenterprises in Ethiopia," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 43(3), pages 697-709, October.
    15. Yamamura, Eiji & Shin, Inyong, 2007. "Dynamics of agglomeration economies and regional industrial structure: The case of the assembly industry of the Greater Tokyo Region, 1960-2000," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 18(4), pages 483-499, December.
    16. Eyerusalem Siba & Måns Söderbom & Arne Bigsten & Mulu Gebreeyesus, 2020. "The relationship among enterprise clustering, prices, and productivity in Ethiopia’s manufacturing sector," Review of Development Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 24(3), pages 831-854, August.
    17. Andrew Perumal, 2017. "42 Years of Urban Growth and Industry Composition," Atlantic Economic Journal, Springer;International Atlantic Economic Society, vol. 45(2), pages 133-147, June.
    18. Tessa Conroy & Stephan Weiler, 2016. "Does gender matter for job creation? Business ownership and employment growth," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 47(2), pages 397-419, August.
    19. Philippe Martin & Gianmarco I.P. Ottaviano, 2021. "Growing locations: Industry location in a model of endogenous growth," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: Firms and Workers in a Globalized World Larger Markets, Tougher Competition, chapter 1, pages 3-24, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
    20. Luis Suarez-Villa & Wallace Walrod, 1997. "Operational Strategy, R&D and Intra-metropolitan Clustering in a Polycentric Structure: The Advanced Electronics Industries of the Los Angeles Basin," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 34(9), pages 1343-1380, August.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:bla:rdevec:v:10:y:2006:i:1:p:71-86. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Wiley Content Delivery (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.blackwellpublishing.com/journal.asp?ref=1363-6669 .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.