Linking business strategies with upgrading pathways in global value chains: Insights from the Kenyan solar market

Ulrich Elmer Hansen; Padmasai Lakshmi Bhamidipati; Mathilde Brix Pedersen; Ivan Nygaard; Hope Nyambura Njoroge

doi:10.1111/dpr.12655

Linking business strategies with upgrading pathways in global value chains: Insights from the Kenyan solar market

Ulrich Elmer Hansen^*, Padmasai Lakshmi Bhamidipati, Mathilde Brix Pedersen, Ivan Nygaard, Hope Nyambura Njoroge

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review

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Abstract

Motivation
Research on global value chains (GVCs) has tended to overlook the agency of the local firm when it comes to processes of upgrading.

Purpose
We attend to this knowledge gap by exploring the relationship between the business strategies and upgrading pathways of fourteen firms operating in the value chain for solar systems in Kenya.

Methods and approach
The paper draws on in-depth fieldwork carried out in Kenya, which included thirty semi-structured interviews with firm representatives and industry informants.

Findings
We find that local firms pursue different upgrading pathways in order to be competitive and we show the underlying business strategies whereby firms pursue different upgrading pathways.

Policy implications
The article contributes to overcoming the prevailing black-boxing in the GVC literature on local firms undergoing processes of upgrading.

Original language	English
Article number	e12655
Journal	Development Policy Review
Volume	41
Issue number	2
Number of pages	24
ISSN	0950-6764
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1111/dpr.12655
Publication status	Published - 2023

Keywords

Agency
Business strategies
Global value chains
Local firms
Upgrading

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10.1111/dpr.12655Licence: CC BY-NC-ND

FulltextFinal published version, 387 KBLicence: CC BY-NC-ND

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title = "Linking business strategies with upgrading pathways in global value chains: Insights from the Kenyan solar market",

abstract = "MotivationResearch on global value chains (GVCs) has tended to overlook the agency of the local firm when it comes to processes of upgrading.PurposeWe attend to this knowledge gap by exploring the relationship between the business strategies and upgrading pathways of fourteen firms operating in the value chain for solar systems in Kenya.Methods and approachThe paper draws on in-depth fieldwork carried out in Kenya, which included thirty semi-structured interviews with firm representatives and industry informants.FindingsWe find that local firms pursue different upgrading pathways in order to be competitive and we show the underlying business strategies whereby firms pursue different upgrading pathways.Policy implicationsThe article contributes to overcoming the prevailing black-boxing in the GVC literature on local firms undergoing processes of upgrading.",

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year = "2023",

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AU - Hansen, Ulrich Elmer

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AU - Pedersen, Mathilde Brix

AU - Nygaard, Ivan

AU - Njoroge, Hope Nyambura

PY - 2023

Y1 - 2023

N2 - MotivationResearch on global value chains (GVCs) has tended to overlook the agency of the local firm when it comes to processes of upgrading.PurposeWe attend to this knowledge gap by exploring the relationship between the business strategies and upgrading pathways of fourteen firms operating in the value chain for solar systems in Kenya.Methods and approachThe paper draws on in-depth fieldwork carried out in Kenya, which included thirty semi-structured interviews with firm representatives and industry informants.FindingsWe find that local firms pursue different upgrading pathways in order to be competitive and we show the underlying business strategies whereby firms pursue different upgrading pathways.Policy implicationsThe article contributes to overcoming the prevailing black-boxing in the GVC literature on local firms undergoing processes of upgrading.

AB - MotivationResearch on global value chains (GVCs) has tended to overlook the agency of the local firm when it comes to processes of upgrading.PurposeWe attend to this knowledge gap by exploring the relationship between the business strategies and upgrading pathways of fourteen firms operating in the value chain for solar systems in Kenya.Methods and approachThe paper draws on in-depth fieldwork carried out in Kenya, which included thirty semi-structured interviews with firm representatives and industry informants.FindingsWe find that local firms pursue different upgrading pathways in order to be competitive and we show the underlying business strategies whereby firms pursue different upgrading pathways.Policy implicationsThe article contributes to overcoming the prevailing black-boxing in the GVC literature on local firms undergoing processes of upgrading.

KW - Agency

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KW - Upgrading

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JO - Development Policy Review

JF - Development Policy Review

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ER -

Linking business strategies with upgrading pathways in global value chains: Insights from the Kenyan solar market

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Keywords

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