Theorizing globalized production and digitalization: Towards a re-centering of value

Digital and data-driven technologies are having substantial impacts on global production, with growing analysis within established frameworks such as Global Value Chains (GVC) Production Networks (GPN). Given the claims, however, that digitalization is leading to transformations in patterns of production labor, further theoretical work needed consider how these fit evolving dynamics. Beginning critiques mainstream GVC/GPN have poorly theorized concept value, paper argues a re-centering value crucial for improved understanding digitalization. To do this, broader debates literature digital economy—on rent surplus value—are reviewed. These provide an expanded perspective including forms techno-economic heterogeneous shaping production. A stronger orientation towards studies can absorb some ideas, but considering forms, conventional notions governance upgrading may be less viable.