Social Science Research Council

A September 2003 planning meeting and subsequent consultations have helped to define a series of questions around which the SSRC might foster collaboration among researchers analyzing the reconfiguration of Asia’s social, economic and institutional landscape as different localities take on distinct roles in rapidly changing global industries. Building on a growing body of literature analyzing the evolving landscape of economic activities in contemporary Asia, the initiative we envision would address patterns of marginalization and exclusion alongside those of development and incorporation, and would consider both Asia’s shifting roles in the world economy and the re-scaling of power and influence within the region itself. We currently envision three inter-related areas of work around which an SSRC initiative might be developed.

1. Much of the best research on economic transformation in Asia consists of firm and/or industry based analysis. While we have increasingly sophisticated understanding of sectoral trends, our knowledge of how to aggregate those trends, and thus to comprehend the underlying shifts in economic power that are sweeping the region, is much more limited. Accordingly, we hope to galvanize comparative conversations among researchers undertaking case studies of particular firms and industries in different locations, or of different kinds of firms and industries in single (or very similar) locations, in an effort to better convey a comprehensive picture of the "re-scaling" of economic life across sectors and geographic locations.
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3. It is clear that the dynamics of change in crucial industries across Asia owe much to the institutional forms and capabilities that emerge in different settings. Yet we lack systematic understanding of the variables that shape differences in the character of institutions, that determine which are well-suited to promoting success (or that tend to induce failure) across sectors and countries (or localities), or that explain the impact of institutions operating at different scales—local, national, transnational, and so on. Nor do we have sufficiently clear understanding of the factors that make it possible for some institutions to be "selected" in ways that foster dynamic growth and/or desirable developmental dynamics, and for others to emerge in ways that generate less appealing outcomes, whether these are measured in terms of industry expansion or in broader developmental terms. There may also be significant benefits to studying comparatively the impact of different institutional forms created in an effort to fulfill analogous needs. A joint SSRC-World Bank research initiative analyzing the institutional and regulatory mechanisms that shape the ways in which universities across Asia are or are not linked to technological innovations has been launched to undertake research in this area. More information about this project can be found here.
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5. An expanding literature highlights the nature and developmental significance of transnational knowledge communities that are deeply involved in many of Asia’s most dynamic industries. While this opens possibilities for inquiries of many sorts, the implications of migration of highly skilled populations for economic development in Asia and elsewhere is one that may prove of particular interest for the Council. In part this reflects an interest in linking our work on economy and society to our portfolio of programs on international migration. It also stems from our desire to work with researchers who have expressed interest in promoting more sophisticated understanding of the determinants and developmental implications of the flow of scientists and engineers to and from other parts of the world, beyond Asia as well as within that region.

Several key aspects of development in Asia—and of the ongoing reconfiguration of socio-economic space in the region—appear to have been affected by transnational migration of highly skilled professionals. First, the concentration of expertise in particular locations makes possible the emergence of knowledge clusters conducive to attracting dynamic industries and to extending their impact to the broader socio-productive environment. Secondly, the opportunities for networking that accompany the circular flow of high-skilled personnel to and from their countries of origin may be crucial assets for countries and communities seeking to take on leading roles in complex, geographically dispersed industries. Thirdly, returning migrants are especially well situated to establish local firms that can participate in such global industries. Finally, the transnational communities that result from such experiences of migration may provide crucial sources of financing for establishing new firms and upgrading existing enterprises.