Suchergebnisse

The Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Bill Singapore is set to introduce should be viewed as a first step in developing a suitable approach towards countering the threat of disinformation online. To ensure Singapore develops sufficient resilience, additional details and refinements are needed.

The recent major data security breaches reported in Singapore's public sector over the period of April 2018 to March 2019 may have exposed the "soft underbelly" of Singapore's national security. Whilst a force multiplier, technology should not eclipse the human factor in cyber security.

In October 2018, The Asia Foundation, in collaboration with the Sant Maral Foundation (SMF), conducted its ninth installment of the Study of Private Sector Perceptions of Corruption (STOPP) Survey in Mongolia, a survey of businesses based in the capital city, Ulaanbaatar. The survey is an integral part of the Strengthening Democratic Participation and Transparency in the Public Sector in Mongolia (STEPS) project, funded by Global Affairs Canada and implemented by The Asia Foundation. STOPP attempts to show, based on the perceptions of the business community, how the business community is being affected by corruption. It captures information on the business environment and opportunities for reforms both within the private and public sectors, as well as between them when they conduct business together.

Technological breakthroughs and the interplay of a number of fields, including robotics, artificial intelligence, nanotechnology, neurotech, data analytics, blockchain, cloud technology, quantum computing, biotechnology, Internet of Things, virtual and augmented reality, and 3D printing, have ushered in the Fourth Industrial Revolution (FIRe). Three previous industrial revolutions have given mankind steam power, electricity, and electronics, respectively. The FIRe is expected to create a smarter, more connected world, which will affect all disciplines, economies, and industries, as well as challenge ideas about what it means to be human with the "fusion of technologies that is blurring the lines between the physical, digital, and biological spheres" (Schwab 2016). One of the biggest concerns foreseen in the era of technological advances is the impact of FiRE on employment as job automation may replace, complement, or completely make human labor obsolete and consequently increase inequalities. While estimates differ, what is clear is that new technologies are able to perform increasingly sophisticated functions.

Thailand's 2017 constitution introduced a poorly understood innovation into the country's politics and governance. Drafted under the auspices of the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) junta that seized power in Bangkok in May 2014, the charter refers in its preamble to a "national strategy" (yutthasat chat). Various of its sections specify that the goal of this strategy is "sustainable development of the country in accordance with the principles of good governance", that the strategy will serve as a framework for other plans consistent with that goal, and that draft government budgets must demonstrate alignment with the strategy. Further, new governments' policy statements must accord with the strategy, and the Senate is to monitor compliance with it. By means of royal decree signed by NCPO head and Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-ocha and issued on 8 October 2018, the Bangkok government unveiled the twenty-year National Strategy, covering 2018-2037, five days later. The decree repeated the language in the constitution concerning the purpose of the strategy. The 72-page text of the strategy was appended to the decree.

The Economic Policy Monitor (EPM) is an annual publication of the Philippine Institute for Development Studies. The 2016–2017 issue highlights the Philippines' proposed shift to a federal system of government.

Opinion polls and ground feedback show contrasting readings of who is more likely to emerge victorious in this week's presidential election. Whoever wins must win decisively to avoid a problem of legitimacy.

Myanmar faces major challenges to achieving inclusive economic growth throughout the country. In the past decade, the government of Myanmar has undertaken a number of important economic reforms to liberalize the economy and spark new economic growth. Fundamental changes in investment promotion, monetary policy, and other areas have helped lay the groundwork for new economic activity. The resulting economic growth, however, has failed to reach all corners of the country. In many states and regions, poverty rates remain high, and inadequate employment opportunities prevent widespread economic improvement. As Myanmar's Southeast Asian neighbors have demonstrated, addressing these problems requires government measures to ensure that local business and environment improve and that a robust and dynamic private sector is able to flourish in all of Myanmar's states and regions.

Nepal suffered a devastating earthquake in 2015, promulgated a new Constitution the same year, and conducted national and subnational elections in 2017. These were politically, economically, and socially eventful three years for Nepal. In 2018, with a government of sizable majority coming to power and provincial and local governments gradually settling down, Nepalis finally have the opportunity to leave behind two decades of instability and conflict. In this context, A Survey of the Nepali People in 2018 (based on a nationally representative sample of 7,056) and its previous edition of 2017 were designed to fathom the current political mood, the impact of political transition on social relations and the economy, changes in the status of access to justice under the system of governance, the broader functioning of a newly restructured state, the prospects of Nepali economy, the state of service delivery mechanisms, and access to social and financial services. The array of questions is designed to draw policy-relevant information as much as possible.

ASEAN Vision 2040 is a vision of an ASEAN that steps boldly forward towards the year 2040 to transform the ASEAN Community and secure its position in the region and globally. The final report of ASEAN Vision 2040 would have been impossible without the support of 60 experts and specialists in the region (see Appendix). On behalf of the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA), I would like to thank the experts for sharing their perspectives during the various workshops, round table discussions, and ultimately through their insightful papers.

ASEAN Vision 2040 is a vision of an ASEAN that steps boldly forward towards the year 2040 to transform the ASEAN Community and secure its position in the region and globally. The final report of ASEAN Vision 2040 would have been impossible without the support of 60 experts and specialists in the region (see Appendix). On behalf of the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA), I would like to thank the experts for sharing their perspectives during the various workshops, round table discussions, and ultimately through their insightful papers.

America's recent shift from "active defence" to "defending forward" in cyberspace has left some observers nervous. As the attack surface of the Internet rapidly expands, however, a strategy focused solely on defence will do little to incentivise adherence to international security norms. China is particularly vulnerable in the space known as the "Internet of Things," creating an opportunity to balance the use of carrots with sharper sticks.

How far has ASEAN come in its cyber journey? What is the likelihood that it can begin to speak with one voice on cyber issues and what needs to be done before some coherence in an ASEAN approach to the norms debate can be expected?

The debate over ethics and norms building in artificial intelligence (AI) is gaining momentum in the US government and tech industry. Yet, while these institutions understand the need for ethics in AI, a myriad of barriers impede their ability to construct and execute on their ethical frameworks.

Innovation has attracted much attention among firms as well as researchers. First, firms allocate a huge amount of funds to R&D expenditure for their innovation in products and production processes because firms' long-run growth depends on innovation. Second, researchers have investigated diverse factors affecting firms' innovation in order to answer fundamental questions on sustainable innovation. As Schumpeter suggests in his seminal work, Capitalism, Socialism, and Democracy (1950), firm size plays an important role in firms' innovation. For example, large firms can easily realize innovation because they are more likely to possess many useful resources such as more skilled scientists and high-quality equipment than small firms. In this regard, mergers and acquisitions (M&As) have been used as one of the most preferable strategies for firm growth through innovation.