The Flying Geese Metaphor: Export-Oriented Manufactures in Mexico

Prior to the onset of the North American Free Trade Agreement (1994), most export-oriented manufactures (maquiladoras) in Mexico were agglomerated along the US border manufacturing low value-added products. By 2006 the majority of maquiladoras were located off-border with notable growth in higher value-added manufacturing. The evolving geography of export-oriented industrialization has been the subject of descriptive narratives that purportedly model manufacturing trends. This study reviews these models positing the flying geese metaphor provides an explanation for Mexico's transitioning maquiladoras. The study focuses on the metaphor's underlying themes, sectoral and spatial trends, and finds increasing product sector segmentation by value-added and location. Among the paper's contributions is the incorporation of statistical significance that differentiates explanation from description, thereby adding analytical underpinning for an understanding of transitioning export-oriented manufactures.