| 1. |
- Glover, Nikolas, 1979-, et al.
(author)
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Conceptualising ‘Made in’ as a historical phenomenon
- 2023. - 1
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In: National Brands and Global Markets. - London & New York : Routledge. - 9780367754976 - 9781003166184
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Book chapter (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This introduction advances the argument that the history of ‘Made in’ can be used to shed light on the dynamic historical relationships between the actors that have promoted them, the institutions that have regulated them, and the cultural environment that has attributed them meaning. Outlining a framework for analysing these intersections between individual market actors, international regulations, and national political projects, it proposed that ‘Made in’ can be approached from three different angles: at the firm level as strategically selected promotional appeals; at the level of national economic policy and international regulation as legal constructs; and at a societal level of coalition-building and national mobilization as political projects. It is from this perspective that this chapter presents the case studies that make up the remainder of this volume, chapters that in turn explore the evolution of ‘Made in’ within 11 different countries.
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| 2. |
- Glover, Nikolas, 1979-
(author)
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The long life of ‘Swedish quality’ : Promoting exports and keeping Swedes competitive, c. 1900-1990s
- 2023
-
In: National Brands and Global Markets. - London & New York : Routledge. - 9780367754976 - 9781003166184
-
Book chapter (peer-reviewed)abstract
- ‘Quality’ was a persistent value used to promote Made in Sweden throughout the twentieth century. This chapter traces how this ‘nationalisation of quality’ was shaped by the interplay between two components. On the one hand, it explains how the changing structure of the economy and consequent shifting of flagship export industries over the course of the twentieth century shaped domestic construction of Swedish national identity. On the other hand, it elucidates how a series of collective, export-promotion initiatives endeavoured to define and promote Made in Sweden, and imbue it with marketing value. By tracing these parallel processes, the chapter shows how different notions of ‘Swedishness’ and definitions of ‘quality’ over time led to ‘Swedish quality’ becoming integral to the value of Made in Sweden. In the concluding section, this long history of short-lived initiatives to promote Swedish quality is interpreted from a political economy perspective. These efforts are viewed as an expression of how social elites in an open, export-dependent economy communicated the national challenge of continuously adjusting to structural change. Whatever their short-term effects on export sales abroad, domestically, Made in Sweden promotions served the long-term purpose of sustaining awareness among industrialists, businesses, unions, and the broader public of the imperative to remain internationally competitive.
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