Evolving State-Business Relations in an Age of Globalisation: An Introduction

• Published in: Journal of contemporary Asia Vol. 51; no. 5; pp. 697 - 712
• Main Authors: Lim, Guanie, Gomez, Edmund Terence, Wong, Chan-Yuan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Abingdon Routledge 20-10-2021; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Asia; Business; Case studies; developmental state; Economic development; Globalization; Industrial policy; Industrialization; Ordination; state-business relations; South Korea; Turkey
• ISSN: 0047-2336; 1752-7554
• DOI: 10.1080/00472336.2021.1934720

This article introduces the feature section "Evolving State-Business Relations in an Age of Globalisation" in this issue of the journal. That feature section examines state-business relations across the Asian region, from South Korea to Turkey. It focuses on networked forms of co-ordination between state and non-state (or private) actors who collectively shape how an economy evolves. This article and those of the feature section deal with three inter-related questions. First, what is the contemporary nature of state-business relations, taking stock of historical and political contexts? Second, when there is regime change, how have these state-business relations evolved? Third, how, and to what extent, do the ties linking state and business actors generate opportunities and constraints for these economies? Four case studies are presented to illuminate shifting state-business relations in key Asian economies - Thailand, Turkey, South Korea and Malaysia. These studies reveal diverse modes of state-business relations, as well as why and how they have emerged, shaping in the process political and economic norms, while leading to industrialisation.