Asian Economic Development Research Articles

CRISPR-Cas9-Mediated Genome Editing of Rice Towards Better Grain Quality.

With continued economic development in Asia the demand for high yielding varieties with premium grain quality traits is set to increase. This presents a significant challenge to plant breeders because varieties must be tailored to meet regional preferences. It is already apparent that traditional breeding techniques cannot meet this challenge and so emerging genomics technologies will have to be utilized. Genome editing tools afford the ability to efficiently and precisely manipulate the genome. Among these, the bacterial clustered, regularly interspaced, short palindromic repeat (CRISPR) associated protein 9 (Cas9) or CRISPR-Cas9 has emerged as the easiest, most economic, and efficient technology to undertake genome editing in rice. This technique allows precise site-specific gene modification or integration. In this chapter we present a method for utilizing CRISPR-Cas9 for improving grain quality traits in rice; this should enable molecular breeders to quickly and efficiently produce high yielding rice varieties tailored to meet specific cultural and regional requirements for grain quality.

Growth Slowdown Analysis for Indonesia’s Subnational Economies: An Empirical Investigation

Despite the positive growth performance of Indonesia over the past two decades, concerns have been expressed about whether the country would be caught in a middle-income trap. This paper offers a systematic analysis on growth slowdown for the Indonesian provinces, against the backdrop of other developing Asian economies including the ASEAN economies, Greater China economies and the Indian sub-national economies. Provincial-level analysis for Indonesia is appropriate given the size and great variations in the levels of development of the Indonesian provinces. By employing a logistic regression as well as Bayesian Model Averaging techniques, we ascertain the determinants of growth slowdown in Indonesian sub-national economies. Having identified the underlying drivers of growth slowdown in each income group, we also assess the predictive probability of each sub-national economy in Indonesia experiencing growth slowdown in the near future. Overall, we find that the Indonesian sub-national economies have a 10% chance of experiencing growth slowdown in the 2012–2017 period on average which is lower than the average predictive probabilities for Greater China and India sub-national economies.

U.S. Protectionism and Trade Imbalance between the U.S. and Northeast Asian Countries

Trade growth has slowed since the global financial crisis. In 2016, growth in the volume of world tradewas1.9%, down from the 2.8% increase registered in 2015. Imports to developed countries will be moderate in 2017, while demand for imported goods in developing Asian economies could continue to rise. Despite rising imports into Asia, the ratio of trade growth in the world has been lower than the ratio of global economic growth since 2013. Therefore, many countries have tried to create bilateral, multilateral, regional and mega free trade agreements (FTAs) in order to boost their trade volumes and economic growth. East Asian countries try to build regional FTAs and participate in different mega FTAs such as the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). As a result, their economic interests are rather deeply divided and are related to political and security issues in the East Asian context. At the same time, the protectionism led by the Trump administration in the U.S. stands in contrast to the approach taken by East Asian countries. This paper deals with this development and explores why the U.S. has turned from free and open trade toward so-called fair trade based on a policy of “America first.” It also offers an analysis of the reasons for trade imbalances between the U.S. and Northeast Asian countries. Finally, it evaluates how U.S. protectionism will affect mega FTAs as well as East Asian economic cooperation.

Economic Success in East Asia and in Hong Kong

This study is concerned with the organizational characteristics of Hong Kong’s manufacturing firms, the business and technology strategies they adopt. Before turning to those issues, it is useful to set the study in its broad setting, which is East Asian economic development. The purpose of this paper is to set out that broad setting, focusing on the explanations put forward for Hong Kong and East Asia’s economic success. Particular attention is paid to the role of technology in economic development, to the technology policies adopted by governments and to the means by which East Asian firms have developed their technological capabilities. The paper also shows that Hong Kong Special Administrative Government (HKSAR) has taken a different route to development than other East Asian economies, which may have implications for its great change in policies to support R&D through the Research and Development Cash Rebate Scheme. Under the scheme, a company will receive a cash rebate equivalent to 40% of its expenditure in R&D Projects.

Consumer Behaviour towards Marketing Mix in Organized Retail: A Study with reference to Supermarkets in Mangalore

Numerous of studies have observed that science & technology (S&T) and intellectual property rights (IPRs) regime are useful and effective to maintain the economic and social development in different economies. However, earlier studies found positive and negative impact of S&T and IPRs on economic growth and development in variouscountries. China, Indonesia, South Korea, Thailand, Malaysia are the greater competitors for Indian economy in IPRs and S&T. These economies have a greater share of manufacturing and industrial sector in their GDP due to their effective contribution in S&T and IPRs related activities. Hence, this study assesses the role of IPRs and S&T in socio-economic development in aforementioned economies based on existing studies. Furthermore, it provides the recent trend in economic, IPRs, S&T and business related indicators for India and selected Asian economies. Thereupon, it makes India’s comparison in IPRs and S&Tassociated indicators among the selected Asian economies. It examines the India’s position in economic, IPRs, S&T and entrepreneurship related indicators as compared to other economies. Finally, it come up with several policy proposal to increase the involvement of IPRs and S&T in socio-economic development in Asian economies. It recommended that research & development (R&D) expenditure is a crucial driver to attract the attention of researchers and scientists towards IPRs, subsequently it give incentive to existing researchers to increase their participation in R&D and S&T related activities. It suggested that S&T and IPRs activities create a path for innovation and discovery of new technologies for production of goods and services

Asian varieties of service capitalism?

There is currently only limited empirical research and theoretical conceptualisation of the role of knowledge-intensive business services (KIBS) in the economies of Asia within economic geography or elsewhere in the wider social scientific literature. This paper argues that existing theoretical understandings of KIBS are inadequate to conceptualise the nature of ongoing KIBS development in Asian economies – both emerging and mature – and seeks to address this absence by developing a theoretical framework that draws on a range of existing theoretical approaches within and beyond economic geography. To do this, it proposes the concept of ‘service capitalism’, developed from work concerned with varieties of capitalism (VoC), variegated capitalism and advanced service industries. The paper elaborates its theoretical argument by presenting research into two forms of Asian service capitalism through two case studies examining respectively the specific nature of Japanese KIBS and the development of KIBS in China. Using the case studies, it demonstrates how service industry development in both these Asian economies exhibits distinctive characteristics that are a consequence of both local institutional, corporate, and socio-cultural contexts but are also interconnected the wider global economy in complex ways. The paper thus presents a significant and disruptive challenge to existing theories of KIBS development as based on the western experience, and contemporary deployments of the varieties of capitalism and variegated capitalism approaches.

El Pacífico suramericano y su integración con China y Asia

El presente trabajo confronta las políticas industriales seguidas por las naciones suramericanas con las de los países del Sureste del Asia y plantea que la influencia del Consenso de Washington en las primeras permitió desvertebrar su desarrollo industrial, mientras que el tipo de desarrollo económico en Asia ha sido más exitoso, enmarcado en las últimas décadas en lo que se conoce como Consenso de Beijing.Para ello se hace un estudio comparativo de la evolución de diferentes indicadores económicos y sociales de las naciones suramericanas, así como de Malasia, Tailandia y Vietnam, utilizando datos de comercio de las Naciones Unidas-Comtrade e indicadores del World Development Report 2015 del Banco Mundial. Se encuentra que la persistencia de las políticas industriales y gran vinculación al comercio internacionalexplican parte importante de los resultados asiáticos. Una recuperación de dichas políticas en Suramérica podría ayudar a activar la dinámica económica que no ofrece la exportación de recursos naturales.

Asia's Middle-Income Challenge: An Overview

Developing Asia has undergone a dramatic shift over the past 5 decades from a region of mainly low-income economies toward one that is largely middle income. Compared with world aggregate data, developing Asia now has a much greater proportion of middle-income economies. The region faces the challenge of sustaining rapid growth after graduating from low to middle income, and moving further to high income. Evidence shows that it takes longer for economies to move from upper-middle to high income than shifting from lower-middle to upper-middle income. Still, developing Asian economies were able to shift more quickly than the rest of the world, whether the transition is from lower-middle to upper-middle income or from upper-middle to high income. The experience of newly industrializing economies shows that innovation, human capital, and infrastructure all played a vital role in their quicker transformation from middle to high income.

Book Review: Debashis Chakraborty and Jaydeep Mukherjee (Eds), Trade, Investment and Economic Development in Asia: Empirical and Policy Issues

Book Review: Debashis Chakraborty and Jaydeep Mukherjee (Eds), <i>Trade, Investment and Economic Development in Asia: Empirical and Policy Issues</i>

Introduction: “Structural change in Asia: Can the services sector lead growth?”

At one level much has been written on the relevance of the Clark-Kuznets etc. understanding of the structural transformation that accompanies economic development in Asia in general and the successful Asian industrialisers in particular. Now the debate has partly shifted to whether India illustrates the (speculative) possibility of a trajectory where the services sector leads growth. The latter question is seen as significant because the possibility of absorbing surplus labour in manufacturing is taken to be limited in the 21st century since the cross-border transfer of less labour-intensive technologies is much more rapid. Even in the case of successful Asian industrialisers (Japan, Korea, China), rapid expansion of manufactured exports has been crucial to make the classic transition. Since not all countries can achieve export success simultaneously, the "Indian alternative" is seen as attractive. We make the theme of the special issue a critical appraisal of this kind of viewpoint.

Globalization, growth, and the transport industry: the case of Asia

Artykuł poświęcony jest sektorowi transportowemu krajów azjatyckich i jego związkom z rozwojem gospodarczym. Szczególną uwagę autor zwraca na transport morski, który jest podstawową formą przewozów w handlu międzynarodowym z tego regionu. Ponadto, wy-sokie tempo rozwoju gospodarczego Chin, Indii oraz innych gospodarek azjatyckich sprzyja wzrostowi ich konsumpcji wewnętrznej. Wzrost zamożności społeczeństw przyczyni się z kolei do rozwoju sektora transportowego w tych krajach

Macroprudential Policy Frameworks in Developing Asian Economies

Over the last decade, developing Asia’s deeper global financial linkages have been accompanied by greater financial integration. As the region becomes more interconnected, a key priority is to ensure that the dynamic environment is supported by better coordinated and potentially consistent macroprudential policies to adequately control systemic risks. Within the context of global financial developments, this paper presents a general macroprudential policy framework that highlights important aspects to conducting policy. It also provides an overview of how some Asian economies, New Zealand, and the euro area implement their macroprudential policies. It reviews existing macroprudential policy frameworks of five high-growth developing economies — Cambodia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, and Viet Nam — identifying improvements and continuing challenges for their financial systems, which will likely grow more complex. Identifying and addressing key issues will help improve their existing macroprudential policy frameworks.

「潜在的廃棄物」としての日本からの中古車輸出の展開( アジア経済成長のダイナミズムをさぐる)

「潜在的廃棄物」としての日本からの中古車輸出の展開( アジア経済成長のダイナミズムをさぐる)

中国華南,インドシナ地域における労働力移動,交通インフラ整備と発展の分岐,収束( アジア経済成長のダイナミズムをさぐる)

中国華南,インドシナ地域における労働力移動,交通インフラ整備と発展の分岐,収束( アジア経済成長のダイナミズムをさぐる)

Book Review: Debashis Chakraborty and Jaydeep Mukherjee (Eds), Trade, Investment and Economic Development in Asia: Empirical and Policy Issues

Book Review: Debashis Chakraborty and Jaydeep Mukherjee (Eds), <i>Trade, Investment and Economic Development in Asia: Empirical and Policy Issues</i>

Natural Disaster Shocks and Macroeconomic Growth in Asia: Evidence for Typhoons and Droughts

Climate-related natural disaster shocks are expected to rise as the earth is getting warmer, which will adversely affect growth prospects globally. Current robust estimates of the effects of typhoons and droughts point to both short- and long-term declines in national incomes compared to predisaster trends and economic effects likely to persist up to 2 decades. Using the typhoon landfalls and damage in Asia, we analyze the wind–damage relationship and find damages to gross domestic product increase by 2.3% for an increase in maximum wind speed. The extreme projected temperature rise in Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP) 8.5 will result in higher damage by more than 50% in 2100. Vulnerable developing Asian economies could expect dampened growth with significant impacts on agriculture and tourism, a concern that may roll back years of development gains and exacerbate inequality. To cope with increasing disaster risks, both short-term adaptation strategies like relocation, government transfers, and other social safety nets, as well as long-term strategies like disaster insurance or similar ex ante mechanisms are needed.

Book review: Minimum Wages, Collective Bargaining and Economic Development in Asia and Europe: A Labour Perspective and Non-Standard Employment in Post-Industrial Labour Markets: An Occupational Perspective

Book review: Minimum Wages, Collective Bargaining and Economic Development in Asia and Europe: A Labour Perspective and Non-Standard Employment in Post-Industrial Labour Markets: An Occupational Perspective

Emerging Trends of Foreign Direct Investment in Developing Asian Economies with Special Reference to India

There has been a dramatic shift in the attitude of developing countries towards FDI in recent years. Most of the developing countries have adopted a much more favourable view of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) inflows. Globalisation exposed the markets of developing countries to foreign shores. In this paper an attempt has been made to study emerging trends of FDI inflows in developing Asian economies from the year 1990 to 2015. Regional Distribution of FDI at global level and FDI policy reforms in India has also been highlighted. Study revealed that developing countries are growing at relatively faster rate than developed countries. Changes in international regulatory environment have helped in gathering momentum of FDI inflows in the developing Asia where a steady rise in FDI inflows has been witnessed due to existence of comparatively sound macroeconomic environment required for attracting the FDI inflows.

Understanding Online Banking Adoption in a Developing Country

The massive growth in digital devices and communication has spotlighted the wisdom of doing financial transactions through online banking. In developing Asian economies, online banking technology can strengthen financial systems by developing a solid connection between financial institutions and the local populace. Technology acceptance studies are under-researched in this region, especially with innovative models. Filling the gap, this paper uses a comprehensive model of extended Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT2), moderated by cultural variables. This will provide new insights into the determinants of technology acceptance by considering cultural effects on individual customers. The authors analyzed the model through structural equation modeling. The results validated performance expectancy, facilitating conditions, habit, perceived security, and price value as important antecedents of behavioral intentions. The cultural dimensions, collectivism, and uncertainty avoidance were found to be significant moderators in explaining behavioral intention and usage behavior for online banking.

East Asian Financial and Economic Development

Japan, an isolated, backward country in the 1860s, industrialized rapidly to become a major industrial power by the 1930s. South Korea, among the world’s poorest countries in the 1960s, joined the ranks of First World economies in little over a single generation. China now seems poised to follow a similar trajectory. All three cases highlight the importance of marginalized traditional elites, intensive early investment in education, a degree of economic openness, free markets, equity financing, early-stage coordination of firms in diverse industries via arrangements such as business groups, and political institutions capable of curbing the power of families grown wealthy in early-stage rapid development to make way for prosperity sustained by efficient resource allocation to high-productivity firms.