Huawei at Bay? A View on Dependency Theory in the Information Age

Abstract

Kirste and Holtbrügge analyze Huawei’s role in the global power play of establishing the 5G network rollout, adding to the scientific discussion of 5G on both a business and society level. This chapter takes an innovative approach by applying a theoretical framework to the recent debate on Huawei’s 5G participation and evaluating the prevalent perspectives on digitalization in China, the EU, and the USA. Building on dependency theory, dynamic power asymmetries of governments and multinational corporations in the Huawei case are analyzed and discussed. The authors find that the network structures of both multinational enterprises and 5G technology pose significant potential for countries to gain influence and power over other governments. Subsequently, theory-informed insights for practitioners and policymakers in the field of 5G are provided.