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Using flows of biophysical resources between countries, new research has defied conventional methods of analysing trade in terms of cash flows. Labelled 'ecologically unequal exchange', this research quantifies net resource transfers from global South to global North countries. This article explores the unequal exchange implications for Africa as a primary exporter of physical resources, and hence one of the biggest losers from ecologically unequal exchange. As well as ecologically unequal exchange, the article employs the Prebisch–Singer hypothesis and the Growing Smile model to argue against export-oriented industrialisation models of development, and for the political restructuring of the uneven global value regime. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The post-war era, particularly from the mid-1980s, can be seen as a turning point for various Asian countries. Japanese success in industrialisation based on technology transfer from the industrialised West and evolution of unique endogenous scientific and technological capacities led scholars to conceptualise 'late industrialisation' and 'catching up' strategies. In a large measure, the 'East Asian Miracle' led to some erroneous misconceptions on science, technology, and innovation (STI) policies. Various writings and commentators from Africa, Asia and Latin America advocated to follow the path of East Asian Dragons. These writings begun to assume that countries can build innovation systems or dynamic technological sectors of economy within their respective countries, without paying much attention to building and strengthening science and technology (S&T) eco-systems. There are now clear STI policy signals which point to the significance of building science and technology systems before fully embarking on innovation policies. Drawing on some exemplary cases, this essay will explore the importance of S&T systems in the context of developing countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The productive behaviour of some selected Africa countries is investigated through protection of intellectual property rights. The study makes use of secondary data spanning within 1995 and 2015 and used dynamic panel GMM technique to analyse the data. It was observed that in the selected countries, protection of intellectual property right had a negative impact on economic growth in the selected countries. The implication of this is that, developing countries must seek ways of protecting intellectual property assets without compromising their objective of industrial growth and development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chinese organizational culture is usually described as being influenced by Confucian social norms and unique to the country. The paper argues in contrast to this view that there are important cultural similarities between values and norms in organizations in China and other developing countries. It is suggested that China, like other developing countries, is in a process of industrialization but retains preindustrial social norms which shape social relations and organizational structures. The paper shows first that the morals of social distance and reciprocity which anthropologists have found to be constitutive of a large number of preindustrial communities also govern relationships within and between organizations in present-day China. The paper then turns to organizations in Africa and Latin America and it is shown that the same social morals structure behaviours in these two developing regions, suggesting that the cultural characteristics of Chinese organizations are not simply unique to this country but a set of preindustrial norms that industrializing countries have in common as a legacy of the past. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This article is a direct challenge to the established view reflected in the World Bank's Berg report, that structural adjustment programmes and the markets alone will resolve Africa's underdevelopment challenges. This article completely accepts that science and technology lead to products and services that create efficiency, productivity and wealth. It accepts different dynasties of industrialisation from land use (agriculture and mining), labour-intensive activities, heavy machinery, assembly lines, branding, information technology and intellectual property, but shows how - in the current global paradigm - this has led to an anomaly: while development aid flows from more industrialised to less industrialised countries, larger sums of global investment capital leave poorer countries for richer countries in search of higher returns. Having accepted the 'returns-seeking' nature of capital, a strategy is proposed for Africa to engage with this reality. In contrast with the Berg view, it is argued that the public sector is a key stakeholder in the developmental process. As has been put forward by Thabo Mbeki, several African countries exhibit 'two nations' characteristics. If this is true, all seven dynasties of industrialisation can be simultaneously developed through interventionist government, which could not happen though markets alone. A direct policy and strategy positioning in technology-related sectors that support increasing returns should be developed. Economic development bodies should have scientific and technological people to ensure technological focus in development strategies.The article demonstrates that a different value paradigm is needed. Large numbers of poor people can provide markets for goods that can yield returns for capital that are similar to markets of small numbers of rich people. A shift in the development model from Public Private Partnerships (PPP) to Public Entrepreneur Private Partnerships (PEPP) is suggested to maximise employment through sustainable entrepreneurship. Through spearheaded emerging technologies such as information convergence technologies, cellular technologies such as mobile banking, resource management and alternate energy, Africans can create output that attracts global investment capital - and not only aid. This article explores how, through investment in activities that generate increasing rather than decreasing returns, Africa will innovate its way out of what appears to be a stubborn history of underdevelopment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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This article examines the divergent political responses to unplanned exposure to genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in the Global South. Although scientific and domestic political considerations have some relevance to explaining different positions among developing countries, trade considerations appear to be a principal driver of GMO policy. This consideration is strikingly clear when we compare the different responses to unplanned GMO imports in Mexico/Central America with that in Africa. When trade and environment interests converge, as was the case in Africa, the strong policy stance, in this case against the import of GMOs, was clear and swift. In the cases of Mexico and Central America, the trade and environment interests did not overlap, and this has resulted in a weak government response and incremental policy shifts, in this case toward a pro-GMO stance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article surveys Africa's industrial, and especially manufacturing performance over the last four decades and reviews explanations for that performance which relate to issues of structure and class; structural adjustment policies; exports, technology, finance, and transactions costs. The article considers the extent to which manufacturing success is related to increasing exports and concludes with some consideration of future policy in the wake of the recently published report by the Commission for Africa. A strong role for the state is considered to be essential for successful growth in the future, both as substitute for a non-existent domestic capitalist class, and as planner and director of manufacturing industrialization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the role of organized labor in economic development in Africa. The following interpretations are analyzed: the interpretation of the Inter-University Study of Labor Problems in Economic Development; the political unionism viewpoint; and the interpretation of those who believe that the role of labor is to contribute to rapid economic growth. The author points that the role of organized labor to regulate conflict has been weakened in the developing areas. Thus, labor's contribution to industrialization and economic development remains an elusive one.

Reports on the United Nation's Millennium Project and the efforts to improved the health of urban residents; Prime focus today which is in the poorer parts of Asia and Africa; Belief that nay effort to improve global health outcomes will need to address urban reform; Estimated that one third of the world's 3 billion urban residents live in slums which have direct consequences for the physical and psychological well-being of the urban population; Communicable diseases which flourish in slums where people are denied adequate water and sanitation in addition to overcrowding; Other diseases rampant in the slums; Belief the issue can be handled much as it was in the 19th century when the first wave or urban industrialisation posed similar threats; Specific directions for action; Realisation that the world pays now or pays a higher cost later to provide a healthy infrastructure for the urban poor.