Summary of Asian Development Bank Webinar on Global Value Chains (GVCs)
Summary of Asian Development Bank Webinar on Global Value Chains (GVCs) Event Overview · Webinar: Asian Impact Webinar - Asian Development Policy Report 2026 · Speakers: Elisabetta Gentile, Hikari Ishido, Neil Foster-McGregor, Wenyin Cheng · Topic: Global Value Chains (GVCs), resilience, inclusivity, and the role of economics vs. geopolitics Key Discussion Points 1. Spatial Economics vs. Geopolitics in GVC Location Decisions A central question raised: "Traditionally, firms located different stages of production where costs, skills, and market opportunities were most attractive. Today, how much are these decisions still driven by economics, and how much by geopolitics?" Spatial Economics Factors (Agglomeration): · Local input-output linkages · Local thick markets · Local knowledge spillovers and positive externalities Spatial Economics Factors (Fragmentation/GVCs): · Scattered immobile factors (resources) · Land rent/cost of commuting · Congestion and negative exte...