過去研究中所討論的廠商「制度互動」,多針對廠商與地方尺度的制度之共同演化關係,描述跨國投資廠商與生產地政府的互動,對自身在全球生產中所創造之有利制度條件。本文試圖將制度互動的概念由地方尺度延伸至跨國制度層面,藉由年興紡織在《非洲成長機會法案》(AGOA)的遊說行動案例,描繪制度鑲嵌的跨界可能性。本文指出廠商的遊說能動性與跨界制度場域間的雙元性,一方面廠商透過遊說形塑制度細節,另一方面,因為美國與非洲國家間的優惠貿易協定(preferential trade arrangement)之政治外交意義,使得廠商的投資生產和政治外交意涵產生扣連,成為外交政治政策的前端執行者,因而得以跨過地域疆界的限制,在該制度場域(AGOA)中取得遊說的能動性。本文延伸過往文獻對於鑲嵌與地域性的關聯,描繪了制度鑲嵌跨界的可能性,並透過案例指出,廠商基於其在美國貿易政策下的角色,以及在非洲的關係網絡,賦予廠商國際政治上的特殊角色,進而使廠商獲得跨界制度場域中的能動性。最後,本文將此跨界制度場域的能動性的觀點,放置於全球生產鏈對於生產位階關係的討論,以及晚近全球生產網絡的理論脈絡中,尋求對話辯證的可能性。
Studies of institutional interactions among firms are mostly localized. When interacting with local governments, firms can often obtain favorable institutional conditions. This study attempts to demonstrate the possibility of cross-border institutional interactions via Nien-Hsing, a Taiwanese apparel manufacturer that lobbied for the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA). The non-reciprocal preferential trade arrangements between the U.S. and African countries impact both investment and production. Thus, firms, as proponents of U.S. foreign policies, obtain bargaining power through lobbying. Extending studies of institutional embeddedness and locality, this study shows that cross-border embeddedness of institutions is based on the multiple roles of firms in various geographical scales, including actors in international politics and local lobbying networks. This firm's agency can complicate theories of hierarchy in global production chains and the idea of scale politics in global production networks.