State involvement in development: the global value chain approach

Abstract

The global value chain approach is currently the preeminent development paradigm. Although much of the literature on this approach tends to marginalize the role of the state in development strategies, recent years have seen greater interest in reviving the state's role in development. The debate around the state and its role in value chains has also been invigorated by attempts to reassess state-centric perspectives on development in contemporary capitalist economies. This article examines the implications of reconsidering the state's role in the value chain approach and the potential impact this may have on efforts to achieve structural change in peripheral countries.