IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/ems/euriss/18708.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

Development through global value chains and the achievement of decent work : challenges to work and representational processes

Author

Listed:
  • Pegler, L.J.

Abstract

The co-ordination of global production and trade within value chains has amplified debates concerning the impact of globalisation on labour, especially for developing countries. Whilst many development agencies argue for value chain insertion and upgrading as optimistic development pathways, many studies suggest a nuanced, conditional evaluation of the potential impacts on labour. One fundamental aspect of labour rights and conditions concerns representation and representational processes: that is, as encapsulated by the social dialogue component of Decent Work, whether representation is both effective and autonomous. This paper uses a model of organisational identity to deepen our understanding of the impacts of value chain insertion and upgrading on labour. It uses three studies of labour conditions in value chains in one country (Brazil) to evaluate the effectiveness and challenges to representation at the local level. These studies come from the food production (tomatoes), fruit collection/processing (passion fruit) and metals (refrigeration/washer) sectors and encompass industrial unions, rural unions and cooperatives. Whilst further work is required on the local, national and international contexts surrounding these studies, the analysis does suggest amplified and new complications for organisational identity as a result of value chain engagement. This adds another component to recent (but general) conceptual-empirical considerations of labour in value chains (Knorringa & Pegler, 2006). Responding to this, and the re-juvenation of representation, requires not only well linked strategies at local and international levels (thus substantial resources) but that representative organisations confront many developments which, potentially, also hold out promising opportunities for labour (e.g. Corporate Social Responsibility and Human Resource Management strategies).

Suggested Citation

  • Pegler, L.J., 2009. "Development through global value chains and the achievement of decent work : challenges to work and representational processes," ISS Working Papers - General Series 18708, International Institute of Social Studies of Erasmus University Rotterdam (ISS), The Hague.
    • Handle: RePEc:ems:euriss:18708
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://repub.eur.nl/pub/18708/wp485.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Altenburg, Tilman & Schmitz, Hubert & Stamm, Andreas, 2008. "Breakthrough China's and India's Transition from Production to Innovation," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 36(2), pages 325-344, February.
    2. Pegler, L.J., 2003. "Factory modernisation and union identity: new challenges for unions : reflections from Brazilian case studies," ISS Working Papers - General Series 19136, International Institute of Social Studies of Erasmus University Rotterdam (ISS), The Hague.
    3. John Humphrey & Hubert Schmitz, 2002. "How does insertion in global value chains affect upgrading in industrial clusters?," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 36(9), pages 1017-1027.
    4. Kolk, Ans & van Tulder, Rob, 2006. "Poverty alleviation as business strategy? Evaluating commitments of frontrunner Multinational Corporations," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 34(5), pages 789-801, May.
    5. Anner, Mark, 2007. "Forging New Labor Activism in Global Commodity Chains in Latin America," International Labor and Working-Class History, Cambridge University Press, vol. 72(1), pages 18-41, October.
    6. Khalid Nadvi & John T. Thoburn & Bui Tat Thang & Nguyen Thi Thanh Ha & Nguyen Thi Hoa & Dao Hong Le & Enrique Blanco De Armas, 2004. "Vietnam in the global garment and textile value chain: impacts on firms and workers," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 16(1), pages 111-123.
    7. Zhang, Lu, 2008. "Lean Production and Labor Controls in the Chinese Automobile Industry in An Age of Globalization1," International Labor and Working-Class History, Cambridge University Press, vol. 73(1), pages 24-44, April.
    8. H. Schmitz & P. Knorringa, 2000. "Learning from Global Buyers," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 37(2), pages 177-205.
    9. Jonathan Morris & Barry Wilkinson, 1995. "Special Issue Of Journal Of Management Studies The Transfer Of Japanese Management To Alien Institutional Environments," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 32(6), pages 719-730, November.
    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. Keshab Das, 2016. "Situating Labour in the Global Production Network Debate: As if the ‘South’ Mattered," The Indian Journal of Labour Economics, Springer;The Indian Society of Labour Economics (ISLE), vol. 59(3), pages 343-362, September.
    2. Pegler, L.J., 2011. "Sustainable Value Chains and Labour - Linking Chain and "Inner Drivers"," ISS Working Papers - General Series 525, International Institute of Social Studies of Erasmus University Rotterdam (ISS), The Hague.
    3. Keshab Das, 2015. "Situating Labour in the Global Production Network Debate: As if the ‘South’ Mattered," Working Papers id:6665, eSocialSciences.

    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. Pegler, L.J., 2011. "Sustainable Value Chains and Labour - Linking Chain and "Inner Drivers"," ISS Working Papers - General Series 525, International Institute of Social Studies of Erasmus University Rotterdam (ISS), The Hague.
    2. Lema, Rasmus & Hanlin, Rebecca & Hansen, Ulrich Elmer & Nzila, Charles, 2018. "Renewable electrification and local capability formation: Linkages and interactive learning," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 117(C), pages 326-339.
    3. Yoshimichi Murakami & Keijiro Otsuka, 2020. "Governance, Information Spillovers, and Productivity of Local Firms: Toward an Integrated Approach to Foreign Direct Investment and Global Value Chains," The Developing Economies, Institute of Developing Economies, vol. 58(2), pages 134-174, June.
    4. Roman Jurowetzki & Rasmus Lema & Bengt-Åke Lundvall, 2018. "Combining Innovation Systems and Global Value Chains for Development: Towards a Research Agenda," The European Journal of Development Research, Palgrave Macmillan;European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI), vol. 30(3), pages 364-388, July.
    5. Matanda, Margaret Jekanyika & Freeman, Susan, 2009. "Effect of perceived environmental uncertainty on exporter-importer inter-organisational relationships and export performance improvement," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 18(1), pages 89-107, February.
    6. repec:ipg:wpaper:2014-496 is not listed on IDEAS
    7. Cusmano, Lucia & Morrison, Andrea & Rabellotti, Roberta, 2010. "Catching up Trajectories in the Wine Sector: A Comparative Study of Chile, Italy, and South Africa," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 38(11), pages 1588-1602, November.
    8. Pietrobelli, Carlo & Rabellotti, Roberta, 2011. "Global Value Chains Meet Innovation Systems: Are There Learning Opportunities for Developing Countries?," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 39(7), pages 1261-1269, July.
    9. Lema, Rasmus & Quadros, Ruy & Schmitz, Hubert, 2015. "Reorganising global value chains and building innovation capabilities in Brazil and India," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 44(7), pages 1376-1386.
    10. Chaminade, Cristina & de Fuentes, Claudia, 2012. "Competences as drivers and enablers of globalization of innovation: Swedish ICT industry and emerging economies," Papers in Innovation Studies 2012/6, Lund University, CIRCLE - Centre for Innovation Research.
    11. Henderson, Jeffrey, 2005. "Global Production Networks, Competition, Regulation and Poverty Reduction: Policy Implications," Centre on Regulation and Competition (CRC) Working papers 30692, University of Manchester, Institute for Development Policy and Management (IDPM).
    12. Nakhoda, Aadil, 2013. "The impact of the exports of BRIC countries plus Turkey on the exports of Pakistan," MPRA Paper 52477, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    13. Maciej Grodzicki, 2018. "Prices of Value Added and Competitiveness in Global Value Chains," SPRU Working Paper Series 2018-14, SPRU - Science Policy Research Unit, University of Sussex Business School.
    14. Ziliang Deng & Xufei Ma & Ziyan Zhu, 2022. "Transactional Dependence and Technological Upgrading in Global Value Chains," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 59(2), pages 390-416, March.
    15. Caliari, Thiago & Ribeiro, Leonardo Costa & Pietrobelli, Carlo & Vezzani, Antonio, 2023. "Global value chains and sectoral innovation systems: An analysis of the aerospace industry," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 65(C), pages 36-48.
    16. Akçomak, Ibrahim Semih & Bürken, Serkan, 2019. "The middle-technology trap: The case of the automotive industry in Turkey," MERIT Working Papers 2019-006, United Nations University - Maastricht Economic and Social Research Institute on Innovation and Technology (MERIT).
    17. Lema, Rasmus & Berger, Axel & Schmitz, Hubert, 2012. "China’s impact on the global wind power industry," IDOS Discussion Papers 16/2012, German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS).
    18. Azmeh, Shamel & Nadvi, Khalid, 2014. "Asian firms and the restructuring of global value chains," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 56666, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    19. Pietrobelli, Carlo & Rabellotti, Roberta, 2011. "Global Value Chains Meet Innovation Systems: Are There Learning Opportunities for Developing Countries?," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 39(7), pages 1261-1269, July.
    20. Maja Tampe, 2018. "Leveraging the Vertical: The Contested Dynamics of Sustainability Standards and Labour in Global Production Networks," British Journal of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics, vol. 56(1), pages 43-74, March.
    21. Andrea González & Juan Carlos Hallak, 2022. "Relational links for insertion in non‐mass global value chains: Opportunities for middle‐income countries," Review of International Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(2), pages 653-672, May.

    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:ems:euriss:18708. 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: RePub (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/issssnl.html .

    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.