ABSTRACT
Over a decade has passed since scholars chronicled the Asian shift from flying geese to swarming sparrows (Hobday 1995; Moon 2002). An orderly ladder of Japanese technology transfer in the region was giving way to a new technology competition. Mapping the same landscape among production networks today, I find that South Korea has kept pace, with China in hot pursuit, and Japan still up front. What does the future hold for the region? A shift from offshore plants to integrated knowledge networks would help to secure Japan’s role, improve human resources and advance technology in host countries, and to strengthen regional integration. South Korea faces a similar challenge but without the breadth or depth of Nikkei networks at present. China may well be ready for the challenge and for industry moves abroad in the coming years.
