Unpacking state-led upgrading: empirical evidence from the Uzbek horticulture value chain governance

Lombardozzi, Lorena (2021). Unpacking state-led upgrading: empirical evidence from the Uzbek horticulture value chain governance. Review of International Political Economy, 28(4) pp. 947–973.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/09692290.2020.1737563

Abstract

This paper contributes to the endeavour of bringing the Global Value Chain/Global Production Network (GVC/GPNs) and the Developmental State (DS) literature closer in the analysis of state-led upgrading. By triangulating primary and secondary data of Uzbekistan’s horticulture value chain, it provides a micro-meso analysis of how the state, by creating vertical and horizontal linkages, shaped the pace and direction of agro-industrial upgrading. Also, it discusses how targeted macroeconomic policies enabled such upgrading. Finally, by bridging these two levels, it argues for the need to consider the state not only as a regulator, a facilitator, a buyer and a producer within GVC/GPNs, but as a coordinator of strategic developmental objectives beyond and across the GVCs. Drawing upon a strategic-relational approach and using the concept of organisational upgrading, it discusses how the state articulates the institutional context of GVC/GPNs through the establishment of financial and political partnerships with international actors to avoid predatory competition; the coordination of inter-sectorial spillovers for short and long-term collective learning and capacity building; and the creation of linkages to enable multi-dimensional and inter-temporal developmental objectives. Coordinated state interventions and a gradual approach to market reforms were proven instrumental to ensure the sustainability of the economic transformation.

Viewing alternatives

Look up in Google Scholar

Download history

Metrics

Public Attention

Altmetrics from Altmetric

Number of Citations

Citations from Dimensions

Item Actions

Export

About

CORE (COnnecting REpositories)

Recommendations