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on Central and Western Asia |
| By: | Arpita Mukherjee |
| Abstract: | India’s opportunities and constraints to trade in energy services within the GATS framework are examined. The study found that India has the capability of exporting high-skilled manpower at competitive prices but is facing various market access, discriminatory and regulatory barriers in markets of export interest. [WP No. 231]. |
| Keywords: | high skilled man power, markets, export barriers, energy services, prices, trade, India, energy, oil, coal, GATS, production, construction |
| Date: | 2009 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ess:wpaper:id:1873&r=cwa |
| By: | Alex Izurieta; Ajit Singh |
| Abstract: | A major political and policy issue today is whether globalisation and rapid economic growth in India and China would have an adverse affect on labour markets in the U.S. and other advanced countries. Some leading economists have argued that even though the recent integration of India and China with the liberalised global economy has not so far had a serious negative impact on wages and employment in advanced countries, it is most likely to do so in the future in view of the growing technological and scientific capabilities in the two developing countries. This is also because it is suggested that this integration represents a sudden doubling of the world labour force without a concomitant increase in capital. The present paper argues against this plausible thesis, essentially on two grounds: (a) it does not take into account the demand side effects of fast growth in India and China; and (b) it abstracts from the dynamism of the U.S. real economy and its innovative large corporations. However, simulations of different scenarios on the CAM world econometric model indicate that at a disaggregated level there are severe supply side constraints on energy, raw materials and food which thwart the expansionary demand side effects of fast growth in India and China. |
| Keywords: | Globalisation; China and India; Simulation; U.S. Workers; Economic integration |
| JEL: | J20 J21 F01 |
| Date: | 2008–12 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cbr:cbrwps:wp378&r=cwa |
| By: | Suma Athreye; Sandeep Kapur (School of Economics, Mathematics & Statistics, Birkbeck) |
| Abstract: | The last two decades have seen significant internationalization of firms from developing economies, in terms of their greater participation in international trade, growing outflows of foreign direct investment (FDI), and a recent surge in their cross-border mergers and acquisition activity. Outward investment from developing countries is not a new phenomenon but in recent years there has been a marked increase in the magnitude of flows and a qualitative transformation in their pattern. Within this broad trend, the growing internationalization of firms from two fastgrowing developing countries, China and India, is particularly notable. Exports have been a central feature of the growth of the Chinese economy over the last three decades and, more recently, they have made a visible contribution to Indian growth too. Outward FDI from China and India has grown rapidly in recent years, and firms from these two countries are increasingly involved in overseas mergers and acquisitions. |
| Date: | 2009–01 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:bbk:bbkefp:0904&r=cwa |
| By: | Vadlamannati, Krishna Chaitanya |
| Abstract: | The paper uses unique aggregate industry-level dataset at subnational level from India to measure the effects of foreign investments on the productivity of domestic firms. Using pooled regression analysis with fixed effects for the period 2002 – 2005, we find that: (a) foreign investments have significant positive effect on productivity of domestic firms. However, the coefficient values of FDI are smaller, suggesting that the positive effects are marginal. (b) When FDI inflows are controlled for in the cross-section productivity regression, the relationship between the share of foreign technical collaborations and productivity of domestic firms increases significantly. This supports the argument that foreign technical collaborations increase productivity in part through its effect on the FDI inflows. (c) Another interesting finding is that there is no strong evidence to show that this positive effect is state-heterogeneous. In turn, we find partial effects of FDI are marginally higher in non-industrial states. Thus, we suggest that domestic firms can reap rich dividends if the FDI inflows are evenly distributed across the regions, particularly concentrating the efforts on attracting FDI into non-industrial states. |
| Keywords: | FDI; Productivity; India |
| JEL: | O1 O4 |
| Date: | 2009–03–03 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:13851&r=cwa |
| By: | Kamil Yilmaz (Koc University); Umit Izmen |
| Abstract: | This paper analyzes the changes in the structure of trade as well as the developments in the capital account of Turkey since mid-1990s and discusses the possible composition of trade flows and Turkey’s attractiveness for international capital inflows in the near future. Analysis of the long-term performance of Turkish exports and imports reveals that the efforts to increase exports were successful only to a certain degree. The country’s large trade deficit with the rest of the world accumulates over time and frequently ends up with a crisis which automatically reduces the trade deficit by reducing the imports. Since 2001 the transformation of exports from the low-tech products to medium-tech and to a certain degree high-tech products has taken place. While this transformation helped bring the trade deficit with the EU down, it contributed to the widening of trade deficit vis-à-vis the Asian countries and oil exporters. The initiation of the EU accession talks in 2005 invigorated the expectations for a more rapid and consistent implementation of the rules and regulations that ensure a level playing field for all companies, domestic and foreign, alike. The EU accession process enabled Turkey to attract record levels of FDI inflows. Almost all of the FDI inflows over the last four years have been composed of mergers and acquisitions, and directed mostly to service sectors and the real estate. From a longer term growth perspective Turkey needs to attract greenfield investments, especially in the manufacturing industries. In order to put Turkey in international producers’ networks the current investment environment should further be improved by the implementation of long-delayed microeconomic structural reforms as well as judicial and legal reforms. |
| Keywords: | Turkey, European Union, Foreign Trade, Current Account, Capital Account |
| JEL: | F4 F14 |
| Date: | 2009–03 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:koc:wpaper:0902&r=cwa |
| By: | Sayýn San (Department of Economics, Yildiz Technical University) |
| Abstract: | The aim of this study is to make preliminary exercise with determining structural differences between formal and informal workers to the context of social state. Household Budget Survey Micro data of Turkish Statistical Institute is used to determine structural differences of formal/informal workers in the study. Average wages of informal workers are less two folds than formal workers. It is observed that informal workers consist of young and less educated people. There are two main reasons stimulated informal works in Turkey: rural people and internal migration. It must be focused on main problems oriented social politics as a result of the study. |
| Keywords: | Informal employment, Informal workers, Social Politics |
| JEL: | J21 R21 R58 |
| Date: | 2008–12 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:yil:wpaper:0001&r=cwa |
| By: | Rogers, F. Halsey; Vegas, Emiliana |
| Abstract: | Expanding and improving basic education in developing countries requires, at a minimum, teachers who are present in the classroom and motivated to teach, but this essential input is often missing. This paper describes the findings of a series of recent World Bank and other studies on teacher absence and incentives for performance. Surprise school visits reveal that teachers are absent at high rates in countries such as India, Indonesia, Uganda, Ecuador, and Zambia, reducing the quality of schooling for children, especially in rural, remote, and poor areas. More broadly, poor teacher management and low levels of teacher accountability afflict many developing-country education systems. The paper presents evidence on these shortcomings, but also on the types of incentives, management, and support structures that can improve motivation and performance and reduce avoidable absenteeism. It concludes with policy options for developing countries to explore as they work to meet Education for All goals and improve quality. |
| Keywords: | Tertiary Education,Primary Education,Education For All,Teaching and Learning,Secondary Education |
| Date: | 2009–02–01 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wbk:wbrwps:4847&r=cwa |
| By: | Das Gupta, Monica; Chung, Woojin; Shuzhuo, Li |
| Abstract: | The apparently inexorable rise in the proportion of"missing girls"in much of East and South Asia has attracted much attention amongst researchers and policy-makers. An encouraging trend was suggested by the case of South Korea, where child sex ratios were the highest in Asia but peaked in the mid-1990s and normalized thereafter. Using census data, we examine whether similar trends have begun to manifest themselves in the two large populous countries of this region, China and India. The data indicate that child sex ratios are peaking in these countries, and in many sub-national regions are beginning to trend towards less masculinization. This suggests that, with continuing vigorous efforts to reduce son preference, the"missing girls"phenomenon could be addressed in Asia. |
| Keywords: | Population Policies,Gender and Law,Gender and Health,Adolescent Health,Disease Control&Prevention |
| Date: | 2009–02–01 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wbk:wbrwps:4846&r=cwa |
| By: | Seckin Sunal (Department of Economics, Yildiz Technical University); Elcin Aykac (Department of Economics, Yildiz Technical University) |
| Abstract: | Following the Industrial Revolution, organization and methods of production has dramatically changed and relations of production have become a central issue for the society. As a consequence of large scale production, labor requirement in industry has reached drastic levels and a new and congested working class has emerged. In accordance with this increasing need, male workers have left their position for their female counterparts who are in a short while followed by child workers. Despite its variability in abundance and conditions across countries and periods, child labor is still an overwhelming problem. This phenomenon obviously is underlain by economical factors and conditions. Consequently, its solution would inevitably involve economical precautions as well as legal regulations. When the measures taken since 1990’s have been reviewed, raising the compulsory period of education to 8 years in 1997 is found out to be a successful legal regulation. We have the view that a regional and sectoral approach to the child labour question which is still a serious problem in Turkey would be beneficial. The study, in this context, reviews the child labour question in Turkey through a historical point of view, analyses child employment on a regional basis and suggests policies for the solution of the problem. |
| Keywords: | Labor Force, Child Labor |
| JEL: | K2 J13 J22 J83 |
| Date: | 2009–02 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:yil:wpaper:0005&r=cwa |
| By: | Laurent Gheeraert (Centre Emile Bernheim, Solvay Business School, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels.) |
| Abstract: | Islamic finance is one of the most prominent phenomena over the last decade in the banking industry in the Middle-East and South-East Asia. It has recently spread in non-Muslim countries, such as the UK or the US. Globally, assets on the books of Shariah-compliant commercial banks have exceeded 350 Billion USD in 2005 and grown by an average of 29% annually from 2000. In spite of the substantial size and growth of this segment, the role of Islamic banking in the economy is still heavily debated and very few empirical work is available. This paper studies the impact of Islamic banking on financial sector development. It circumvents the lack of data through a newly-constructed and comprehensive database, “IFIRST”, covering Islamic commercial banks worldwide over the period 2000-2005. This database is, to our knowledge, unique in the industry. After controlling for standard determinants and potential endogeneity, using religion as an instrument, we find strong and significant empirical evidence of a positive role of Islamic banking on countries’ financial sector development, as measured by private credit over GDP. |
| Keywords: | culture, religion, Islamic Finance, financial sector development, growth. |
| Date: | 2008–03 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:sol:wpaper:08-042&r=cwa |