"A magnificent achievement. Since the publication of the first edition in 1986, Peter Dicken has constructed in successive editions a phenomenal record of the changing geography of capital accumulation on a world scale... An essential companion for anyone concerned to understand the rapid geographical shifts occurring in the world's economic power relations in these stressful and troubled times." - David Harvey, Distinguished Professor, CUNY Graduate Center, New York "A masterful new edition of a masterful text. Once again, Peter Dicken is at the cutting edge of the analysis of economic globalization and global trends. Global Shift is the authoritative text on these issues." - David Held, Co-Director, Centre for the Study of Global Governance, LSE "Covers a vast empirical range but is always closely attentive to the underlying processes, impacts, and meanings of globalization. Dicken's approach beautifully integrates the economic and the political with problems of equity and ethics - a rare accomplishment. Ideal for undergraduate classes across the social sciences." - Erica Schoenberger, Department of Geography, Johns Hopkins University This sixth edition of Global Shift has been completely revised and updated using the latest available sources. Each chapter has been extensively rewritten and new chapters introduced to take account of recent empirical developments, new ideas on production, distribution, and consumption in the global economy and the implications of the global financial crisis. This now standard work on economic globalization provides: The most comprehensive and up-to-date explanation of economic globalization available, examining the role of transnational corporations, states, labour, consumers, and organizations in civil society and the power relations between them A clear guide to how the global economy is being transformed through the operation of global production networks involving transnational corporations, states and interest groups and technology Detailed discussion of different theories of economic globalization A new chapter on the environmental impacts of globalizing processes Extended discussion of problems and institutions of global governance in the context of the global economic crisis and of the role of corporate social responsibility Boadened sectoral case studies including a new case study on resource-extractive industries, and an extended chapter on financial and advanced business services. The extensive use of graphics, lack of jargon and clear definition of terms, makes Global Shift the key resource on economic globalization in the social science literature.

Table of Contents:
Introduction: Questioning Globalization What in the World Is Going on? Conflicting Perspectives on ′Globalization′ Grounding ′Globalization′: Geography Really Does Matter PART ONE: THE SHIFTING CONTOURS OF THE GLOBAL ECONOMY Global Shift: Changing Geographies of the Global Economy What′s New? The Imprint of Past Geographies Roller-Coasters and Interconnections The Changing Contours of the Global Economic Map: Global Shifts in Production, Trade and FDI The Dynamic Global Economic Map PART TWO: PROCESSES OF GLOBAL SHIFT Tangled Webs: Unravelling Complexity in the Global Economy An Analytical Point of Entry Institutional Macrostructures of the Global Economy Global Production Networks Even in a Globalizing World, Economic Activities Are Geographically Localized Networks of Networks Technological Change: ′Gales of Creative Destruction′ Technology and Economic Transformation Processes of Technological Change: An Evolutionary Perspective Time-Space Shrinking Technologies Technological Innovations in Products and Processes Geographies of Innovation Transnational Corporations: The Primary ′Movers and Shapers′ of the Global Economy Why Firms Transnationalize How Firms Transnationalize TNCs as ′Networks within Networks′ Configuring the TNCs′ Internal Networks TNCs within Networks of Externalized Relationships Perpetual Change: Reshaping TNCs′ Internal and External Networks The Myth of the ′Global′ Corporation The State Really Does Matter ′The State Is Dead′ - Oh No It Isn′t! States as Containers States as Regulators States as Competitors States as Collaborators The Uneasy Relationship between TNCs and States: Dynamics of Conflict and Collaboration The Ties That Bind Bargaining Processes between TNCs and States PART THREE: THE PICTURE IN DIFFERENT ECONOMIC SECTORS ′Making Holes in the Ground′: The Extractive Industries Beginning at the Beginning Production Circuits in the Extractive Industries Global Shifts in the Extractive Industries Volatile Demand Technologies of Exploring, Extracting, Refining, Distributing The Centrality of State Involvement in the Extractive Industries Corporate Strategies in the Extractive Industries Resources, Reserves and Futures ′We Are What We Eat′: The Agro-Food Industries Transformation of the Food Economy: The ′Local′ Becomes ′Global′ Agro-Food Production Circuits Global Shifts in the Agro-Food Industries Consumer Choices - and Consumer Resistances Transforming Technologies in Agro-Food Production The Role of the State Corporate Strategies in the Agro-Food Industries ′Fabric-ating Fashion′: The Clothing Industries Changing Rules The Clothing Production Circuit Global Shifts in the Clothing Industries Changing Patterns of Consumption Production Costs and Technology The Role of the State and the Multi-Fibre Arrangement Corporate Strategies in the Clothing Industries Regionalizing Production Networks in the Clothing Industries ′Wheels of Change′: The Automobile Industry All Change? The Automobile Production Circuit Global Shifts in Automobile Production and Trade Changing Patterns of Consumption Technological Change in the Automobile Industry The Role of the State Corporate Strategies in the Automobile Industry Regionalizing Production Networks in the Automobile Industry ′Making the World Go Round′: Advanced Business Services - Especially Finance The Centrality of Advanced Business Services The Structure of Advanced Business Services Dynamics of the Markets for Advanced Business Services Technological Innovation and Advanced Business Services The Role of the State: Regulation, De-Regulation, Re-Regulation Corporate Strategies in Advanced Business Services Geographies of Advanced Business Services ′Making the Connections, Moving the Goods′: Logistics and Distribution Services Taking Distribution for Granted The Structure of Logistics and Distribution Services The Dynamics of the Market for Logistics Services Technological Innovation and Logistics and Distribution Services The Role of the State: Regulation and Deregulation of Logistics and Distribution Services Corporate Strategies in Logistics and Distribution Services Logistics ′Places′: Key Geographical Nodes on the Global Logistics Map PART FOUR: WINNING AND LOSING IN THE GLOBAL ECONOMY ′Capturing Value′ within Global Production Networks Placing Places in GPNs Creating, Enhancing and Capturing Value in GPNs Upgrading (or Downgrading) of Local Economies within GPNs ′Destroying Value′: Environmental Impacts of Global Production Networks Production-Distribution-Consumption as a System of Materials Flows and Balances Disturbing the Delicate Balance of Life on Earth: Damaging the Earth′s Atmosphere Fouling the Nest: Creating and Disposing of Waste Winning and Losing: Where You Live Really Matters Location Matters Incomes and Poverty Where Will the Jobs Come From? Populations on the Move Making the World a Better Place Global Shifts: Pasts and Futures ′The Best of All Possible Worlds′? TNCs and Corporate Social Responsibility States and Issues of Global Governance A Better World