一九九○年代以來，以知識與網路經濟為特色的全球化趨勢，不但影響各國的企業競爭優勢、技術創新和新的就業關係，也為民族國家帶來強烈衝擊，而有提昇國家競爭力之議。本文從社會經濟整體的角度出發，強調經濟全球化在重組資本、勞動與國家的關係以及弱化民族國家的同時，卻也在民主、社會公平與正義、環保，以及特別是提昇國家競爭力的層面，賦予民族國家扮演更主動而且全新的角色。其次，從社會鑲嵌性與結構競爭力的概念立基，本文則強調任何的經濟體制和機制都有其特定的社會鑲嵌性；本文並且主張國家競爭力的提昇，從歐美各國的制度面看，必須兼顧經濟與非經濟的整體社會經濟面的調整。最後，本文也對流行的國家競爭力指標，進行社會整體性的評析，並進而希望此一有關國家競爭力的社會鑲嵌討論，能有助於糾正當前唯經濟主義的偏誤。

This study conducts a socio-economic analysis of national competitiveness in the age of globalization and knowledge-based economy. It is argued that ever since the beginning of the 1990s, the globalizing characteristics of the knowledge-driven economy has reshaped countries' business competitive advantages, technological innovations and employment relations. It also challenges the capacity and functions of national states, and thereby raises a view on the increase of national competitiveness. Furthermore, this paper analyzes that economic globalization brings about the internationalization of corporations and the flexibility of labour markets, so that it restructures the socio-economic features and aspects required to achieve a higher ranking of national competitiveness. By utilizing the two concepts of structural competitiveness and social embeddedness of the economy, this paper points out that surveys of national competitiveness need an integration of economic and extra-economic factors. This study also examines two existing important reports of national competitiveness, the World Competitiveness Yearbook and the Global Competitiveness Report, as well as Porter's book, the Competitive Advantage of Nations. In conclusion, we argue that it is required for national states to consider national competitiveness from a macro and socioeconomic perspective. In other words, factors concerning sociocultural institutions, values, and national regimes and policies, except economic, are all critical to the growth of national competitiveness. We also hope this social-embeddedness discussion on national competitiveness can avoid its contemporary bias of a solely economic argument.