Public Contributions

KCG Research: Active Engagement of MNEs Matters for Implementing Corporate Social Responsibility in Africa

5th November 2019
KCG Secretary
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Economic research has provided evidence showing that developing countries’ integration into global value chains is highly advantageous for encouraging their economic and social development over time. Events in practice such as Rana Plaza Collapse in 2013 showed, however, that the benefits of globalization may be realized (partially) at the cost of labour welfare and environmental sustainability on site. Multinational enterprises (MNEs) from economically more advanced countries have been often criticized for focusing on maximizing their profits only and thus ignoring their social responsibility while investing in and/or doing business with firms in the developing countries[...]

KCG Researchers Commented on US-China Trade War

15th August 2019
KCG Secretary
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A recent KCG study “Friends like this: the Impact of the US – China Trade War on Global Value Chains” by Dr. Haiou Mao (Wuhan University and KCG Guest Researcher) and Prof. Holger Görg, Ph.D. (KCG Managing Director) investigates the indirect impact of the tariff increases between the US and China on third countries through their (differently strong) links in the global value chains. The analysis shows that the tariff hikes increase cumulative tariffs for other countries and[…]

Research Report on Trade for Development in Ghana Published Today

5th June 2019
KCG Secretary
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A new research report “Can Trade Foster Development? Firm-level Evidence for Small- and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) in Ghana” as a key output of the KCG research project “How can Trade Contribute to Development? Micro-based Evidence for Ghana” is published and available online today. The research project has been funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ GmbH). The report was prepared by Prof. Holger Görg Ph.D. (KCG Managing Director) and Cecília Hornok, Ph.D. (KCG Fellow), in cooperation with Prof. Dr. Charles Ackah from the Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic[…]

Holger Görg in a ZDFinfo Documentary on Globalization to be Shown on April 11, 2019

9th April 2019
KCG Secretary
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It is widely recognised among economists that globalization is an important driver of economic growth. Globalization does not only have winners but also losers and undesirable side-effects, however. In reality, we thus observe that globalization benefits have been increasingly questioned from various sides. Companies and employees, for example, are concerned about business relocations and increasing import competition driven by more highly integrated global value chains than ever. They fear a collapse of the industrial base, the outflow of technical knowledge, the threat to jobs, the income loss and growing income inequalities.  Many also fear a creeping erosion of high domestic standards for safety of consumption and environmental […]

More Needs to be Done to Improve the Quality of Institutions in Africa for Development

8th February 2019
KCG Secretary
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On December 18, 2018 the Africa-Europe Forum with the overarching theme “Taking Cooperation to the Digital Age” took place in Vienna, Austria. At the Forum key decision makers from politics and business and other stakeholders from both Africa and Europe discussed about what should and can be done to foster both sides’ prosperity and competitiveness and to further intensify the bilateral relationships between the two continents in various economic and societal aspects. One key concluding remark of the Forum[…]

Mexico-US New Trade Deal: A Step Forward in the Right Direction

7th September 2018
KCG Secretary
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In late August, Mexico and the US reached a new trade deal. New provisions regarding local content requirements, the wage level for local workers, digital data, and the access to farm products etc. are expected to be included in the new trade deal. The progress made in advancing the Mexico-US trade deal has been generally perceived as a good sign against[…]

KCG Researchers Contributed to a New UNIDO Report on Global Value Chains with Focus on Asia

16th August 2018
KCG Secretary
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The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) recently published a new report “Global Value Chains (GVCs) and Industrial Development – Lessons from China, South-East and South Asia” to provide evidence on the evolution of global and regional value chains in Asia. From the Asian lessons policy suggestions are derived to support firms’ and countries’ participation in GVCs and encourage their upgrading over time[…]