Publication

This paper addresses the issues surrounding the shift in economic strategy in East Asia from export-led industrialization to the exploration of diverse pathways to innovation. The author argues that a consensus is emerging that there is no alternative to innovation, combined with a fear that a US-centric concentration of economic power may constrain or indeed prevent attempts to upgrade innovative capabilities. Focusing on China, Korea, Taiwan, Singapore and Malaysia, the author examines their evolving integration into global production systems and the challenges that have induced these developments. The decline of Japan as a regional economic hegemon and the rise of China are also addressed.