Deciphering a global industry

More about the book

The book explores the development of the Chinese export-led footwear industry through a political-economic lens, focusing on the success of Taiwanese businessmen compared to Nike, the world's largest shoe producer. It investigates various theories, including neoclassical economics and new institutional sociology, to understand this disparity but finds them lacking. Instead, it proposes a model viewing markets as political fields, highlighting the significance of power dynamics in the industry's evolution. A stable hierarchy involving Taiwanese producers, local officials, and migrant laborers fostered a business environment that mitigated uncertainties during China's economic transition. Although Taiwanese producers and local officials held less power than larger firms and the state, their alliances with local political figures enabled them to transform China into a global footwear leader. However, underlying tensions within China's economy, polity, and society cast uncertainty on the sustainability of this dominance. The book targets scholars and students in Sociology, Politics, and Economics, as well as managers interested in investing in China. Susan Eckstein from Boston University praises the work for its insightful analysis of the global shoe industry and the Taiwanese dominance within it, suggesting that Nike has much to learn from their experience.