This article focuses on small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Kenya’s leather sector. It explores how public governance impacts SMEs’ technological capabilities and access to global value chains (GVCs). By public governance, we mean all government regulations and interventions set in place to shape the organization of value chains. Drawing on interview data, the article compares Kenya’s leather handbag and footwear manufacturers. On the one hand, handbag SMEs have succeeded in upgrading and entering GVCs through a combination of foreign knowledge and partnership with local universities. Despite meeting with public governance barriers, this process has enabled the transfer of technological capabilities from foreign-owned firms to a number of emerging SMEs owned by Kenyan nationals. On the other hand, leather footwear production was developed during the 1970s by large firms under state support. As protectionist measures were lifted in the 1990s, firms shut down and producers moved into the informal economy, replicating outdated capabilities in a context of price-driven competition, thereby limiting upgrading and participation in GVCs. The article concludes by comparing these findings with the experience of Kenya’s apparel manufacturers and highlighting the critical need for GVC research to account for the role public governance in shaping firms’ technological capabilities and access to global markets.

中文翻译：

---

肯尼亚皮革行业的公共治理和技术能力

本文重点关注肯尼亚皮革行业的中小型企业 (SME)。它探讨了公共治理如何影响中小企业的技术能力和进入全球价值链 (GVC)。公共治理是指为塑造价值链组织而制定的所有政府法规和干预措施。文章利用采访数据，比较了肯尼亚的皮革手袋和鞋类制造商。一方面，手袋中小企业通过结合国外知识和与当地大学合作，成功升级并进入全球价值链。尽管遇到了公共治理障碍，但这一过程使技术能力从外资公司转移到肯尼亚国民拥有的一些新兴中小企​​业。另一方面，皮鞋生产是在 1970 年代由大公司在国家支持下发展起来的。随着 1990 年代保护主义措施的取消，企业倒闭，生产者进入非正规经济，在价格驱动的竞争背景下复制过时的能力，从而限制了升级和参与全球价值链。文章最后将这些发现与肯尼亚服装制造商的经验进行了比较，并强调了全球价值链研究的迫切需要，以说明公共治理在塑造公司技术能力和进入全球市场方面的作用。从而限制升级和参与全球价值链。文章最后将这些发现与肯尼亚服装制造商的经验进行了比较，并强调了全球价值链研究的迫切需要，以说明公共治理在塑造公司技术能力和进入全球市场方面的作用。从而限制升级和参与全球价值链。文章最后将这些发现与肯尼亚服装制造商的经验进行了比较，并强调了全球价值链研究的迫切需要，以说明公共治理在塑造公司技术能力和进入全球市场方面的作用。