Competitiveness and development : myth and realities / / Mehdi Shafaeddin ; foreword by Erik S. Reinert [[electronic resource]]

• Record Nr.: UNINA9910462341803321
• Autore: Shafaeddin S. M (S. Mehdi), <1945->
• Pubbl/distr/stampa: London : , : Anthem Press, , 2012
• ISBN: 1-283-70503-6; 0-85728-911-X
• Descrizione fisica: 1 online resource (xxiii, 318 pages) : digital, PDF file(s)
• Collana: Anthem Other Canon series
• Disciplina: 338.9
• Soggetti: Competition; Economic development
• Lingua di pubblicazione: Inglese
• Formato: Materiale a stampa
• Livello bibliografico: Monografia
• Note generali: Title from publisher's bibliographic system (viewed on 02 Oct 2015).
• Nota di bibliografia: Includes bibliographical references and index.
• Nota di contenuto: FRONT MATTER; Half Title; Title; Copyright; CONTENTS; LIST OF TABLES, FIGURES AND BOXES; FOREWORD; PREFACE; ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS; LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS; MAIN MATTER; 1 INTRODUCTION: FRAMEWORK OF ANALYSIS; Approaches to Competitiveness; Static approach; Critiques of the static approach; The dynamic approach; The Schumpeterian Approach; Firm level; National level; The Schumpeterian/Penrosian Firm; Implications for Competitiveness; The Firm as a Coordinating Agency; Interaction with other firms; Interaction with government; The external environment; Dynamics of change; Relation with consumers; Strategy Productivity; Implications for Developing Countries; The Theme and Plan of the Book; 2 CONTEXT AND CONDITIONS OF INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION; Introduction; Changes in Economic Philosophy; Globalization; Liberalization of trade and FDI; Transport and communication costs; Other New Methods of Production; Barriers to Entry; Implications of WTO Rules for Competitiveness; Exposure to competition; Opportunities and privileges; Restrictive measures on exports, supply capabilities and upgrading; TRIPs agreement as a barrier to entry; ASCM agreement; TRIMs; Other restrictions; Abuse of WTO rules and the lack of implementation The Emergence of China; Conclusions; 3 ALTERNATIVE THEORIES OF COMPETITIVENESS; Introduction; The Theory of Competitive Advantage (TCA) of M. Porter; ; Competitive strategy of firms; Sources of competitive advantage; National environment; Implications for developing countries; Productivity and terms of trade; Government policies; Critique of the TCA; Interaction between Organization and Innovation (Lazonick's Theory); Implication of the adaptive strategy of a developing country firm; Increasing Return to Scale and Competitiveness: Further Explanation The Theory of Productive Power of F. List; Cosmopolitan economy and national economy; Knowledge and experience; Division of labour, competitiveness and development; The Theory of Capability Building (TCB); A few general points; The gist of the theory; Mechanism of capability development; Implications for trade policy and competitiveness; The role of FDI; Critique of TCB; Conclusions; 4 FIRM STRATEGY AND NEW INDUSTRIAL ORGANIZATION; Introduction; Factors in Competitiveness; Cost factors and internal economies; Other cost drive factors Product attributes and other non-price factors; Time competition; X-efficiency; Strategy; Mission and vision; Porter's definition of strategy; Formulating and implementing a strategy; SWOT analysis; Portfolio analysis; The Flexible Manufacturing System (FMS) and Japanese Techniques; Definition; The origin of FMS; Strategy; Organization of firms in FMS; Culture of firms in FMS; Relation with suppliers and subcontractors; The role of government; Applicability of Japanese Techniques in Other Countries; The experience of developing countries; Problems of application and implementation
• Sommario/riassunto: In ‘Competitiveness and Development’, the author explains the confusion surrounding the concept of competitiveness in the context of developing countries; proposes policies for achieving competitiveness at a high level of development; examines its possibilities and constraints; and suggests policy changes necessary at the national and international levels. Shafaeddin illustrates how developed countries impose restrictive policies on developing countries through international financial institutions and the WTO, as well as regional and bilateral agreements, which limit their policy space for promoting dynamic comparative advantage in order to achieve competitiveness at a high level of development. Ultimately, such policies lock developing countries that are at early stages of development in specialization based on static comparative advantage and competitiveness at a low level of development.