Global Production Global Production Networks and Non-Networks and Non-

linearitylinearity

Alex HughesAlex Hughes

(Newcastle University)(Newcastle University)

OutlineOutline

Conceptual significance of non-linearityConceptual significance of non-linearity Responsibility, ethical consumption and Responsibility, ethical consumption and

changing governance of GPNschanging governance of GPNs1) Networks of responsibility1) Networks of responsibility

2) Ethical and emotional relations2) Ethical and emotional relations

3) ‘Circuits of culture’ and knowledgeable 3) ‘Circuits of culture’ and knowledgeable governancegovernance

4) Spaces of responsible governance4) Spaces of responsible governance Discussion: revising metaphors of non-Discussion: revising metaphors of non-

linearity?linearity?

Conceptual significance of non-Conceptual significance of non-linearitylinearity ‘‘Metaphors matter’ (Coe and Hess; Kelly)Metaphors matter’ (Coe and Hess; Kelly) Challenging unidirectional linearity of Challenging unidirectional linearity of

‘chain’ metaphor‘chain’ metaphor Challenging deterministic analysis Challenging deterministic analysis

(Dicken)(Dicken) Network metaphor- webs of Network metaphor- webs of

interdependence, complexity, multi-interdependence, complexity, multi-directional flowsdirectional flows

Circuits of culture and knowledge flowCircuits of culture and knowledge flow

Responsibility, ethical Responsibility, ethical consumption and changing consumption and changing

governance of GPNsgovernance of GPNs Globalisation, trade liberalisation and Globalisation, trade liberalisation and

perceived ‘regulation gap’perceived ‘regulation gap’ Proliferation of ‘private’ codes and Proliferation of ‘private’ codes and

standards in global economystandards in global economy Standards and corporate Standards and corporate

responsibilityresponsibility Ethical trade, ethical consumption and Ethical trade, ethical consumption and

GPN governanceGPN governance

1) Networks of responsibility1) Networks of responsibility

         

2) Emotional and ethical 2) Emotional and ethical relationsrelations

Emotional geographies, the economy Emotional geographies, the economy and GPNsand GPNs

Capitalising on affectCapitalising on affect

“Consumption is itself a series of affective fields and more and more of the industry that investigates consumer wants and desires is given over to identifying possible emotional pressure points”

(Thrift, 2006: 286).

2) Emotional and ethical 2) Emotional and ethical relationsrelations Emotional geographies, the economy and GPNsEmotional geographies, the economy and GPNs Capitalising on affectCapitalising on affect Ethical consumption and the unsettled Ethical consumption and the unsettled

geographies of GPNsgeographies of GPNs Affective campaigns for ethical tradeAffective campaigns for ethical trade

3) ‘Circuits of culture’ and 3) ‘Circuits of culture’ and knowledgeable governanceknowledgeable governance Ethical codes, standards Ethical codes, standards

and auditingand auditing Managerial discourse of Managerial discourse of

responsibilityresponsibility Circuits of culture and the Circuits of culture and the

knowledge economyknowledge economy Spaces of ethical Spaces of ethical

knowledge circulation knowledge circulation (projects, temporary (projects, temporary clusters, mobile knowledge clusters, mobile knowledge workers ... )workers ... )

Emphasis on knowledge Emphasis on knowledge translationtranslation (Williams, (Williams, Faulconbridge)Faulconbridge)

4) Spaces of responsible GPN 4) Spaces of responsible GPN governancegovernance

Spatiality of responsible governance Spatiality of responsible governance in GPNsin GPNs

UK-US comparative analysis of UK-US comparative analysis of ethical trading organisationethical trading organisation Territorial embeddednessTerritorial embeddedness

Absence of campaigning against other US

supermarkets: “The US consumers, despite the fact

that there’s campaigns around migrant workers and

people recollect, you know, they recollect the grape

boycotts, there are current campaigns around migrant

workers ... There hasn’t been a consumer campaign,

so it’s not very well integrated with the campaigns

around toys and clothing – it’s not the same

campaigners, they haven’t worked the same way, there

isn’t any equivalent of the Fair Labor Association for

food ... If you were to be able to communicate to

shoppers at supermarkets in the US, it would be a new

idea; they don’t go in thinking about it, the way they

do in Europe”.

(Interview with President, Social Accountability

International, 24/02/06).

4) Spaces of responsible GPN 4) Spaces of responsible GPN governancegovernance Spatiality of responsible governance in GPNsSpatiality of responsible governance in GPNs UK-US comparative analysis of ethical trading UK-US comparative analysis of ethical trading

organisationorganisation Territorial embeddednessTerritorial embeddedness Network embeddednessNetwork embeddedness

‘‘Constellations of interconnected practices’ (Coe Constellations of interconnected practices’ (Coe and Bunnell; Faulconbridge) for ethical trading and Bunnell; Faulconbridge) for ethical trading development and GPN governancedevelopment and GPN governance

Trans-local translation of ethical knowledge Trans-local translation of ethical knowledge (networks, circuits and/or rhizomes)(networks, circuits and/or rhizomes)

ConclusionsConclusions

Addressing call for a “’cultural political Addressing call for a “’cultural political economy’ of global production networks” (Coe economy’ of global production networks” (Coe and Hess)and Hess) emotional and ethical practices shaping GPN emotional and ethical practices shaping GPN

governancegovernance Developing understanding of knowledge flow Developing understanding of knowledge flow

in GPNsin GPNs knowledge knowledge creation creation and and translationtranslation trans-scalar flows of knowledge translation shaping trans-scalar flows of knowledge translation shaping

GPN governanceGPN governance Developing non-linear conceptual frameworksDeveloping non-linear conceptual frameworks