Suchergebnisse

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to propose a novel framework to measure ease of doing business (EDB) that undertakes a holistic approach incorporating three distinct environments: attractiveness to investors, business friendliness, and competitive policies (ABC). This is offered as an alternative to existing popular indicators of doing business (DB), allowing for better approximation of investment and economic growth at the sub-national level.Design/methodology/approachThe proposed "EDB Index ABC" aggregates 74 indicators into five sub-environments, three environments, and ultimately into the overall EDB Index ABC. Values are standardised using the standardised score method. The framework is applied to 33 Indonesian provinces using a combination of primary data from surveying the business community and government departments as well as secondary data from formal government statistics.FindingsThe findings suggest a positive association between the proposed EDB Index ABC and competitiveness as well as investments into Indonesian provinces. In terms of explanatory power, attractiveness to investors and business friendliness seem to be stronger and more consistent, while the role of competitive policies is more ambiguous.Originality/valueThis research departs significantly from conventional approaches to the study of DB that tend to overwhelmingly focus on formal regulatory aspects by including macroeconomic factors such as market potential and infrastructure resilience as well as micro-level variables such as profitability and cost effectiveness, and the role of government in managing competition. Responding to calls for a bottom-up approach in understanding the EDB, the EDB Index ABC is applied to 33 Indonesian provinces.

The travel and tourism industry has been growing in importance for several developing countries. It has not only generated considerable foreign exchange revenues but has also contributed to the overall output and socio-economic development of these countries. Within the Asia and Pacific region, data for 2014 indicates that Malaysia was ranked very highly at no. 26 out of the 184 countries in the world in terms of the relative importance of the contribution of the travel and tourism industry to its national output. In this light, this paper aims to undertake an empirical examination of the factors driving international tourist arrivals into Malaysia. The paper attempts to identify the causal determinants of the growth of the travel and tourism industry, using quarterly data from 2000 to 2012, under a Geweke causality framework. The empirical results suggest Malaysia's government expenditures on tourism promotion as well as infrastructure investments such as enhancing airport facilities are causal and significant determinants of growth in the travel and tourism industry.

Purpose
– This paper aims to provide an up-to-date analysis of the productivity in the agricultural sector within the states and union territories of India. Despite agriculture's diminishing role as a share of overall gross domestic product (GDP) in India, it plays a crucial role by providing a large proportion of jobs to the workforce. Recognising agriculture's central role in the economy as well as the significant diversity between the states in terms of resources, this paper estimates the total factor productivity (TFP) for Indian crops at the state level from 2000 to 2010 using both the growth accounting and the Malmquist Index Data Envelopment Analysis methodologies. The results highlight the possibility of increasing production with existing technologies by focusing on efficient resource deployment and enhanced management techniques.


Design/methodology/approach
– The paper utilizes both growth accounting and the Malmquist Index Data Envelopment Analysis methodologies to estimate the growth of TFP at the regional level at the sub-national level (for states and union territories).


Findings
– The results highlight the wide variations in the performance of states with respect to growth in TFP for the period 2000-2010. At the regional level, the Western region experienced the largest TFP growth, while the Eastern region experienced the lowest. At the state level, Gujarat registered the highest TFP growth, while Bihar emerged as a laggard with the lowest growth in TFP.


Practical implications
– The results highlight the possibility of increasing production with existing technologies by focusing on efficient resource deployment and enhanced management techniques.


Originality/value
– Although most of the existing literature focuses on national level analysis for India, this paper provides an up-to-date analysis of the productivity in the agricultural sector within the states and union territories of India. Correspondingly, the results are more applicable for these sub-national economies and offer more relevant policy implications.

Over the last two decades the fiscal positions of many advanced economies have deteriorated significantly, leading to ever-growing levels of public debt and mounting concerns about debt sustainability. Fiscal positions are set to weaken further on account of the worsening demographics which are likely to place upward pressure on public social expenditures. This book examines key issues and policy concerns relating to fiscal sustainability and competitiveness in European and Asian economies. In addition to estimating the extent of fiscal capacity or lack thereof for these economies, this book supplements the empirical analysis with country case studies.

Among the economies in the Eastern coastal area of mainland China, Jiangsu has stood out in terms of its rapid and sustained economic growth since 2000. The province has done exceptionally well in terms of competitiveness indicators, catching up quickly with the leading Greater China economy of Taiwan. Such convergence has triggered much academic and policy interest in terms of understanding the driving factors that have enabled Jiangsu to catch up with Taiwan. In this context, this paper empirically analyzes the factors that have caused the convergence between the two economies from 2000 to 2011 by employing Geweke Causality analysis. By decomposing and examining the linear feedback between economic growth and vectors of variables capturing investments in infrastructure, human capital, science, technology and innovation activities, this paper confirms the important role played by those factors in the convergence between Jiangsu and Taiwan in recent years.

Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam (CLV) have come to be recognized as the new growth frontiers in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) bloc, especially since the 2000s. Though all the CLV countries were hit by the global financial crisis (GFC), there has been a sharp recovery in all the economies from around 2010 or so, partly aided by the rapid development of their financial sector. While this has formed the basis for optimism about the growth potential of these countries, there have also been concerns that these countries have been experiencing a period of excessive credit growth – an offshoot of rapid financial deepening – which in turn is hampering growth and aggravating financial instability. In light of this discussion, this paper examines the nexus between financial deepening and economic growth employing a Geweke causality framework with quarterly data for CLV countries from 1996 to 2010.

"This is the only annual study of Indonesia's sub-national competitiveness landscape of 34 Indonesian provinces that is conducted impartially and aimed towards Indonesian policymakers as well as the international audience. With 103 indicators covering four environments and 12 sub-environments of competitiveness, the study's unique methodology incorporates comparative strengths and weaknesses, and "what-if" policy simulations aimed at policy suggestions for each province. This edition also features a new structure and graphical presentation that offer investors an overview of each province's competitiveness landscape."--Publisher's website

"This book is a world-class report by the Asia Competitiveness Institute, updated annually to analyse Indonesia's competitiveness at the provincial level. With 104 indicators covering four environments, the study's unique methodology incorporates comparative strengths and weaknesses. Apart from scores and rankings, what-if policy simulations offer various provinces practical prescriptions to improve overall competitiveness to accelerate economic growth and development in a balanced, fair and sustainable way. Such qualitative and quantitative analyses in collaboration with various stakeholders generate an exciting pathway for Indonesia to attain its rightful place in both the Asian region and global contexts."--

"This book is an update of the annual flagship study by the Asia Competitiveness Institute at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore, that dissects Indonesia's sub-national competitiveness at both the provincial level (covering 34 provinces) and the regional level (covering six major island groups). Based on a rich dataset of 100 indicators, the study covers four environments of competitiveness: (1) Macroeconomic Stability, (2) Government and Institutional Setting, (3) Financial, Businesses, and Manpower Conditions, and (4) Quality of Life and Infrastructure Development. It also presents each province and region's comparative strengths and weaknesses, and conducts "what-if" policy simulations to propose policy suggestions. Aside from exploring competitiveness, the book also features empirical research on the determinants of growth slowdown in Indonesian provinces and its impact on policy implications. It also features the inaugural Ease of Doing Business Index on Attractiveness to Investors, Business Friendliness and Competitive Policies (EDB Index ABC) for Indonesian provinces. Coupled with practical insights and policy implications, this book is a recommended read for policymakers, researchers, and the general audience interested in Indonesia's economic development"--