Who profits from commoditizing Christmas: Development prospects for Georgia in the Nordmann fir global production network

Master's Thesis from the year 2022 in the subject Economics - International Economic Relations, grade: 1,3, Berlin School of Economics and Law (Hochschule für Wirtschaft und Recht Berlin), course: Internationale Economics, language: English, abstract: In this thesis, I ground my analysis in the Global production Network (GPN) approach, which in the literature also is associated with possibilities of 'strategic coupling' and asks for an analysis of 'value capture trajectories'. But can the promise of such as 'value capture trajectory' be observed in the case of the Nordmann fir GPN for the Racha region, from which the seeds of Christmas trees originate? The master thesis seeks to examine prospects for regional development in the Racha region in Georgia. The central research question of the master thesis is thus posed as: 'To what extent does the Nordmann fir global production network contribute to development perspectives in the Racha region?' To answer this research question, I mainly draw on the Global Production Network literature (coupled with some perspectives from evolutionary economies) and analyze value creation, enhancement, and capture trajectories. Christmas is one of the largest religious celebrations of the Christian world. At the same time, consumer society as well as the marketing strategy of industries and retailers increasingly shift the spiritual character of Christmas towards materialist covetousness, leading to higher turnovers for supermarkets, large retailer, and industry. The annual demand for Christmas trees in Germany and Denmark is premised upon the seeds of Nordmann firs, which come exclusively from the Racha region in the Great Caucasus ridge of Georgia. It thus forms what is variously called a commodity chain, value chain or production network (as a phenomenon) and that can be accounted for with different concepts including Global Commodity Chains, Global Value Chains and Global Production Networks.

Based in Germany with Georgian heritage, my journey into the realm of economics and sustainable development began with a Master's degree in International Economics from the Berlin School of Economics and Law. Since 2019, I've been actively involved in Global Learning, leading workshops on global production networks in German vocational schools. My focus on development economics and sustainable value chains led me to join an NGO associated with a Fair Trade company, where I manage projects aimed at regional development. With a keen eye on monitoring and evaluation, I strive to ensure our initiatives make a meaningful impact. My journey epitomizes the fusion of cultures and disciplines, driving me to bridge divides and enact positive change for a more sustainable future