GPN@NUS is Asia's first
Prof Ponte, International Advisory Committee member, speaking at the launch of GPN@NUS
A new centre which focuses on global production and economic development, particularly in East Asia, was launched by the NUS Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences on 26 January. First of its kind in Asia, the Global Production Networks Centre (GPN@NUS) is led by a collaborative team comprising researchers from the fields of Geography, Economics, Sociology and Political Science.
Two highly cited experts from the Department of Geography, Professor Henry Yeung and Professor Neil Coe, will be involved in cutting-edge research on the changing nature and organisation of global production in East Asia, looking at the impact on factors such as economic development, technological innovation, global governance and global environmental change in different regions and national economies.
In his opening speech, Professor Tan Eng Chye, NUS Deputy President (Academic Affairs) and Provost, highlighted that 80 per cent of global trade is now organised through global production networks co-ordinated by lead firms investing in cross-border productive assets and trading inputs and outputs with partners, suppliers and consumers worldwide, according to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development. "This policy interest and related enhanced data availability provide rich and exciting opportunities for new breakthrough research into the role and impact of global production networks in organising the world economy, said Prof Tan.
The launch of GPN@NUS saw presentations by internationally renowned researchers and practitioners from its International Advisory Committee'namely Dr Patrick Low from Fung Global Institute, Hong Kong, Professor Stefano Ponte from Copenhagen Business School, Professor Stephanie Barrientos from The University of Manchester, and Professor Yuqing Xing from National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies, Tokyo'as they discussed global production trends and opportunities.
Speaking on Upgrading, Governance and Institutional Frameworks in Global Production Networks, Prof Ponte added: "There is a lot that needs to be researched, that's why this initiative is really important. I must say that the international environment that works on these issues is really looking forward to the work that is coming out of this Centre, and we're not just looking with trepidation, but also with a certain level of envy.
Singapore plays a key role in coordinating and managing global production networks as a major intermediary and leading international hub in global trade, producer services, and manufacturing. The research by GPN@NUS will benefit Singapore's growing capacity in industrial and trade policy-making, business decisions, risk management, and regulatory regimes in order to continue to move up the value chain.
Prof Yeung summed up the aspirations of the new centre in his concluding remarks. "As far as our Centre is concerned, we are very interested in understanding the origins, emergence and dynamics of global production networks. We want to translate, if you like, this idea of understanding global production networks into developmental outcomes, whether in terms of labour, gender, environmental issues, and of course as geographers we are very interested in equalities over space.
