Regional strategies in a global economy

Both proponents and opponents of globalization view it as a process that transcends national borders, supported by key features such as advancements in information technology, the rise of global companies, the internationalization of financial markets, and the deregulation of services. However, the increase in regional economic activity is also noteworthy. As multinational corporations expand globally, regional networks emerge within the trading system, indicating that globalization can lead to a spatial concentration of economic activity. The 1990s and early 2000s saw significant structural changes in East Asia, with South Korea achieving developed status, Southeast Asian economies integrating, and China becoming a manufacturing hub. This raises important questions about the connections between multinational corporations' global strategies and their regional operations, the emergence of subregional strategies to leverage China, the transferability of business practices to overseas operations, and the strategic directions of enterprises from Japan, the U.S., East Asia, and Europe. This book examines these questions by analyzing the structural features of the East Asian economy and the strategies of multinational corporations, drawing on current research from European, Australian, and Japanese scholars to explore various aspects of regional strategies in a global economy.