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Potential Impacts of the Project
Theoretical Contributions
The proposed project will contribute in the state of the art of research
through:
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Advancing the debate on the European and local interface through
an in-depth investigation of the processes at work in labour-intensive
industries. Indeed, this literature has reached an impasse between
opposing camps regarding the significance and implications of the
opening-up of national economies. The proposed project drawing upon
the findings of the empirical investigation will attempt to identify
the mosaic of forms and methods of integration in the European and
subsequently global network of production and distribution. The
deployment of a bottom-up approach, and the emphasis on the causes
and processes of change at a European wide level will reveal new
challenging avenues of scholarly enquiry.
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Exploring the nature and characteristics of international inter-organisational
linkages, and their implications upon enterprise strategy and employment.
Indeed, there is a growing body of literature highlighting the significance
of dyadic relationships and networks in enhancing competitiveness.
However, largely because of difficulties in conducting research
in different cultural and linguistic environs, there has been scarcely
any attempt to trace European wide networks of production and distribution.
The composition of the research consortium offers a unique opportunity
to instigate an in-depth investigation in this area in five European
countries.
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Enhancing our understanding of industrial restructuring in labour-intensive
industries. By virtue of the involvement of research teams from
five European countries, and the experience and expertise enjoyed
by members of the consortium, it is anticipated that the project
will make a significant contribution in this direction.
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Exploring issues around the quality of employment and accessibility
by disadvantaged socio-economic strata. Indeed, industrial restructuring
in a number of cases - especially in EU countries - has been accompanied
with a significant move away from low-skill, low-pay, jobs, towards,
high-skill, high-pay employment. Within this context, the proposed
project aspires to explore ability of workers traditionally associated
with the industries under investigation, such as women, young people,
members of ethnic communities etc, to tap into these new opportunities.
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Lastly, assessing the static and dynamic effects of the delocalisation
phenomenon on prospective EU members. Those countries are more heavily
dependent on labour intensive industries. The impact of their accession
on the structure of their labour intensive industries will most
likely be a decisive factor on their marginalisation.
Methodological Contributions
The proposed project has two major contributions to make in the area
of the methodology. The first includes the adoption of a partnership
approach, and the second focuses upon the comparability of the accumulated
data at a European wide level.
A partnership approach involves the active and meaningful involvement
of policy-makers at all levels (the European, the national, and the
regional) in the conceptualisation, development, conduct, and dissemination
of the findings of our empirical investigation. For this purpose we
will contacted national and regional policy-making organisations in
order to discuss the proposed venture. We believe that the deployment
of a partnership approach will facilitate the widest possible dissemination
of results, whilst the fact that the proposed project will be funded
by the EU will safeguard scientific objectivity and independence.
As far as the second methodological contribution of the project is concerned,
this revolves around the conduct of research at a European wide level
using consistent methodologies. Indeed, the lack of methodological consistency
characterises the growing number of recent publications on industrial
restructuring in Europe. This has significant implications upon the
ability to generalise as well as compare the specificities of different
national contexts. The proposed project aims to address this gap in
the literature by undertaking systematic comparisons of enterprise strategies,
inter-organisational linkages and employment considerations in six European
countries whilst at the same time identifying and addressing the specificities
of different national contexts. As a result, we anticipate the formation
of a database of the literature and official statistics that will be
available in the first instance to all of the contractors.
Policy Contributions
This project aims to address an area of paramount interest for policy-makers
at the European as well as national and regional levels. In fact, it
is widely held among researchers and policy-makers that the significance
of EU enlargement considerations will intensify over the course of the
next few years.
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the project will undoubtedly inform discussion regarding the further
expansion of the EU eastwards. The research findings may facilitate
the decision-making process regarding policy-intervention both for
already existing members, new entrants, and those that may remain
outside the EU for relatively longer periods of time;
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the project will also contribute in the debate currently underway
at all levels of policy-making (from the EU to local government)
about the degree and nature of intervention to the process of economic
growth;
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the review of existing policy as well as new policy recommendations
at all levels of the governance structure (local, regional, national,
EU) on the issue of industrial restructuring both at the level of
the enterprise and the region;
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A project financed by EU: |
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