The Limits of Convergence

by Guillen, Mauro F.

• ISBN13: 9780691116334
• ISBN10: 0691116334
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2003-07-14
• Publisher: Princeton Univ Pr

Summary

This book challenges the widely accepted notion that globalization encourages economic convergence--and, by extension, cultural homogenization--across national borders. A systematic comparison of organizational change in Argentina, South Korea, and Spain since 1950 finds that global competition forces countries to exploit their distinctive strengths, resulting in unique development trajectories. Analyzing the social, political, and economic conditions underpinning the rise of various organizational forms, Guillén shows that business groups, small enterprises, and foreign multinationals play different economic roles depending on a country's path to development. Business groups thrive when there is foreign-trade and investment protectionism and are best suited to undertake large-scale, capital-intensive activities such as automobile assembly and construction. Their growth and diversification come at the expense of smaller firms and foreign multinationals. In contrast, small and medium enterprises are best fitted to compete in knowledge-intensive activities such as component manufacturing and branded consumer goods. They prosper in the absence of restrictions on export-oriented multinationals. The book ends on an optimistic note by presenting evidence that it is possible--though not easy--for countries to break through the glass ceiling separating poor from rich. It concludes that globalization encourages economic diversity and that democracy is the form of government best suited to deal with globalization's contingencies. Against those who contend that the transition to markets must come before the transition to ballots, Guillén argues that democratization can and should precede economic modernization. This is applied economic sociology at its best--broad, topical, full of interesting political implications, and critical of the conventional wisdom.

Table of Contents

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS	ix
LIST OF TABLES	x
PREFACE	xi
A NOTE ON SOURCES	xv
ONE Organizations, Globalization, and Development	3	(22)
PART I DEVELOPMENT AND ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE	25	(132)
TWO Three Paths to Development, Three Responses to Globalization	27	(32)
THREE The Rise and Fall of the Business Groups	59	(36)
FOUR The Role of Small and Medium Enterprises	95	(28)
FIVE Multinationals, Ideology, and Organized Labor	123	(34)
PART II ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE AND PERFORMANCE	157
SIX Developing Industry: Automobile and Component Manufacturing	159	(24)
SEVEN Developing Services: Banking as an Industry in Its Own Right	183