An increasing number of developing countries engage in contracting manufactutring for a decreasing number of global buyers. This constellation characterises many labour intensive export sectors. The positioning of developing country enterprises in such a buyer-driven chains occupies an increasing number of researchers concerned with identifying the winners and losers from globalisation.
This paper contributes to this debate by seeking answers to two questions: first, what can researchers learn from global buyers about the relative strengths and weaknesses of of developing country producers; second, what can these producers learn from global buyers and what circumstances facilitate or constrian such learning.
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