Production Networks in East Asia: What We Know so Far

Abstract:     
Production networks in East Asia, particularly in the manufacturing and machinery industries, are well recognized as the most advanced in the world, in terms of their magnitude, extensiveness, and sophistication. This paper tries to link various economic studies on related topics, to see how much we understand about production networks in East Asia. After providing a brief overview of international trade statistics, the paper reviews a number of academic papers concerning the structure and mechanics of production networks, the conditions for production networks, and the properties and implications thereof.

Number of Pages in PDF File: 30

Keywords: fragmentation, agglomeration, vertical specialization, multinational enterprises, foreign direct investment

JEL Classification: F14, F15, F23

working papers series