East Asian investment and reinvestment in the 1990s: implications for regional development

There has been considerable debate in recent literature concerning the regional implications of corporate organization based on complex forms of networking. In particular, it has been suggested that recent international investments are more sophisticated and more beneficial to host economies. This article explores the relevance of these ideas using case studies of reinvestments within East Asian plants located in the North East of England. Examples show how reinvestment decisions can create incremental improvements in the status of production locations. The implications of this for the design and delivery of aftercare services through regional development organizations are explored.