Asian Industry Research Articles

Beyond Barbie: Representations of whiteness in China’s digital advertising

This article examines how Western brands and white Western entrepreneurs employ representations of whiteness in advertising their products on China’s social media platforms. While research has effectively revealed the prevalence of white hegemony in advertising, few studies have addressed the representation of whiteness in non-Western contexts such as China. Focusing on the largest and highly digitized retailing industry in Asia, this article examines branding used by Western brands and white Western entrepreneurs in their advertising campaigns. The analysis delves into how Western products resonate with China’s Gen Z consumers, and how advertising campaigns respond to those consumer preferences by incorporating nationalist sentiments. This article examines the visual complexities through which whiteness is expressed in various campaigns on social media platforms, emphasizing the contested, reproduced, and performed nature of whiteness.

The Impact of Social Responsibility on the Company Financial Performance of the Asian Industrial Sectors

Aims: This research aims to study the relationship between social responsibility with its dimensions (economic, employee, and product) and company financial performance of Asian industrial sector companies. Methodology: This study used a sample of 113 listed companies from 2020 to 2023 using secondary data and DataStream and the study used the OLS Robust regression to test the relation between the variables. Results: The results showed that there is an important and positive link between social responsibility and its dimensions (economic, employee, and product) with financial performance. Since CSR is not a compulsory practice, many companies may not feel the need to involve in it. The regulators of Asian industrial companies could take advantage of these results in their attempt to achieve a development process. Conclusion: Though, with all the profits it needs, companies should take it as essential and start employed today with the aim of attractive a socially responsible organization for all. The process of “social responsibility” in development means that development aims are not limited to the current, but rather we must see their findings in the future.

A Southeast Asia National Aviation Company benchmarking by regret theory-based data envelopment analysis model

National airlines play a pivotal role in fostering economic growth, facilitating trade, and promoting tourism. With Asia's aviation economic expansion and diverse cultural landscapes, the aviation industry has a role in linking nations, facilitating cultural exchange, and enhancing cross-border cooperation. In the aftermath of the global COVID-19 pandemic, the aviation industry in Asia has faced unprecedented challenges. This study aims to provide an overview of the performance of nine national airlines in the Asian aviation market, using cross-efficiency evaluation combined with the Regret theory based on the DEA model. Traditional DEA models often utilize a self-evaluation mode to evaluate DMUs, resulting in drawbacks such as overestimating efficiency and incomplete ranking. Cross-efficiency evaluation has addressed these limitations. However, cross-efficiency evaluation overlooks the significance of the irrational psychology of decision-makers (DMs). Hence, this study utilizes the Regret theory to depict the regret aversion behavior of DMs. The integration of emotional factors in assessing operational performance offers a holistic view of airlines' challenges and opportunities after the COVID-19 pandemic, ultimately facilitating informed decision-making and strategic planning for the industry's revival.

Perspektif Hukum Medical Tourism di Indonesia: Prospek dan Tantangan

It is estimated that the medical tourism industry in Asia will be worth US$4 billion by 2022, and Indonesia is positioning itself as one of the main players in the region, expecting revenues of up to US$590 million in five years. In 2022 alone, Indonesia received 341,288 medical tourists with an income of 253.84 million. Thus, the potential of this industry is very large, and the Indonesian government is taking the right strategic steps in this direction. Medical tourism as it is currently practiced and promoted is a relatively new concept, although patients traveling long distances to seek medical care is nothing new. This journal explores the development and growth of medical tourism in a global context, as well as among key Asian players in the industry, before turning to the Indonesian experience. The role of key players in advancing the industry agenda, namely the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Tourism, Ministry of International Trade and Industry, Association of Private Hospitals etc., will also be discussed. Finally, the challenges faced by an industry that is still in its infancy will also be discussed.

Genomic architecture and sex chromosome systems of commercially important fish species in Asia – Current status, knowledge gaps and future prospects

AbstractAquaculture is one of the fastest growing agro‐food industries in the world and Asia dominates the world's fish production (70% of total) with a high potential to ensure global food security. The leading aquaculture fish species in Asia show sexual dimorphism for traits such as growth, age at sexual maturity etc. in which one sex outperforms the other, increasing the need for controlling sex‐ratio in the farming system. Despite the huge contribution of Asian aquaculture to global fish production, the Asian aquaculture is facing a lot of challenges, for example, maintaining the genetic purity of the fish species and balancing the sex‐ratio in the culture system. Many of these difficulties arise due to a lack of deep understanding of fish genetics, or to the duplicated genome of cultured species, or to the unavailability of high‐quality reference genomes and information on sex determination mechanisms (crucial for monosex production and establishing appropriate breeding programme). This review has described the existing knowledge of the sex determination mechanisms in fish and genome architecture of four commercially important fish groups in Asia (carps, tilapias, catfishes and snakeheads). We also have outlined possible strategies for identifying sex‐determining gene/s using modern genome sequencing and computational technologies. Finally, we have highlighted the existing challenges and future prospects of Asian aquaculture. We anticipate that developments in genome sequencing technologies will help to address the biological complexities and challenges that exist in commercial aquaculture and will be of value for the future growth of the aquaculture industry in Asia.

Perlindungan Hukum atas Hak Kekayaan Intelektual Komunitas Band di Kabupaten Merauke

The creative industries have been set by the government as one of the pillars of national economic development, according to OPUS Creative Economy 2020 report, the contribution of the creative economy subsector to the national PDP reached Rs. McKinsey & Company through its research in 2016 stated that Indonesia is becoming one of the four most potential countries for the digital music industry in Asia, revenue or market value of streaming music in Indonesia in 2020 is estimated to reach $148 million or around IDR 2.1 Trillion and the growth rate is expected to reach 6.4 percent by 2024, creating market value around $190 million. One of the forms of music produced by the people in Indonesia and in particular in Merauke district was born from the local community of bands, such as Coffe Break, Kaki Abu, Amandus (Black Lebel One Scout), Jeppo (KANADA), and Anjhas Noya. (No Name Crew). Nevertheless, the potential economic gain cannot be achieved optimally if the importance of legal protection of intellectual property rights (IPR) is disregarded. In general, this research is intended to find out and analyze the extent to which the legal protection of IPR for music/song creations in the Band Community in Merauke district. This research uses the method of empirical juridic research.

Initial Upper Paleolithic in the Zagros Mountains

The Iranian Plateau and the Zagros Mountain chain, located at the crossroads of Africa and Eurasia, occupy a critical geographical position in out-of-Africa scenarios, sitting astride a major dispersal corridor into southern and central Asia. Yet, the region’s role in human population expansions remains under-investigated. Here, we present findings from new excavations at Pebdeh Cave, a site located in the southern zone of the Zagros Mountains. Pebdeh contained a well-defined layer dating to ∼42–40,000 years ago (ka), with Levallois elements alongside laminar reduction. This transitional feature in the Zagros was not dated and recorded before, and, given its similarity to Western and Central Asian industries with respect to chronology and technological features, we define it here as the Zagros Initial Upper Paleolithic (IUP). Although Late Middle Paleolithic and Early Upper Paleolithic technologies have been identified in the Zagros in the time period ranging between 50 and 40 ka, suggesting the presence of Neanderthals and modern humans in the mountainous region, the overall abrupt and constrained chronology of the IUP at Pebdeh, together with the penecontemporaneous appearance of other Upper Paleolithic sites in the Zagros Mountains, is compatible with a population expansion of Homo sapiens rather than an autochthonous development.

Examining Traditional Food Processing Landscapes from the Perspective of Cultural Landscapes: Pickle-Making in Yamagata Prefecture, Japan

The cultural landscapes of living and living industries in Asia are changing and disappearing, and this is currently under-documented and under-discussed in the international publishing field. This study takes pickle-making in Yamagata Prefecture, Japan, as the research subject, clarifies the constituent elements and characteristics of the cultural landscapes of pickle-making in Yamagata, and analyses the formation and change of the local landscapes from the point of view of the food-processing and production activities. The elements of the cultural landscapes of pickle-making in Yamagata Prefecture were classified as follows: landscapes of cultivation sites, landscapes of processing sites, landscapes of sales sites, landscapes of cooking and eating spaces, and landscapes of special festivals. It was found that the cultural landscapes of pickle-making in Yamagata Prefecture can play a role in supporting and maintaining biodiversity and ecological balance within the region and that they are highly recognizable and inherited. The elements of the cultural landscape of pickle-making are rich and diverse, and the carriers of dependence are not fixed. Special celebrations and festivals constitute important intangible elements of food production behavior and become the spiritual connotation of its cultural landscape. The results of this study are useful in supplementing the current system of cultural landscapes in Japan and the gaps in existing research. It is also conducive to enhancing the understanding of Japanese food culture in the international publishing field and the influence of productive cultural landscapes in Japan as well as in Asia.

A fast and reliable larval sampling method for improving the monitoring of fruit flies in soft and stone fruits.

The spotted-wing drosophila, Drosophila suzukii (Matsumura) (Diptera: Drosophilidae), threatens both the soft-skinned and stone fruit industry in Asia, Europe, and America. Integrated pest management requires monitoring for infestation rates in real time. Although baited traps for adult D. suzukii are widely used for field monitoring, trap captures are weakly correlated to larval infestation rates. Thus, monitoring for larvae instead of adult flies represents the most reliable monitoring technique. Current methods for larval monitoring (e.g., sugar or salt floatation) are time-consuming and labor-intensive. In this study, we develop a new "sleeve method" for detecting larvae in strawberries through the inspection of individual fruits crushed within transparent plastic sleeves. Samples can be optionally frozen until further processing. Based on count data from non-expert observers, the estimation of larval infestation with the sleeve method is fast, precise, and highly repeatable within and among observers. Mean processing time is half the time compared to previous methods (33-80 s per sample depending on infestation levels). As the accuracy of the sleeve method decreases with infestation levels, we suggest ways to improve its accuracy by incubating fruits for 48 h and calibrating data using fruits with a known number of larvae. The method could also be used in other fruits, as it is easier to use, faster, and requires less equipment than previous monitoring methods. Finally, the method represents a promising tool for growers or researchers to effectively monitor and manage D. suzukii and other insect pests of soft and stone fruits.

Renewable Energy Consumption, ESG Reporting, and Fixed Asset Turnover: Does it Work in Asia?

The purpose of this study is to provide empirical evidence on the effect of renewable energy use and ESG reporting on fixed asset turnover of companies in the energy industry and basic materials industry in the Asian region. No one has tried to see the effect of renewable energy consumption and ESG on the company's efficiency performance through fixed asset optimization, especially in the Asian region which is a strategic region for sustainability goals. The finding is renewable energy does not affect the fixed assets turnover of companies in the energy industry sector and the basic materials industry in Asia. However, ESG reporting represented by ESG score has a significant positive influence on the company's fixed asset turnover. The company's overall internal readiness aspect is an important thing that must be considered first so that the implementation of business practices that prioritize natural resource management in achieving operational activity efficiency advantages can achieve its benefits. A higher ESG score is a representation of controlled activity performance management in generating sustainable corporate efficiency through a higher fixed asset turnover ratio, and vice versa.

Amphoteric dry strength chemistry approach to deal with low-quality fiber and difficult wet-end chemistry conditions in the Asian and North American markets

With Japan’s high recycling rates and low access to fresh fiber sources, reaching strength targets in manufacturing packaging materials is a challenge. Declining quality of recycled fiber and minimal freshwater consumption results in difficult wet-end chemistry conditions in terms of high conductivity and elevated levels of dissolved and colloidal substances (DCS). These trends are somewhat typical of other Asian regions. Due to global trade, Asian packaging materials have become a part of the North American (NA) raw material pool. The gradual closing of mill water circuits for fresh water and energy savings results in more difficult wet-end chemistry conditions experienced in North America. China’s ban on the import of mixed paper and the consequent ban on all waste-paper imports triggered a significant price drop in recycled raw material, resulting in plans for increased manufacturing capacity in North America. Between increased demand, decreasing fiber quality, and movement towards more closed white water systems associated with packaging grade paperboard (even a virgin fiber mill uses a fair amount of recycled fiber), new methods to overcome strength reduction in raw materials must be proactively considered for North America. Reviewing the strategies currently used in the Asian industry regarding strength development is an excellent starting place for NA producers. A clear difference between Asian and NA wet-end chemistry is the dominant position of amphoteric dry strength agents. This paper reviews the fundamentals of dry strength development that explain the trend towards the increased application of amphoteric dry strength technology for poor-quality fiber and highly contaminated water circuits in Asian markets. This paper discusses the development and application performance of the novel 4th generation amphoteric polyacrylamide (AmPAM) dry strength technology, based on selected laboratory and mill case studies.

Water Economy Resources as a Geopolitical Asset of the EAEU Countries and the Formation of Sovereign Development Strategies

Water is a vital resource for all mankind. Its resources can both accelerate and limit the social development and technological progress of any society, can be the cause of both prosperity and poverty, can lead to both cooperation and conflicts on a local, regional or global scale. The article is devoted to the problem of joint exploitation of water resources. Their fair distribution in the Central Asian region is relevant, requires coordinated approaches and the creation of joint roadmaps. They could diversify emerging risks by creating favorable conditions for the accelerated development of all Central Asian countries and building a unified infrastructure for energy exchange and water use, taking into account the interests of the world’s main regulators of the scientific and technological process, who have historical claims to the dominance and assimilation of some parts of the economy in the national economies of Central Asian countries. The opportunity not to fall under the institutions of global governance will help to create conditions for local national elites not to lose their sovereignty and fulfill the tasks of sustainable technological development of Central Asian industries in a situation of digital transformation and post-crisis recovery.

Analyzing market power of the agricultural industry in Asia

The study of market power in the primary foods industry is of high interest to policymakers seeking to help develop low-income countries, due to its potential source to create market inefficiencies and hamper economic development. Recent studies have provided ample empirical evidence, that market power has been increasing nearly continuously since the 1980s. Nevertheless, due to the (un)availability of firm-level data, most research is constrained to analyzing firms within industries of a few high-income with a particular focus on manufacturing and service sectors. This paper proposes to remedy this gap in the literature by using aggregate data contained within the Eora Input-Output Tables and a procedure based on Generalized Maximum Entropy to provide estimates of the markup for the primary foods industry (defined as the agriculture, hunting, logging and fishing industries) for 43 countries in Asia. We document a large heterogeneity based on a country's income level classification. Furthermore, measures of globalization are seen to significantly reduce markups. Opening up to trade might therefore be an attractive option to policymakers seeking to stimulate economic efficiency.

Unraveling Informality and Precarity: New Labor Law Strategies for the Global Reproduction Network of Cross-Border Surrogacy.

This paper provides an analysis of the complex global reproduction networks driving the rapidly expanding cross-border surrogacy industry in Asia's reproductive bioeconomy. It sheds light on the unique features of informal surrogacy networks, notable for their flexible business ties and non-standardized surrogate mother recruitment. These factors contribute to heightened vulnerability for surrogate mothers operating within these networks. While previous literature has underscored the merits of labor law in regulating the surrogacy industry, its application in informal cross-border surrogacy remains under-examined. To address this gap, this research delves into innovative labor law strategies with potential to better regulate the surrogacy sector. Drawing inspiration from progressive labor regulations and supply chain strategies in Bulgaria and Australia, the proposed model aims to redefine the traditional employment relationship. This shift is aimed at bolstering protection for surrogate mothers and enforcing accountability throughout the surrogacy business network. The model further advocates for a collective framework that fosters collaboration and mandates the documentation and registration of surrogacy contracts. Moreover, it underscores the critical significance of international collaboration in bridging regulatory gaps and distributing accountability across consumer and supply states.

Antiviral effects of duck type I and type III interferons against Duck Tembusu virus in vitro and in vivo

Duck Tembusu Virus (DTMUV) is a newly emerging avian flavivirus that causes substantial economic losses to the duck industry in Asia by causing severe egg drop syndrome and fatal encephalitis in domestic ducks. During viral replication, host cells recognize the RNA structures produced by DTMUV, which triggers the production of interferons (IFNs) to inhibit viral replication. However, the function of duck type I and type III IFNs in inhibiting DTMUV infection remains largely unknown. In this study, we expressed and purified recombinant duck IFN-β (duIFN-β) and IFN-λ (duIFN-λ) in Escherichia coli and evaluated their antiviral activity against vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV). Furthermore, we found that both duIFN-β and duIFN-λ activated the ISRE promoter and induced the expression of ZAP, OAS, and RNaseL in duck embryo fibroblasts (DEFs). Notably, duIFN-β showed faster and more potent induction of ISGs in vitro and in vivo compared to duIFN-λ. Moreover, both duIFN-β and duIFN-λ showed high potential to inhibit DTMUV infection in DEFs, with duIFN-β demonstrating better antiviral efficacy than duIFN-λ against DTMUV in ducks. In conclusion, our results revealed that both duIFN-β and duIFN-λ can induce ISGs production and exhibit significant antiviral activity against DTMUV in vitro and in vivo, providing new insights for the development of antiviral therapeutic strategies in ducks.

Modern services led growth and development in a structuralist dual economy: Long‐run implications of skilled labor constraint

AbstractMotivated by the South Asian experience, this paper examines the role of expansion of skilled labor force for modern services led growth and development in economies with low average educational attainment. The model economy consists of two capital‐using sectors—a service sector that employs only skilled labor and an industry sector that does not require skilled labor. The service sector represents modern skilled‐labor intensive services whereas the industry sector represents a typical South Asian industry. Supply of unskilled labor is unlimited but skilled labor is relatively scarce and grows at a finite rate. Increase in the skill premium only partially explains growth of skilled‐labor supply while the rest depends on autonomous factors, which may be influenced by education policies of the government. The main result specifies a set of necessary and sufficient conditions for existence of a unique steady state characterized by balanced sectoral growth at a rate determined by the autonomous part of skilled labor growth. A low wage share and stagnant investment conditions in the industry sector are conducive for both existence and local stability of this steady state. The model shows that supply‐side factors may completely determine steady state growth rates in structuralist models despite presence of unemployed resources.

Supply Chain Networks and the Prospects of Sustainable Industrialization in Asia

India and China are home to the world’s 2.8 billion people. Ancient nations but young republics, India and China have been through their good and bad times. There are numerous studies suggesting that the urban population, rate of growth, and population percentage residing in agglomerations all have a statistically notable and constructive effect on Human Development Index (HDI). Industrialization has historically encouraged urbanization by fostering economic expansion and job opportunities that entice people to relocate to cities. This article exclusively focuses on strategic planning regarding how to build and improve supply chain networks. It also looks at how factories built in a location increase demand for manufacturing and managerial workers personnel, resulting in a population inflow. Following the factories, other businesses such as construction makers, retailers, and service providers follow to meet the workers’ product demands. As a result, more jobs and housing demand are created, forming a city.

Preface for the Proceedings of the 1st 2022 International Conference on Sustainable Environment, Development, and Energy (CONSER 2022)

The present volume of the IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Sciences participates in the 1st 2022 International Conference on Sustainable Environment, Development, and Energy (CONSER 2022) to be held in Sanur, Denpasar City, Bali, Indonesia on December 5 - 6, 2022. The conference with the theme of “Energy and Sustainable Environment” was organized by the Institut Teknologi Nasional Yogyakarta (ITNY), Indonesia and in cooperation with Naresuan University, Thailand and Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Perak Branch, Malaysia as co-organizers.The CONSER 2022 is the first series of conferences that brings together researchers from all over the world to present and discuss the latest research, contribute to sustainable environment, technology and sustainable development and energy resources, and encourage more research cooperation. The will of the authorities, together with the important role of scientists in creating various opportunities is to strengthen the research culture and downstream research outputs, ultimately solving problems in industry and society.The conference technical program includes five keynote speakers, invited speakers, oral, and poster presentations. Session tracks included Urban Studies and Sustainable Environment, Climate Change and Geosciences, Technology and Development, Material Science and Energy. The conference was attended by over 100 scientists and engineers from 20 countries with diverse backgrounds from academia, government, and industry in Asia, Africa, Europe and America. Oral presentations in hybrid format (offline and online) include 84 full papers, 15 abstracts, and 9 posters. All papers presented formed the core of the conference, focusing on the conference theme and providing many opportunities for discussion, ultimately leading to a sustainable environment and energy. Distinguished plenary speakers from five leading experts presented their outstanding research achievements in various areas of Environment and Sustainable Energy. This public lecture was held on the morning of the first day after the opening ceremony. Presentations cover a wide range of conference topics, from disaster management to new materials for energy. The keynote speeches and progress reports on their research build bridges between different subject areas in energy, climate change, economics, and urban development, and provide insight into new areas for non-experts. In addition to the main conference, awards have been given for the best paper, best presenter, and best poster.Papers for this conference have been selected following a rigorous peer review process. All papers were all reviewed by international and national peer reviewers, and a minimum of three reviewers were required to review each full paper. On this occasion, we would like to thank the organizing committee, authors, reviewers, and volunteers for their professionalism, and for always working hard to make the conference a success. Contributions and presentations also make this event a very exciting forum, adding value to learning, discussion and exchange of ideas, and to all speakers and authors meeting and interacting with old and new people from different countries. We would also like to express our sincerest gratitude to our sponsors: PT. Putra Perkasa Abadi for making this conference so worthwhile. We hope that future CONSER conferences will be as exciting as the last one, where the evidence of contribution shown through these proceedings is very promising.List of Wayan Suparta, Proceeding Editor, Member of Editor, Technical Programme Committee are available in this Pdf.

BOX38, a DNA Marker for Selection of Essential Oil Yield of Rosa × rugosa

Rosa rugosa L. was a famous aromatic plant whose cultivars (Rosa × rugosa) have been widely used in the perfume industry in Asia. The perfume market looks for rose cultivars bearing higher essential oil, while the oil yields of most R. × rugosa have not been evaluated due to limiting conditions, such as insufficient cultivation areas. Here, we tested the yield and the aroma components of essential oil of 19 R. × rugosa. The results indicated that the yields of nerol, citronellol, and geraniol could represent an alternative index of the total yield of essential oil. Sequence syntenic analysis indicated that the Rosa genus specific cis-element Box38 was highly polymorphic. The Box38 region isolation of Rosa × rugosa by flanked primers proved that Box38 repeat number was significantly positively correlated with the essential oil yield of the corresponding cultivar. In the breeding of Rosa × rugosa, six-Box38-repeat could be a robust threshold for selection of high-essential-oil roses. Together, we found that Box38 was a DNA marker for essential oil yield and that it would be helpful in the early selection and breeding of essential oil roses.

Industry costs of equity: Evidence from frontier markets

Frontier markets are considered a good destination for international diversification due to their low level of integration with global markets. However, a diversification strategy into frontier markets with respect to country factors does not optimally capture their full diversification potential. Enhancing this strategy by simultaneously incorporating industry factors improves the ability to diversify portfolio risk. We investigate the industry costs of equity in frontier markets using five asset pricing models, taking into account the differences in five regions of frontier markets, namely, Africa, Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Latin America and Caribbean, and Asia. Additionally, we examine how well the explanatory factors of developed and emerging markets can explain industry returns in frontier markets. Our results precisely identified two industries in Africa, and two industries in Eastern Europe that exhibit segmentation from developed markets, and two industries in Africa and one industry in Asia show segmentation from emerging markets. However, we document the limited temporal variation in four regions of frontier markets indicating more precise estimates than US, UK, and European ones. Unlike previous studies, our findings show that the time-varying slopes in frontier markets follow a random-walk process.