Value chain analysis for policy makers and practitioners

This useful and practical guide written for policy-makers and practitioners aims to improve the ability of local enterprises to compete in the global economy and generate sustainable jobs and income for local people.

Enterprises do not simply export their output into an anonymous global market; often they feed into supply chains that are governed by powerful global actors. Value chain analysis demonstrates that the relationship with these global actors exerts a major influence on upgrading and earning opportunities of local enterprises.

A value chain is the sequence of activities required to make a product or provide a service. Value chain analysis for policy-makers and practitioners presents the key insights of the value chain approach and the questions it raises about how the global economy is organized and how local enterprises can participate more effectively in it. It also sets out why this new analytical approach is important for policy-makers and practitioners. Specific policy problems are also discussed, and practical ideas about how to address these challenges are provided.