CALL FOR PAPERS
International Workshop on Informal Networks in East Asia
“EXPLORING THE ROLE OF INFORMAL INSTITUTIONS FOR ECONOMIC COORDINATION IN EAST ASIA”
Date: 16-17 June 2014
Venue: Seoul National University, Asia Center; Seoul, South Korea
Workshop Organizers:
Jaeyeol Yee, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
Markus Taube, Duisburg-Essen University, Duisburg, Germany
Peter Ping Li, Copenhagen Business School, Copenhagen, Denmark
Sven Horak, St. John’s University, New York, USA
In cooperation with the Asia Census Program, Asia Center, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea.
Informal institutions, influenced by history and cultural factors such as behavioral norms and values, play a strong role wherever formal institutions are absent or ineffective. Analyzing informal institutions in order to design formal institutions that suit the cultural environment in which they are embedded is an interdisciplinary research field of relevance for policy makers in public authorities and business alike. In this consequence, a profound understanding of informal institutions is necessary to make formal institutions function effectively.
The study of informal relational networks in East Asia is relatively new and has focused so far mainly on Chinese relational networks, on which most of the current theory is established upon. The informal institutional environment of other East Asian countries has been largely disregarded yet. Korea in particular can make a valuable contribution. Despite the rapid growth of the Korean economy since the 1960s and its economic importance today, it receives much less scholarly attention compared to its neighbor. Located in the same region but at a different development level, research questions arise of the comparability of both institutional environments based on assumed cultural or institutional similarity. Current literature often regards Chinese relational networks equal or similar to Korean relational networks. However, a closer look at both reveals that Chinese networks seem to be comparatively open to outsiders; Korean networks are more exclusive. In addition, Guanxi networks appear to disappear slowly as China liberalizes, whereas Korean networks seem to intensify. This assumption challenges the conventional belief that the further formal institutions develop, the more the influence of informal institutions declines. It can be summarized that there is a research gap about the persistence, nature, influence, consequences, and modes of action of relational network ties in East Asia.
By discussing research findings in the named major fields with experts, the workshop aims to contribute to a theory of informal networks by putting East Asian relational networks in the foreground.
Submission Guidelines
In order to be considered for participation, an extended abstract (ca. 800 words) shall be submitted for research currently in process. A range of empirical methods will be considered. Selected contributions will undergo a double blind peer review process. The organizers of the conference plan to publish the contributions in an international outlet, such as a journal special issue or edited volume.
All contributions should be submitted to the workshop secretariat:
Andrea Werry, Email: [log in to unmask]
Important Dates
Workshop: 16-17 June 2014
Submission deadline: 1 May 2014
Acceptance notification: 15 May 2014
Contact
Andrea Werry, Email: [log in to unmask]
Institute of East Asian Studies (IN-EAST) Chair of East Asian Economic Studies/ China University of Duisburg-Essen, Duisburg, Germany
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