Competitive productivity and the challenge of metastasis under rising societal complexity

Abstract

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to locate the concept of competitive productivity (CP) within a general theory of societal progress and include new thinking on the challenge of obstacles to be met at certain stages.Design/methodology/approachThe approach is to review the key literature dealing with economic growth and rising societal achievement and to refine out concepts that offer understanding of the dynamics commonly involved, taking illustrative examples from different societies and seeking overall common denominators that appear within the historical processes.FindingsNew understandings of societal progress, using complex adaptive systems theory applied to cities and industrial districts, indicate that two forces are at work to release new positive forms of energy into society. Economies of scale work via the laws of fractal geometry to yield sublinear growth of energy. More intense social interaction works within the core of the society in a different way to yield superlinear growth. These two forms of energy release can feed off each other beneficially in conditions where, as with CP, the forces of competition can work with forces driving efficiency, in conditions where societal order can be supported by appropriate cultural norms.Research limitations/implicationsA wide literature across several disciplines is brought to bear on the very complex question. Some of the theories are new but very well anchored. It is consequently possible to suggest a pattern of multi-determinants able to match the reality and to foster nuanced comprehensive analysis.Practical implicationsImpacts on policy of foreign direct investment and joint venture management.Social implicationsEmphasis on the roles of societal virtues in establishing the cooperativeness needed for CP.Originality/valueFew studies bring together so many disciplinary perspectives into a complete argument.