A Reverse Perspective on Global Value Chains: Implications from the Internationalization of Rising Emerging Market Firms

Abstract

The emergence of global value chains (GVC) has broadened the configurations of business activities across the entire value chains, yet little attention has been paid to the suppliers compared to lead firms. Rising suppliers from emerging markets successfully take orders and follow global buyers’ steps to enter the internationalization as emerging market (EM) firms. This conceptual study aims to explore how EM suppliers leverage GVC to demonstrate reverse innovation by linking GVC research with enriched insights from a literature review of the Uppsala model. We argue that the suppliers have distinct roles as another possible route to drive GVC development.