• Journal of the Economic Geographical Society of Korea
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.421-437
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• 2009

China has transformed her strategies for economic development from exogenous development founded on foreign capitals to endogenous development based on enhancing technology innovation capabilities since 2000. More specifically, Chinese business activities have coupled with new institutional settings which enable them to facilitate advanced technology and management methods. As a result, the characteristics of the spatial economy in China are likely to transfer from export-led developmental space to technology-oriented developmental space. In this context, this paper aims to identify the characteristics of technology-oriented space by investigating intra-, inter- and extra-firms relations of Korean FDI firms in Shanghai, China. In terms of intra-firm relations, Korean FDI firms adopted strategies for maximizing business efficiency and effectiveness by transforming their personal networks into formal networks. In terms of inter-firm relations, the distinction of Korean FDI firms' networks has been found in accordance with firm size, industrial sectors, ways of investment etc. Finally, Korean FDI firms has formal networks resulted from institutional involvement, as well as informal (personal) networks based on guanxi (inter-personal relations) in extra-firm relations. Therefore, two types of processes affecting the networks and institutional legacies of the Soviet system can be identified. First is the interaction of institutions and restructuring of pre-existing networks. Second is the insulated institutions and endurance of preexisting networks. And these two governance types have created regional economies which are embedded and over-embedded.