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Why academics need to study the architecture of corporations
Topics: Economic Geography
, Environment
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Keywords: economic geography, supply chains, environment, equity Session Type: Virtual Paper Day: Wednesday Session Start / End Time: 4/7/2021 01:30 PM (Pacific Time (US & Canada)) - 4/7/2021 02:45 PM (Pacific Time (US & Canada)) Room: Virtual 30
Authors:
Joshua Newell, University of Michigan
Benjamin Goldstein, University of Michigan
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Abstract
We need to study the corporation in new ways to understand how they wield power and shape geographies. This paper discusses how and why academics should study the supply chains of specific corporations, linking them to environmental and social dynamics across geographies. Nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) have used this approach successfully, issuing reports about corporate activity related to deforestation, sweatshops, and other issues of social concern. Academics, by and large, have studied generic products, industries, and sectors. To verify this, after reviewing approximately 11,000 studies on supply chains, we identified just 27 academic papers that focused on specific corporations. To uncover corporate supply chains, researchers used two distinct methodological approaches: in situ (interviews, surveys, and surveillance) and ex situ (trade data, document analysis, and maps). We detail how to physically link product flows with their environmental impacts, and explores how they affect justice, equity, and welfare.
Why academics need to study the architecture of corporations