Digital Control in Value Chains: Challenges of Connectivity for East African Firms
Digital Control in Value Chains: Challenges of Connectivity for East African Firms
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DOI：
10.1080/00130095.2017.1350104
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发表时间：
2018-01-01
影响因子：
7
通讯作者：
Friederici, Nicolas
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
Foster, Christopher;Graham, Mark;Friederici, Nicolas
近年来，整个非洲大陆的互联网连接得到了极大的改善。本文考察了这种转变对全球价值链（GVCs）一部分的东非公司的影响。先前的工作产生了相互矛盾的预期：企业可能会通过提高效率和改善进入市场的机会从互联互通中受益，尽管它们也可能通过加强对牵头公司的控制而进一步边缘化。在肯尼亚和卢旺达进行了广泛的定性研究，包括264次访谈，我们研究了3个部门（茶叶、旅游和业务流程外包），探索了总体的、交叉的主题。研究结果支持了更悲观的预期：非洲小型生产商在全球价值链中的数字化整合程度很低。此外，在领先企业的支持下，在数字信息平台和数据标准的推动下，价值链治理模式的转变给寻求数字化整合的企业带来了新的挑战。然而，我们也在这些行业中发现了一些例子，在这些行业中，小企业能够迎合新兴的利基客户以及当地或区域市场。总体而言，研究表明，如果不支持互补能力和竞争优势，改善连通性本身并不会使全球价值链中的非洲企业受益。
In recent years, Internet connectivity has greatly improved across the African continent. This article examines the consequences that this shift has had for East African firms that are part of global value chains (GVCs). Prior work yielded contradictory expectations: firms might benefit from connectivity through increased efficiencies and improved access to markets, although they might also be further marginalized through increasing control of lead firms. Drawing on extensive qualitative research in Kenya and Rwanda, including 264 interviews, we examine 3 sectors (tea, tourism, and business process outsourcing) exploring overarching, cross-cutting themes. The findings support more pessimistic expectations: small African producers are only thinly digitally integrated in GVCs. Moreover, shifting modes of value chain governance, supported by lead firms and facilitated by digital information platforms and data standards are leading to new challenges for firms looking to digitally integrate. Nevertheless, we also find examples in these sectors of opportunities where small firms are able to cater to emerging niche customers, and local or regional markets. Overall, the study shows that improving connectivity does not inherently benefit African firms in GVCs without support for complementary capacity and competitive advantages.