Research Activities
Research Projects 2026
Global Value Chains Facing Structural Reorganization
Outline
This research builds upon and further develops the project-based studies, “Global Value Chains (GVCs) in an Era of Structural Transformation,” which has produced the biennial GVC Development Report (hereafter, the “Report”) in collaboration with international partners including the WTO, ADB, WEF, and the GVC Research Institute of the University of International Business and Economics (UIBE). It establishes a new, ongoing analytical initiative to conduct comprehensive and continuous research on GVCs.
The Report is positioned as an international joint research project addressing the most critical issues in the field of GVCs, and it exerts significant influence on both policymaking and academic research. In fiscal year 2026, while maintaining cooperation with existing partner institutions, the primary objective will be to prepare background papers for the publication of the GVC Development Report 2027 (Issue No. 6).
Specifically, drawing on feedback received after the release of Issue No. 6 and reflecting emerging policy and research needs, the study will focus on key challenges in GVC development. These include enhancing the transparency of trade rules within GVCs; examining the role of AI and robotics in improving productivity along GVCs; assessing the impact of rising uncertainty surrounding critical minerals and energy on GVCs. Furthermore, the study will place particular emphasis on addressing key issues related to the development of GVCs, including examining the effects of policy shocks transmitted through GVCs on the welfare of participating countries.
Methodologically, the project will employ traditional econometric approaches, international input–output analysis, computable general equilibrium (CGE) models, and firm-level case studies. In addition, it will incorporate new analytical tools, including large language models (LLMs) based on Big Data, to further enhance the rigor and sophistication of the research. The outcomes will be published as Background Papers (BPs) for the Report or as IDE Discussion Papers (DPs), and will ultimately be reflected in the jointly published Report with major international organizations, ensuring broad dissemination to policymakers and practitioners.
Period
April 2026 - March 2027
Members
| Role | Member |
|---|---|
| [ Organizer ] | Meng, Bo |
| [ Co-researcher ] | Liang, Tao |
| [ Co-researcher ] | Inomata, Satoshi |
| [ Co-researcher ] | Coxhead, Ian |
| [ Co-researcher ] | Sebastien Mirodout(OECD) |
| [ Co-researcher ] | Ma. Joy V. Abrenica |
| [ Co-researcher ] | Ishido, Hikari(Chiba University) |
| [ Co-researcher ] | Yue Lu(Defense innovation Science & Technology Institute) |
| [ Co-researcher ] | Sunghun Lim(Louisiana State University) |
| [ Co-researcher ] | Ming Ye(Nanjing University) |
| [ Co-researcher ] | Mengya He(Defense innovation Science & Technology Institute) |
| [ Co-researcher ] | Yamano, Norihiko(OECD) |
| [ Co-researcher ] | Robert Koopman(American University) |
| [ Co-researcher ] | Gabriele Suder(Federation University Australia) |
| [ Co-researcher ] | Fukao, Kyoji(Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry) |
| [ Co-researcher ] | Yuning Gao(School of Public Policy & Management, Tsinghua University) |
| [ Co-researcher ] | Chen, Wenyin(Asian Development Bank) |
| [ Co-researcher ] | Jiabai Ye(Chinese Academy of Science) |
| [ Co-researcher ] | Meng Li(Shanghai Jiao Tong University) |
*Affiliations are as of April 2026.
Expected Outcome
- Background Paper for GVC Development Report 2027, Workshop