The end of the world as we knew it?

Conflicting perspectives on ‘globalization’

Grounding ‘globalization’: geography really does matter

I. The Changing Contours of the Global Economy

2. The Centre of Gravity Shifts: Transforming the Geographies of the Global Economy

The importance of taking a long view: the imprint of past geographies

Roller-coasters and interconnections

Global shifts: the changing contours of the global economic map

The centre of gravity has shifted

II. Processes of Global Shift

3. Tangled Webs: Unravelling Complexity in the Global Economy

Connections, connections

Institutional macro-structures of the global economy

Global production network PNs

Even in a globalizing world, economic activities are geographically localized

Networks of networks

4. Technological Change: ‘Gales of Creative Destruction’

Technology and economic transformation

Processes of technological change: an evolutionary perspective

Time–space shrinking technologies

Technological innovations in products, production systems and organizational forms

Geographies of innovation

5. Transnational Corporations: The Primary ‘Movers and Shapers’ of the Global Economy

The myth of the global corporation

Why firms transnationalize

How firms transnationalize

TNCs as ‘networks within networks’

Configuring the TNCs’ internal networks

TNCs within networks of externalized relationships

Perpetual change: reshaping TNCs’ internal and external networks

6. The State Really Does Matter

‘The state is dead’ – oh no it isn’t!

States as containers

States as regulators

States as collaborators

III. Winning and Losing in the Global Economy

7. The Uneasy Relationship Between Transnational Corporations and States: Dynamics of Conflict and Collaboration

The ties that bind

Bargaining processes between TNCs and states

8. ‘Capturing Value’ Within Global Production Networks

Placing places in GPNs

Creating, enhancing and capturing value in GPNs

Upgrading (or downgrading) of local economies within GPNs

9. ‘Destroying Value’? Environmental Impacts of Global Production Networks

Production–distribution–consumption as a system of materials flows and balances

Disturbing the delicate balance of life on earth: damaging the earth’s atmosphere

Fouling the nest: creating, disposing and recycling waste

Used clothing

10. Winning and Losing: Where You Live Really Matters

Location matters

Incomes and poverty

Where will the jobs come from?

Over-dependence on a narrow economic base

Populations on the move

11. Making the World a Better Place

‘The best of all possible worlds’?

TNCs and corporate social responsibility

States and issues of global governance

A better world?

IV. The Picture in Different Sectors

12. ‘Making Holes in the Ground’: The Extractive Industries

Beginning at the beginning

Production circuits in the extractive industries

Global shifts in the extractive industries

Volatile demand

Technologies of exploring, extracting, refining, distributing

The centrality of state involvement in the extractive industries

Corporate strategies in the extractive industries

Resources, reserves and futures

13. ‘We Are What We Eat’: The Agro-food Industries

Transformation of the food economy: the ‘local’ becomes ‘global’

Agro-food production circuits

Global shifts in the high-value agro-food industries

Consumer choices – and consumer resistances

Transforming technologies in agro-food production

The role of the state

Corporate strategies in the agro-food industries

14. ‘Fabric-ating Fashion’: The Clothing Industries

A highly contentious industry

The clothing production circuit

Global shifts in the clothing industries

Changing patterns of consumption

Technology and production costs

The role of the state

Corporate strategies in the clothing industries

Regionalizing production networks in the clothing industries

15. ‘Wheels of Change’: The Automobile Industry

All change?

The automobile production circuit

Global shifts in automobile production and trade

Changing patterns of consumption

Where will the jobs come from?

Over-dependence on a narrow economic base

Populations on the move

16. ‘Making the World Go Round’: Advanced Business Services

The centrality of advanced business services

The structure of ABS

Dynamics of the markets for ABS

Technological innovation and ABS

The role of the state: regulation, deregulation, reregulation

Corporate strategies in ABS

Geographies of ABS

17. ‘Making the Connections, Moving the Goods’: Logistics and Distribution Services

Taking logistics and distribution for granted

The structure of logistics and distribution services

The dynamics of the market for logistics services

Technological innovation and logistics and distribution services

The role of the state: regulation and deregulation of logistics and distribution services

Corporate strategies in logistics and distribution services

Logistics ‘places’: key geographical nodes on the global logistics map