March 11 Session: Giovanni Balcet on the Expansion of the Chinese Automotive Industry
The next session of the BRICS seminar will take place on Wednesday, March 11, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. at the Maison de la Recherche of INALCO (2 rue de Lille), Salle Borel, and online:
https://zoom.us/j/2458251486?omn=96956547906
The speaker will be: Giovanni Balcet (University of Turin, Osservatorio Economie Emergenti Torino)
Topic: The Multinational Expansion of Chinese Automobile Manufacturers: the Case of Geely Before and After the Acquisition of Volvo Cars
Abstract:
The automotive sector in China has followed a path of accelerated growth. In its initial phase, this growth was driven by the domestic market, which became the largest in the world in 2009, surpassing that of the United States. During this period, strictly regulated international joint ventures played a decisive role in acquiring and assimilating technologies and in structuring the industry.
On this basis, the sector began a process of international expansion, first through exports and later through production abroad and the integration of international production networks. Foreign direct investments (FDIs) aimed at acquiring firms with technological, organizational, and managerial resources—as well as established brands (asset-seeking FDIs)—played a primary role in this process. These operated alongside FDIs aimed at penetrating external markets, beginning with developing and emerging countries.
The rapid growth of Geely, which became the leading private Chinese producer, is a good example of this trajectory. Through foreign acquisitions and the assimilation of industrial technologies and organizational capabilities, this new player has become a global actor. Technological trajectories and international trajectories have thus been integrated into an original growth model.
During the seminar, the stages of these trajectories will be presented, with a focus on the acquisition of Volvo Cars in 2010 and its consequences in terms of technological convergence, industrial dynamics, and intercultural relations within the company. The role of electric vehicles, as well as new platforms and production strategies, will also be highlighted.
About the speaker:
Giovanni Balcet was Professor of International Economics and Multinational Enterprises at the University of Turin. He is Vice-President of OEET – Osservatorio Economie Emergenti Torino, Collegio Carlo Alberto.
More information: https://brics.hypotheses.org/calendrier
French version
Séance du 11 mars : Giovanni Balcet sur l’expansion de l’industrie automobile chinoise
La prochaine séance du séminaire BRICS se tiendra mercredi 11 mars 2026 à 18h à la Maison de la recherche de l’Inalco (2, rue de Lille), Salle Borel (et à distance : https://zoom.us/j/2458251486?omn=96956547906).
Elle recevra: Giovanni Balcet (Université de Turin, Osservatorio Economie Emergenti Torino)
Sur le thème : L’expansion multinationale des constructeurs automobile chinois: le cas de Geely avant et après l’acquisition de Volvo Cars
Résumé:
Le secteur automobile en Chine a suivi une trajectoire de croissance accélérée, tirée dans une première période par le marché intérieur, devenu le plus important au niveau mondial en 2009, dépassant celui des USA. Dans cette période, les sociétés mixtes internationales (joint ventures), strictement réglementées, ont joué un rôle déterminant dans l’acquisition et l’assimilation des technologies et la structuration de cette industrie.
Sur cette base, le secteur a entamé un processus d’expansion internationale d’abord à travers les exportations et ensuite à travers la production à l’étranger et l’intégration des réseaux de production à l’international. Les IDE orientés à l’acquisition d’entreprises possédant des ressources technologiques, organisationnelles et managériales ainsi que des marques affirmées (asset seeking FDIs) ont joué un rôle primaire dans ce processus, parallèlement aux IDE orientés à pénétrer les marchés extérieurs, à partir des pays en développement et émergents.
La croissance rapide de Geely, devenu le premier producteur privé chinois, est un bon exemple de cette trajectoire, où l’acquisition à l’étranger et l’assimilation de technologies industrielles et de capacités organisationnelles a permis à ce nouvel acteur de devenir un protagoniste global. Trajectoires technologiques et trajectoires internationales se sont ainsi intégrées dans un modèle de croissance original.
Au cours du séminaire seront présentées les étapes de ces trajectoires, avec une focalisation sur l’acquisition de Volvo Cars en 2010 et sur ses conséquences en termes de convergence technologique, dynamique industrielle et relations interculturelles à l’intérieur de l’entreprise. Le rôle des véhicules électriques et des nouvelles plateformes et stratégies de production sera aussi mis en lumière.
L’intervenant: Giovanni Balcet a été professeur d’Économie Internationale et Entreprises Multinationales à l’université de Turin. Il est vice-président de OEET – Osservatorio Economie Emergenti Torino, Collegio Carlo Alberto.
Tuesday, January 27th 9.45 – 17.00
Aula SV002, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore; Via San Vittore, 18, Milano
10.00: WELCOME AND INTRODUCTION TO ITACA PROJECT
Giacomo CIAMBOTTI (UCSC), Scientific Coordinator ITACA & ATLANTIS
10.15: SESSION 1
Clifford OBIERO (JKUAT, Kenya) - Land suitability analysis for pasture production and reseeding in community conservancies in Kenya Nasrine AGREBI (UC, Tunisia) - Startups’ Adoption of Growth Hacking: An Empirical Study in Tunisia
Milton ALWANGA (JKUAT, Kenya) - PowerPoint sector reforms in Kenya: The effect of socio-economic determinants on access to rural electrification within the context of a Green economy
11.30: COFFEE BREAK
11.50: SESSION 2
Chaker SLAYMI (UC, Tunisia) - Strengthening Employability and Entrepreneurship Ecosystems through University–Industry Cooperation in Africa
Felix IDRAKU (UMU, Uganda) - From "Comply or Explain" to "Apply and Explain": Corporate Governance Code Adoption and Compliance Navigation in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Morris SAKWA (JKUAT, Kenya) - Citizens Participation in Public Policy Development and Implementation on Households Social and Economic Outcomes
13.05: LUNCH
14.40: SESSION 3
Elena VALLINO (UNITO) - Ecological Justice and Virtual Water Trade Dynamics in the Food Sector: States and Large Agro-food Enterprises
Josiah ATEKA (JKUAT, Kenya) - Linking Participatory Natural Resource Management with Household Welfare Outcomes Selene GHISOLFI (UCSC) - Market access and demand for improved seeds
Clifford OBIERO (JKUAT, Kenya) - Crop analysis and production opportunities of agricultural crop varieties in Isiolo county
Andrea PRONTI (UCSC) - Adoption of innovation in Agriculture and Social Norms
16.45 FAREWELL GREETINGS
Global Trade Shocks and Geopolitical Uncertainty: Implications for Food Security in Emerging Economies
WORKSHOP PROGRAMME
Campus Luigi Einaudi Lungo Dora Siena, 100A, Torino
Friday, December 12th - Department CPS, Room 3D440, 3rd floor
Saturday, December 13th - Department Cognetti de Martiis, Room 3D136, 3rd floor
The workshop will be held at Campus Luigi Einaudi and online at https://unito.webex.com/meet/oeet No preliminary registration is required, but we appreciate if you send an email at
Friday, December 12th 2025
Welcome and greetings
9 - 9.30 am Panelists registration
9.30 - 10 am Opening remarks and short introduction to the STAPLES project
FIRST SESSION: Effects of Trade on Food Security
10 - 11 am Keynote lecture: Racha Ramadan (University of Cairo) Food Security in the MENA region. Challenges and Opportunities. Chair: Giorgia Giovannetti (University of Florence and OEET-CCA)
11 - 11.30 am Coffee break
11.30 am - 1.30 pm: Papers presentation
Chahir Zaki (University of Orléans): Protectionism Doesn’t Protect: On Trade Policy and Food Security in the MENA Region.
Sara Balestri (University of Perugia): Unveiling Hidden Drivers: A Latent Variable Approach to Food Security Dynamics in Africa.
Antoine Castet (Centre for International Research on Environment and Development - CIRED): The conquest of the desert: Land investment in Egypt.
1.30 pm - 3 pm Light lunch
SECOND SESSION: Shock Propagation and its Repercussions in the Food Network
3 - 4 pm Keynote lecture: Davide del Prete (University of Naples Parthenope) Market Power along the Coffee Global Value Chain. Chair: Donatella Saccone (University of Pollenzo and OEET-CCA)
4 - 4.30 pm Coffee break
4.30 - 6.30 pm: Papers presentation
Stefano Schiavo (University of Trento): Food Connections: International Trade, Extreme Events and Shock Propagation.
Dela-Dem Doe Fiankor (University of Göttingen): Global Wheat Price Shocks and Firm-Level Export Price Setting.
Marta Marson (Politecnico of Milan): Agri-tech innovation: a poverty trap for African countries?
8.00 pm Dinner meeting
Saturday, December 13th 2025
THIRD SESSION: Debate on the Initial Results of the STAPLES Project
9.30 - 10.30 am Round table STAPLES - First results Chair: Iacopo-Maria Taddei (OEET-CCA)
10.30 - 11 am Coffee break
FOURTH SESSION: Food Insecurity as a Driver of Conflict
11 am - 12.30 am: Papers presentation
Julia Fisher (University of Lucerne): Growth in the Aftermath of War: Aid Effectiveness in Post-Conflict Locations.
Cecilia Nardi (Sapienza University of Rome): Faraway, so close: the impact of the Russia–Ukraine war on political violence in Asian countries.
12.30 am - 1 pm Closing remarks
ASIAN ENTANGLEMENTS
1st ITALIAN CONFERENCE ON ASIA
29–31 JANUARY 2026
VIA SANT'OTTAVIO 18, 10124 TURIN
Institute for the Studies on Asia (ISA) of the University of Turin, in collaboration with COREP, organises the 1st Italian conference on Asia. The ISA is an interdepartmental center founded in 2018 by a group of scholars of Asian studies. Now the members of the ISA are more than 50, from 7 Departments, and cover a range of disciplines such as Antiquity, Languages, History, Political Science, Anthropology, Law and Economics. The purpose of founding the ISA was to overcome the barriers between departments and to promote the exchanges and cooperation between colleagues with different expertise, in an interdisciplinary perspective.
Similarly, ISA scholars perceive the necessity to promote a similar experience at the national level. One of the objectives of this conference is to go beyond the disciplinary barriers and to enhance the connections, the exchanges and the collaborations between scholars, beyond the limits of the respective disciplines and research fields. The studies on Asia are interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary: through this conference we want to acknowledge the peculiarity of the studies on Asia, that can be defined as entanglements among disciplines and scholars.
This conference also aims to focus on the entanglements among several parts of Asia and between Asia and the rest of a world that is increasingly interconnected.
The topic of the conference is broad, in order to allow as many scholars as possible to contribute to the comprehension of these contaminations, from a highly interdisciplinary perspective. Panel and paper proposals related to all Asia regions in all periods will be welcomed, from all disciplines: arts, humanities, economy, law, social and political science. Presentations should seek to critically address the complex interlinkages between economic, cultural, historical, political and security-related opportunities and challenges in Asia.
CALL FOR PANELS AND PAPERS, REGISTRATION AND DEADLINES
We invite the submission of abstracts for panels or papers. Proposals must be sent to the Conference Organizing Committee at:
Scholars willing to present their panels or papers are invited to send an abstract of maximum 400 words for panels and 300 words for papers. Both panels and papers proposals should include a short bio of the proponents and maximum 5 key words.
Deadline for abstracts submission: 14 November 2025 Notification of acceptance: by 21 November 2025
Turin Centre on Emerging Economies
11th Workshop
Call for Papers
Global Trade Shocks and Geopolitical Uncertainty. Implications for Food Security in Emerging Economies
The 11th OEET Workshop will be held on December 11–12, 2025, in Turin, totally in presence or in hybrid form (partly in presence and partly online). The main focus of the Workshop will be on the international structure of cereals’ trade and the complex interdependencies that characterize the global value chains (GVCs), with a particular attention to the position and vulnerabilities of emerging and developing economies.
Both theoretical and empirical contributions are welcomed on issues dealing with (but not limited to):
- The transmission of price and supply shocks through international trade networks.
- The implications of trade network structures for food security and market stability.
- Policy responses to disruptions in global agricultural and food commodity markets.
- The structure and geography of international trade networks in cereals and related products.
- The dependence and integration of emerging economies within global cereal value chains.
Scholars interested in presenting a paper at the Workshop are invited to submit an abstract in English of up to 300 words or, if available, a paper by October 22, 2025 to:
The Workshop is financed by the PRIMA research project “STAPLES - STable food Access and Prices and Lower Exposure to Shocks”, of which OEET-CCA is a partner. The preliminary results of the Work Package 1 (Understanding External Stressors and Shocks), led by CCA, will be presented during the Workshop.
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March 11 Session: Giovanni Balcet on the Expansion of the Chinese Automotive Industry
March 11 Session: Giovanni Balcet on the Expansion of the Chinese Automotive Industry The next...