ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book outlines the antecedents and development of the global production network approach and profiles developments in the field that collectively constitute an attempt to develop a 'Global production networks 2.0 iteration of the theory'. It provides an overview of the emergence of evolutionary economics and the adoption of evolutionary arguments within Economic Geography (EG). The book examines one of the hot topics in International business, which is the nature of the regional strategies of multinational enterprises and the implications this has for the governance and coordination of subsidiaries. It examines the phenomena of offshoring, outsourcing and the "global factory", whereby firms have created vertically disintegrated and geographically dispersed production operations. The book focuses on review of the literature on alliances and networks, paying particular attention to the literature in business and management and, to a somewhat lesser extent, EG.
