Contemporary South Asia: Corporate Capitalism

Contemporary South Asia (CSA) is soliciting submissions for a special thematic issue on Corporate Capitalism.

Recent economic reforms to free the private sector from state control and link it up with world markets were expected to unleash South Asia's tremendous growth potential. However, the region's actual experience has been somewhat mixed: increases in economic growth have been sporadic, gains from exports remain unstable despite significant degrees of devaluation, and inflows of foreign capital seem hardly to have solved the problem of project finance. Most importantly, the corporate economy - allegedly the prime locus of growth in this new model -seems not to have responded to economic liberalisation in any sustained way. Without certain fundamental changes in the corporate economy, particularly an increase in competitiveness, the positive predictions associated with South Asia's economic reforms are unlikely to be realised.

Much of the current analysis of the impact of economic liberalisation remains preoccupied with the South Asian state rather than its corporate sectors, especially the large and complex conglomerates that have come to dominate the region's contemporary industrial economy. How do these firms operate? How do they generate profits? How does their profitability compare with other countries in the developing world? Are their profits derived primarily from market forces or do non-market forces have a role to play? How do liberalisation and globalisation affect their profit strategies? Unless such questions are answered, it will not be possible to assess the full-and potential- impact of economic reforms in South Asia.

CSA is soliciting papers that address these issues and draw upon new empirical research and/or offer fresh theoretical approaches. Comparative perspectives reflecting upon the role of corporate capitalism in two or more South Asian countries are particularly welcome. More general papers which offer new ways of thinking about these issues are also welcome. Submissions, written in accordance with CSA's Notes for Contributors (available at http://www.carfax.co.uk/nfc/csa-nfc.htm) and of no more than 7000 words in length, should be submitted by 1 June 1999 in the first instance to the thematic issue's Guest Editor:

Ananya Mukherjee Reed
Co-Director
Institute for South Asian Studies
Dept of Political Science
York University
Toronto
Canada M3J 1P3
Tel/Fax: (880 2) 988-4811

Fax: +1-416-736-5686
Email: ananya@yorku.ca