Global Manufacturing And Secondary Innovation In China Latecomer S Advantages

Innovation studies have long been confined to the theoretical system established by the scholars of developed countries in the West. It is difficult to use these studies to understand the real nature and law of technological innovation in developing countries. This book, in an innovative manner, studies the theoretical system of secondary innovation, and reveals the evolution law and dynamic innovation mode of the activities carried out by technologically backward countries. It does so by laying an important foundation for the development of management science theory on the basis of the standpoint and characteristics of developing countries.

China's extraordinary economic development is explained in large part by the way it innovates. Contrary to widely held views, China's innovation machine is not created and controlled by an all-powerful government. Instead, it is a complex, interdependent system composed of various elements, involving bottom-up innovation driven by innovators and entrepreneurs and highly pragmatic and adaptive top-down policy. Using case studies of leading firms and industries, along with statistics and policy analysis, this book argues that China's innovation machine is similar to a natural ecosystem. Innovations in technology, organization, and business models resemble genetic mutations which are initially random, self-serving, and isolated, but the best fitting are selected by the market and their impacts are amplified by the innovation machine. This machine draws on China's multitude manufacturers, supply chains, innovation clusters, and digitally literate population, connected through super-sized digital platforms. China's innovation suffers from a lack of basic research and reliance upon certain critical technologies from overseas, yet its scale (size) and scope (diversity) possess attributes that make it self-correcting and stronger in the face of challenges. China's innovation machine is most effective in a policy environment where the market prevails; policy intervention plays a significant role when market mechanisms are premature or fail. The future success of China's innovation will depend on continuing policy pragmatism, mass innovation, and entrepreneurship, and the development of the 'new infrastructures'.

Essays in the book focus on the Korean model of industrialization and internal internationalization, organizational capabilities and management roles, and disadvantages inherent in the model. The subjects covered include corporate catch-up strategies, foreign investment, and future possibilities.

This book deals with a number of contentious issues in Chinese management as China emerges as a global economic player, with a greater role in international business during a global economic crisis. This step is in tandem with an economically driven foreign policy. Since the 1980s, Chinese management while still in transition, has benefited from an infusion of capital, technology and managerial expertise through inward direct investment via joint and wholly-owned foreign ventures. As the so-called 'workshop of the world', China and its exports, especially labour-intensive goods, face protectionism in the United States and the European Union. To circumvent these barriers, the Chinese leaders are emphasising domestic consumption, itself dependent on rising personal income levels and an improved national social insurance system, and a move to high-tech products, themselves requiring indigenous innovation. The creation of a knowledge economy, in addition to outward investment in manufacturing, could lead to a distinctive independent style of Chinese management. Simultaneously, China’s participation in intra-regional trade underlines the nation’s role in Asian regional business networks. Such developments in turn present a challenge to Western and global business. This book was published as a special issue of Asia Pacific Business Review.

Under the global hegemony of the West, societies have interpreted the world and defined their identities through the frameworks of Eurocentric discourses. Since the mid-twentieth century, Eurocentrism has tended to be associated with economic developmentalism. The discourse of seonjinguk (developed country) has been a dominant Eurocentric developmental discourse in Korea. However, in what historical contexts have the Koreans set seonjinguk as their national goal and yardstick to judge nations? What roles have been played by the concept of seonjinguk in Korea? What discursive frameworks did the Koreans use for their national identities and worldviews before the developmental era? Eurocentrism and Development in Korea is the first scholarly approach to those questions. Through a chronological analysis of Korea’s dominant discourses from the late nineteenth century to the present, Kim demonstrates the historical nature of developmentalism and seonjinguk discourse for Korea’s developmental era, and traces their genealogy to gaehwa (enlightenment) and munmyeong (civilization) discourses from a sociological historical perspective. Providing essential knowledge about Korea’s history of Eurocentrism, developmentalism and national change, this enlightening monograph will appeal to undergraduate and postgraduate students, as well as postdoctoral researchers, interested in fields such as Korean Studies, Development Studies and Global Sociology.

This book offers a comprehensive exploration of the transformative trajectory undertaken by Chinese domestic enterprises, with a particular focus on Geely Automobile. Comprising five chapters and totaling 13 sections, the study delves into Geely's remarkable progression from a state of catch-up to surpassing established competitors. The initial chapter chronicles Geely's entry into the automotive industry amidst resource and technological scarcity, shedding light on the strategies employed to achieve breakthroughs during the nascent stages. The subsequent section elucidates Geely's transition from a late entrant to a prominent player in the global automotive market, facilitated by innovative practices across organizational, technological, talent-driven, quality-oriented, and cultural dimensions. The third chapter examines Geely's successful foray into globalization, offering a comprehensive analysis of its non-linear growth trajectory, overseas mergers and acquisitions, and strategic expansion efforts. The fourth part explores Geely's approach to embracing uncertainty and navigating cyclical challenges in the automotive industry, seeking determinative opportunities for future growth. Finally, the concluding chapter draws insights from Geely's non-linear growth and advances the "C theory," an enriched local innovation management framework grounded in China's unique developmental context.

This book aims to answer the key question facing China in building an innovative country: What kind of indigenous innovation path with Chinese characteristics should be taken? This book conducts an in-depth analysis of the indigenous innovation path with Chinese characteristics from two dimensions: path evolution and level (enterprise, industry, region, and country). It puts forward the leading path of innovation with Chinese characteristics and also offers policy suggestions.