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The evolution of Chinese entrepreneurial firms: Township-village enterprises revisited

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  • Xu, Chenggang
  • Zhang, Xiaobo

Abstract

"Township-village enterprises (TVEs) were a major engine of China's rapid rural industrialization in the past three decades. TVEs also played a key role in fostering entrepreneurship and served as a major stepping-stone for institutional changes when legal protections of private property rights were not in place and the state-owned enterprises (SOEs) were slow to react to changing market demand. As private ownership was gradually recognized legally, TVEs lost their edge in competing with private firms. In the past two decades, industrial clusters with a concentration of private entrepreneurial firms coordinated by local governments have emerged rapidly in many areas. The structures of such firms as TVEs and the subsequent clustering modes of production are an outcome of interaction with other local and macro environments. As the environment changes, a firm's organization and organizational structure may change as well." from authors' abstract

Suggested Citation

  • Xu, Chenggang & Zhang, Xiaobo, 2009. "The evolution of Chinese entrepreneurial firms: Township-village enterprises revisited," IFPRI discussion papers 854, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    • Handle: RePEc:fpr:ifprid:854
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Zheng, Liang & Zhao, Zhong, 2017. "What drives spatial clusters of entrepreneurship in China? Evidence from economic census data," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 46(C), pages 229-248.
    2. Shujing Liu & Christian Kesteloot, 2016. "High-Speed Rail and Rural Livelihood: The Wuhan-Guangzhou Line and Qiya Village," Tijdschrift voor Economische en Sociale Geografie, Royal Dutch Geographical Society KNAG, vol. 107(4), pages 468-483, September.
    3. Chenggang Xu, 2011. "The Fundamental Institutions of China's Reforms and Development," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 49(4), pages 1076-1151, December.
    4. Guo, Di & Jiang, Kun & Xu, Chenggang & Yang, Xiyi, 2022. "Industrial clustering, income and inequality in rural China," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 154(C).
    5. van der Wouden, Frank, 2022. "Are Chinese cities getting smarter in terms of knowledge and technology they produce?," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 150(C).
    6. Xincai Gao & Zhongyang Ji & Fayyaz Ahmad & Muhammad Umar Draz, 2019. "Financial Support and Growth of Township and Village Enterprises in China: Fresh Evidence From Regional Analyses," SAGE Open, , vol. 9(2), pages 21582440198, June.
    7. Shenggen Fan & Ravi Kanbur & Shang-Jin Wei & Xiaobo Zhang, 2013. "The Economics of China: Successes and Challenges," NBER Working Papers 19648, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    8. Paul Minard, 2020. "Institutions and China's comparative development," Papers 2001.02804, arXiv.org.
    9. Martin Borowiecki & Karl-Heinz Leitner, 2015. "Determinants of new business formation in China: Regional evidence from a panel data model," ERSA conference papers ersa15p598, European Regional Science Association.
    10. Xu, Cheng-Gang, 2010. "The Institutional Foundations of China?s Reforms and Development," CEPR Discussion Papers 7654, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    11. Li, Hongbin & Yang, Zheyu & Yao, Xianguo & Zhang, Haifeng & Zhang, Junsen, 2012. "Entrepreneurship, private economy and growth: Evidence from China," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 23(4), pages 948-961.
    12. Long, Cheryl & Zhang, Xiaobo, 2011. "Cluster-based industrialization in China: Financing and performance," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 84(1), pages 112-123, May.
    13. Michael Keren, 2009. "China and India - a Note on the Influence of Hierarchy vs. Polyarchy on Economic Growth," European Journal of Comparative Economics, Cattaneo University (LIUC), vol. 6(2), pages 325-346, December.
    14. Ruan, Jianqing & Zhang, Xiaobo, 2014. "“Flying geese” in China: The textile and apparel industry's pattern of migration," Journal of Asian Economics, Elsevier, vol. 34(C), pages 79-91.
    15. Shang-Jin Wei & Zhuan Xie & Xiaobo Zhang, 2017. "From "Made in China" to "Innovated in China": Necessity, Prospect, and Challenges," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 31(1), pages 49-70, Winter.
    16. Zhang, Xiaobo, 2016. "Building effective clusters and industrial parks," IFPRI discussion papers 1590, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    17. Guo, Di & Jiang, Kun & Xu, Chenggang & Yang, Xiyi, 2023. "Geographic clusters, regional productivity and resource reallocation across firms: Evidence from China," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 52(2).

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    Keywords

    Cluster; Firm theory; Industrialization; Growth; Development strategies;
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