Final answer:
Keiretsu represents hierarchical alliances between manufacturers and retailers in Japan, describing companies linked through cross-shareholdings that collaborate economically.
Step-by-step explanation:
Among the options provided, Keiretsu represents hierarchical alliances between manufacturers and retailers in Japan. Keiretsu is a set of companies with interlocking business relationships and shareholdings. It is a type of corporate structure and collaborative group that involves businesses linked through cross-shareholdings to work together to safeguard mutual economic interests.
Keiretsu emerged as a new version of Zaibatsu after World War II during Japan's economic recovery. These conglomerates typically include a range of businesses, such as manufacturers, supply chain partners, distributors, and even banks that support the financial needs of the group. In contrast, the other terms listed, such as Global Strategic Partnerships (GSPs), Chaebol, Zaibatsu, and Joint ventures, describe different forms of business arrangements that aren't specific to the traditional Japanese corporate hierarchy and alliances represented by Keiretsu.