Behavior In Asia Research Articles

Regime dependence, Mrs. Machlup's wardrobe and the accumulation of international reserves in Asia

An old yet rarely explored motive of hoarding international reserves advanced by Machlup (1966) is examined. Reserve accumulation behavior in Asia is driven by a psychological desire to keep up with neighboring countries, i.e., ‘keeping up with the Joneses effect’.

Capital mobility, openness, and saving-investment relationship in Asia

The main objective of this paper is to investigate the relationship between openness to trade and saving-investment behaviour in Asia during the period 1990–2006. We use this relationship to examine whether those Asian countries that are more open to trade and enjoy less trade barriers have also higher degree of capital mobility. Cluster analysis is used to classify the countries into different groups according to the share of trade in their gross domestic products and their average tariff rates. The goal is to place the countries that are similar to each other in terms of their trade policy in one group. We apply the Generalized Least Square (GLS) technique to a set of balanced panel error correction models to estimate the short- and long-run relationship between saving and investment. The estimation results indicate that there exist long-run equilibrium relationships between domestic saving and investment in all groups regardless of their degree of trade openness. Moreover, contrary to Amirkhalkhali and Dar (2007) for the case of OECD, we find out that more openness in terms of trade policy is associated with higher degree of capital mobility for the case of Asian countries. One policy implication of this result for the Asian economies is that trade openness can be used as a strategy to attract capital from abroad. Our findings also confirm the prediction of new open economy macroeconomic models regarding the short- and long-run behaviour of current account.

Chinese energy policy in Central and South Asia

Abstract China has exploited its relatively strong position following the current global financial and economic crisis, to buy up energy positions throughout Asia. In doing so it is using the tactics it had developed earlier when energy prices were quite high to buttress its energy security. That security entails having multiple secure sources of energy over land that cannot be interdicted by hostile naval forces. But beyond that, China's stronger position vis-a-vis distressed firms and governments allows it not only to buy key energy holdings, but also to exercise greater influence upon these firms’ and states’ policies and induce them to accommodate their policy preferences to Beijing's desiderata. The evidence brought forward here, concerning Russia, Kazakhstan, Myanmar, and Iran suggests that we are beginning to see a pattern of China leveraging its superior economic position in the current climate to induce this accommodating behavior and thereby begin to reorient security behavior in Asia even if it...

Factors Influencing Supplier Share Allocations in an Overseas Chinese Context

Recent international attention has been drawn to marketing opportunities in Asia and the important role of customer relationships in supplier performance. However, empirical research on industrial buying behavior in Asia is sparse, and the extant literature indicates that buyer behavior may differ in non-Western industrial marketing relationships. Drawing on transaction cost economics and relational exchange theory, the authors develop a model that provides new insights into how international supplier behaviors affect manufacturer trust–performance perceptions and their business share allocation in a Chinese-dominated business environment. The results from 340 industrial relationships indicate the significant role of communications and adaptations in relationship development. Moreover, trust in suppliers and their performance are equally important factors in a manufacturer's business share allocation. The study contributes to the generalizability of relationship marketing theory and practice through empirical evidence on the transferability of Western business concepts.

Bad side of a good beetle: the North American experience with Harmonia axyridis

The multicolored Asian lady beetle, Harmonia axyridis (Pallas) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) is a generalist predator of aphids and other soft-bodied insects and has been utilized in biological control programs around the world. Over the last two decades, this species has spread throughout much of the continental USA and southern Canada. Despite the benefits it offers as a biological control agent, H. axyridis is perhaps most well known for its adverse impacts. In this paper we provide a review of the North American experience with H. axyridis, focusing on these adverse impacts, which can be classified into three general categories: impacts on non-target arthropods, impacts on fruit production and impacts as a household invader. The impacts of H. axyridis on non-target arthropods and, to lesser extent, the impacts as a household invader possibly could have been anticipated, due to its generalist feeding preferences and overwintering behavior in Asia. However, it is unlikely that the impacts on fruit production could have been anticipated. Therefore, even in retrospect, it is difficult to predict the potential impacts that an introduced natural enemy might have in its adventive range.

AIDS in Asia: A Continent in Peril

Susan Hunter's book, AIDS in Asia: A Continent in Peril, tackles an important subject. The subheading leaves no doubt that this volume belongs squarely in the next wave school—Africa has been devastated by the AIDS epidemic, and Asia must be next. Hunter's book paints a picture of a continent about to be engulfed in social, economic, and political chaos, all because of 1 small retrovirus. Unfortunately, Hunter presents no data that support this hypothesis. Her chapter on the epidemiology of HIV in Asia, The Looming Mushroom Clouds of Infection, relies heavily on a single report by Nicholas Eberstadt, a demographer and foreign policy analyst who has little experience in the modeling of sexually transmitted and infectious disease. She draws occasionally on advocacy reports by other international organizations such as The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS. The book is poorly referenced and shows no evidence that Hunter has attempted to examine surveillance data (much of which is in public domain) or other original data sources. For example, she provides no source for the claim that HIV… typically infects 50%–90% of a developing country's sex workers. Five years of systematic review of primary surveillance data from thousands of sentinel sites throughout Asia has shown only 1 site with rates >50% among sex workers, Mumbai in India. Virtually all the sex worker sites in the Philippines, Indonesia, China, Bangladesh, Pakistan, the most populous countries in the region other than India, report prevalence rates <5%. The book is consistently structured. Each chapter begins with conversations between the downtrodden victims of the HIV epidemic in Asia, persons whose clothing, gestures, and thoughts Hunter describes in heart-rending detail, although they are not, in fact, real persons. Next comes a homily based on the life of Emily Pankhurst, the 19th century English feminist whose relevance to the current HIV epidemic in Asia is uncertain. Then comes a bit of Asian history, a nicely written precis of the Mongol advance or the opium wars, for example, and some observations on historical and cultural injustices of life, injustices that ultimately lead people to have unprotected sex or share needles. Each chapter closes with an apocalyptic statement, along the lines of More and more countries in Asia are teetering on the brink of a violent explosion… and the outcome may be an epidemic the likes of which has never been seen in world history. Hunter may perhaps be forgiven for absorbing the alarmist tone of the advocacy reports she has read, but more attention to the facts would show that this sort of doom mongering is contradicted by every reliable measure of HIV prevalence and sexual behavior in Asia. These data suggest that in Asia (as in the industrial world), HIV will largely be confined to populations with well-defined risk of exposure to the virus. Hunter is absolutely correct in taking Asian governments to task for not doing enough to confront HIV. However, suggesting that HIV is an impending catastrophe that requires turning Asian societies upside down is unhelpful and outdated. This may be true in Africa, where Hunter has more experience, but had she looked beyond the hype at any real data, Hunter would have found that HIV infection does not, in fact, threaten to engulf Asia in social and economic chaos. It is a relatively well-contained infectious disease that, for prevention and control, requires clean needles, condoms, lubricant, screening for sexually transmitted infections, and treatment for a small proportion of the population. Those goals can, and should, be achieved shortly.

Suicide in Asia

The available data suggest that suicide deaths in Asia may account for the majority of suicides that occur in the world every year. This significant contribution occurs primarily because of the large population sizes of some Asian countries. Together, China, India, and Japan account for more than 40% of all world suicides, and Asia in total may in fact account for up to 60% of all suicides (World Health Organization, accessed 2006). If we apply to Asia commonly used estimates (namely, that there are approximately one million suicides in the world each year, 10 to 20 times as many suicide attempts as deaths, and 5 to 6 people affected by each suicide death or serious suicide attempt), then these figures suggest that up to 60 million people, each and every year, may be affected by suicide in Asia. These estimates provide a compelling case for more research into the etiology of suicidal behavior in Asian countries and for the development of suicide prevention programs tailored to fit the specific profiles of suicidal behavior in Asian countries. Currently, much of our research about suicide is dominated by a rather Western perspective, and we know much less about suicidal behavior in Asia than we do about suicidal behavior in the West.

AIDS in Asia: a continent in peril

Susan Hunter’s book, AIDS in Asia: A Continent in Peril, tackles an important subject. The subheading leaves no doubt that this volume belongs squarely in the “next wave” school—Africa has been devastated by the AIDS epidemic, and Asia must be next. Hunter’s book paints a picture of a continent about to be engulfed in social, economic, and political chaos, all because of 1 small retrovirus. Unfortunately, Hunter presents no data that support this hypothesis. Her chapter on the epidemiology of HIV in Asia, The Looming Mushroom Clouds of Infection, relies heavily on a single report by Nicholas Eberstadt, a demographer and foreign policy analyst who has little experience in the modeling of sexually transmitted and infectious disease. She draws occasionally on advocacy reports by other international organizations such as The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS. The book is poorly referenced and shows no evidence that Hunter has attempted to examine surveillance data (much of which is in public domain) or other original data sources. For example, she provides no source for the claim that “HIV... typically infects 50%–90% of a developing country’s sex workers.” Five years of systematic review of primary surveillance data from thousands of sentinel sites throughout Asia has shown only 1 site with rates >50% among sex workers, Mumbai in India. Virtually all the sex worker sites in the Philippines, Indonesia, China, Bangladesh, Pakistan, the most populous countries in the region other than India, report prevalence rates <5%. The book is consistently structured. Each chapter begins with conversations between the downtrodden victims of the HIV epidemic in Asia, persons whose clothing, gestures, and thoughts Hunter describes in heartrending detail, although they are not, in fact, real persons. Next comes a homily based on the life of Emily Pankhurst, the 19th century English feminist whose relevance to the current HIV epidemic in Asia is uncertain. Then comes a bit of Asian history, a nicely written precis of the Mongol advance or the opium wars, for example, and some observations on historical and cultural injustices of life, injustices that ultimately lead people to have unprotected sex or share needles. Each chapter closes with an apocalyptic statement, along the lines of “More and more countries in Asia are teetering on the brink of a violent explosion... and the outcome may be an epidemic the likes of which has never been seen in world history.” Hunter may perhaps be forgiven for absorbing the alarmist tone of the advocacy reports she has read, but more attention to the facts would show that this sort of doom mongering is contradicted by every reliable measure of HIV prevalence and sexual behavior in Asia. These data suggest that in Asia (as in the industrial world), HIV will largely be confined to populations with well-defined risk of exposure to the virus. Hunter is absolutely correct in taking Asian governments to task for not doing enough to confront HIV. However, suggesting that HIV is an impending catastrophe that requires turning Asian societies upside down is unhelpful and outdated. This may be true in Africa, where Hunter has more experience, but had she looked beyond the hype at any real data, Hunter would have found that HIV infection does not, in fact, threaten to engulf Asia in social and economic chaos. It is a relatively well-contained infectious disease that, for prevention and control, requires clean needles, condoms, lubricant, screening for sexually transmitted infections, and treatment for a small proportion of the population. Those goals can, and should, be achieved shortly.

Cognitive and social effects in allocation behavior: A new view on loci of developmental differences

Allocations become more equitable with age in America but not in Asia. The authors hypothesized that age affects perception of inputs but a combination of perceived inputs and social value determines allocation behavior. The subtractive model guided data gathering from Chinese in Singapore. Experiment 1 confirmed the Asian age‐trend, and demonstrated age differences in perceived inputs. Rated importance of perceived inputs decreased but that of group harmony increased from 5 to 17 years. In Experiment 2, the relationship between perception of ‘fair’ shares driven by perceived inputs and pay allocations by 11–15‐year‐olds was non‐linear, showing considerable adjustments in allocation behavior. In Experiment 3, allocation behaviors and perceived inputs of 5–21‐year‐olds had the Asian and American age‐trends, respectively. Obviously, allocation behavior in Asia is a compromise between the conflicting prescriptions of cognitive and social development.

Book Reviews

Books reviewed:Tran Ngoc, Ca, Technological Capability and Learning in Firms: Vietnamese industries in transitionBhanoji, Raom, East Asian Economies: the miracle, a crisis and the futureM., Ramesh and Mukul G., Asher, Welfare Capitalism in Southeast Asia: social security, health and education policiesWang, Gungwu and John, Wong, (eds) Hong Kong in China: the challenges of transitionJohn H., Drabble, An Economic History of Malaysia, c. 1800–1990: the transition to modern economic growthGordon, de Brouwer, Financial Integration in East AsiaGordon, de Brouwer and Wisarn, Pupphavesa, (eds) Asia Pacific Financial DeregulationJomo, K. S.; Greg, Felker and Rajah, Rasiah, (eds) Industrial Technology Development in Malaysia: industry and firm studiesJomo, K. S. and Greg, Felker, (eds) Technology, Competitiveness, and the State: Malaysia's industrial technology policiesColin, Barlow, (ed.) Institutions and Economic Change in Southeast Asia: the context of development from the 1960s to the 1990sGilberto M., Llanto; Rosario G., Manasan; Mario B., Lamberte; Jaime C., Laya, Local Government Units' Access to the Private Capital MarketsPaul D., Hutchcroft, Booty Capitalism: the politics of banking in the PhilippinesColin, Filer, (ed.) Dilemmas of Development: the social and economic impact of the Porgera Gold Mine 1989–1994Theodore, Levantis, Papua New Guinea: employment, wages and economic developmentT. S., Chan, (ed.) Consumer Behaviour in Asia: issues and marketing practiceArsenio, Balisacan and Shigeaki, Fujisaki, (eds) Causes of Poverty: myths, facts and policiesStephan, Haggard, The Political Economy of the Asian Financial CrisisGrant, Evans; Christopher, Hutton and Kuah Khun, Eng, (eds) Where China Meets Southeast Asia: social and cultural change in the border regions

Consumer Behaviour in Asia

Consumer Behaviour in Asia

Consumer Behaviour in Asia

Consumer Behaviour in Asia

Consumer behavior in Asia

Consumer behavior in Asia

The Concept and Dynamics of Face: Implications for Organizational Behavior in Asia

Research on cross-cultural psychology, sociology, and anthropology suggests that the influence of face on social interactions is both pervasive and powerful in Asia. Face, however, has not gained general acceptance as an important theoretical concept in the literature on Asian organizational behavior and management. In this paper, we propose face as a key variable that can explain much of the complexity of social interactions in Asian organizations. We attempted to elaborate on the concept and dynamics of face in Asia in such a way as to capture its pervasive, significant but often subtle influences on organizational behavior. We also examined conditions, functions, and consequences of face dynamics to generate testable propositions for future research. We argue that scholars have to go beyond the individualistic assumptions about human behavior implicit in theories of organizational behavior in the West to better understand the richness of organizational behavior in Asia. In Asia, organizational behavior is better predicted by an individual's external attributes such as face than internal attributes such as desires, emotions, and cognition.

Ethical Perceptions of Expatriate and Local Managers in Hong Kong

In an effort to build on the current knowledge of ethical behaviour in Asia this paper proposes to replicate existing ethical research and to investigate specific questions relating to intra-cultural differences in Hong Kong. Four major conclusions were derived from this descriptive empirical study. A statistically significant correlation exists between age and ethical beliefs, with older employees less likely to express agreement to an unethical action than younger employees. In contrast to many previous studies no statistically significant differences in ethical beliefs were found in relation to gender, level in the organisation, company size, and whether the respondent worked in a multinational or local company. Significant differences in responses to ethical dilemmas were identified between local and expatriate personnel with expatriate respondents indicating a lower level of agreement to unethical actions. For local respondents, of Hong Kong origin, there was no significant correlation between level of education, religiosity, years of business experience, functional origin and their ethical responses.

High Blood Pressure : Knowledge and Behavior in Asia

High Blood Pressure : Knowledge and Behavior in Asia

Dynamics of Asian Savings: The Role of Growth and Age Structure

Growth and demography, two important determinants of the savings rate in the life-cycle approach, are shown to explain much of the diversity in savings behavior in Asia across eight countries and over time. Inflation and adverse movements in the terms of trade are two additional factors that depress the propensity to save. The paper also finds evidence in favor of the error-correction formulation, under which the savings rate varies procyclically in the short run but remains constant in the steady state.

Dynamics of Asian Savings: The Role of Growth and Age Structure

This paper shows how growth and demography, two important determinants of the savings rate in the life-cycle approach, explain a large part of the diversity in savings behavior in Asia across eight countries as well as over time. Inflation and adverse movements in the terms of trade are found to be two additional factors with depressing effects on the propensity to save. The paper also finds evidence in favor of the error-correction formulation under which the savings rate varies pro-cyclically in the short run but remains constant in the steady state.