ABSTRACT
Footwear, as one of the most labour-intensive industries, has been among the first sectors to be exposed to the processes of delocalization and global restructuring. This chapter aims to contribute to a better understanding of the delocalization trends in the European footwear industry. It focuses on forms and networks of Europeanization of national footwear industries, company strategies and delocalization effects. In the European footwear industry Outward Processing Trade is in force through the implementation of international subcontracting as a predominant form of organization of footwear production between old and new member states. The delocalization of production is a dynamic process with high complexity leading to a great diversity of organizational forms, network configuration and changes of functions ensuing from the distribution of power-control and rent distribution. Outsourcing and insourcing have linked home and host firms in the European footwear value chains. The footwear firms are mostly incorporated in regional production networks.
