Global Value Chains, Business Networks, Strategy, and International Business: Convergences

Review of Business Management, São Paulo, 21 (4): 607-627, Oct/Dec. 2019

31 Pages Posted: 2 Jun 2020

See all articles by John Humphrey

John Humphrey

University of Sussex - School of Business, Management and Economics

Emanuela Todeva

Business Clusters, Networks and Economic Development

Eduardo Armando

Tecnologico Monterrey

Ernesto Giglio

UNIP - Universidade Paulista

Date Written: 2019

Abstract

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to clarify the distinction between Global Value Chains and selected strands of the business literature: business networks, strategy, and international business. These four research areas have starting questions that are often different and the audiences they address also differ. There have been attempts to establish links across these theories, but these are exceptions rather than the rule.

Design/methodology/approach – The basic principles and concepts of the four areas are identified. The results are used to develop a summary matrix of the approaches. The methodological path is inductive and inferential, as the task involves searching for similarities, complementarities, and overlaps across the four social science disciplines.

Findings –The literature of the studied fields overlaps on the issues they are trying to understand, even if they do not use identical terminology. The four areas advocate the same principle in understanding the organizational field: complexity. Firms are triggered to enter into exchange with other companies.

Originality/value – The theoretical contribution of this article is based on the idea that although the four research fields – GVC, Business Networks, Strategy, and International Business – advance independently from each other, common origins can be observed, allowing for a set of common propositions.

Keywords: Convergence, Global Value Chains, Business Networks, Strategy, International Business

JEL Classification: D21, D23, D49, D61, F15, F21, F23, F41

Suggested Citation

Humphrey, John and Todeva, Emanuela and Armando, Eduardo and Giglio, Ernesto, Global Value Chains, Business Networks, Strategy, and International Business: Convergences (2019). Review of Business Management, São Paulo, 21 (4): 607-627, Oct/Dec. 2019, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3592909

John Humphrey

University of Sussex - School of Business, Management and Economics ( email )

Falmer, Brighton BN1 9SL
United Kingdom

Emanuela Todeva

Business Clusters, Networks and Economic Development ( email )

London
United Kingdom

HOME PAGE: http://www.bcned.co.uk

Eduardo Armando (Contact Author)

Tecnologico Monterrey ( email )

Av Eugenio Garza Sada 1500
Los Pocitos
Aguascalientes, Aguascalientes 20328
Mexico

Ernesto Giglio

UNIP - Universidade Paulista ( email )

Brazil

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