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on South East Asia |
| By: | Grytten, Ola Honningdal (Dept. of Economics, Norwegian School of Economics and Business Administration) |
| Abstract: | During the late decades of the 20th and early decades of the 21th century East Asia experienced significant economic growth. However, the Philippines diverged due to slower growth rates. By establishing new and revised historical series for historical development of GDP in purchasing power parities along with productivity series, the paper concludes that almost lack of total productivity growth caused the bad performance of the Philippines. The reason for the inferior development seem to be dysfunctional political and managerial systems, with significant corruption and lack of investments in infrastructure. The system made foreign direct investments stay low until the last approximately 15 years, when the Philippine economy started a convergence process. |
| Keywords: | Economic growth; Productivity; foreign direct investments; corruption; Asia; Philippines |
| JEL: | E01 E02 E60 N15 N45 |
| Date: | 2025–08–04 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hhs:nhheco:2025_016 |
| By: | Ulep, Valerie Gilbert T.; Casas, Lyle Daryll D.; Nkoroi, Alice; Talamayan, Jann Trizia; Conjares, Ma. Norma Thea Madeline; San Valentin, Carleneth |
| Abstract: | In the Philippines, children continue to face challenges in accessing healthy, sustainable, and diverse diets that provide sufficient nutrients for growth and development. This is especially critical given the importance of early developmental stages. The overall structure and functioning of the food system shape children’s diets. Failures in the food system contribute to the triple burden of malnutrition in the country, with children from poorer households particularly vulnerable to undernutrition, micronutrient deficiencies, overweight, and obesity. Using available secondary data, this paper examines the complex interplay between the food system—encompassing the food supply chain, food environment, and individual-level factors—and its impact on children’s diets. Understanding these dynamics is crucial for designing effective interventions to enhance dietary diversity and improve nutrition outcomes. Findings indicate that despite decades of targeted interventions and increased food availability, the Philippine food system remains unable to consistently deliver safe, nutritious, and affordable diets to all. As a result, 48.1 million people cannot afford a healthy diet. Addressing the root causes of limited access and availability is key to breaking the cycle of poverty and malnutrition. Building a resilient, equitable food system requires coordinated action to strengthen food supply chains, food environments, and nutrition behaviors and practices. These efforts are essential for improving child nutrition and ensuring a healthier future generation. Comments to this paper are welcome within 60 days from the date of posting. Email publications@mail.pids.gov.ph. |
| Keywords: | food systems;food supply chain;food environment;child nutrition;Philippines |
| Date: | 2025 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:phd:dpaper:dp_2025-18 |
| By: | Yohan Iddawela; Neil Lee; Zhiwu Wei |
| Abstract: | Mobile internet has become a fundamental component of modern infrastructure. In this paper, we consider the impact of mobile internet connectivity on household wealth in the Philippines. We construct a granular measure of local mobile internet connectivity using comprehensive information on approximately 0.27 million geocoded cell towers, and identify causal impact through a novel instrumental variable based on proximity to submarine cable landing points. Our results suggest that mobile internet connectivity significantly increases household wealth, with effects that persist across education levels and are more pronounced in urban areas compared to rural ones. Combining individual survey datasets with Points-of-Interest data, we investigate mechanisms and demonstrate that improved connectivity stimulates activities in several key economic sectors that create employment opportunities. Additionally, mobile internet connectivity enhances individual educational outcomes and promotes female labor force participation, though predominantly in occasional or seasonal roles. |
| Keywords: | employment, mobile internet, cell tower, wealth inequality, Philippines |
| Date: | 2025–07–23 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cep:cepdps:dp2114 |
| By: | Peter Chai (Kai Shibata) (Graduate School of Political Science, Waseda University) |
| Abstract: | In this study, I use the latest three waves of the Asian Barometer survey to investigate the relationships between a set of demographic indicators including (1) age (2) education (3) income (4) urbanization relevant for the postmaterialist thesis and attitudes toward family structure and gender roles represented by four question items in the traditionalism section which focus on (1) putting family interests first (2) obeying parents’ orders (3) wives obeying mothers-in-law (4) preferring boy than girl babies in Mainland China. This study employs a two-step approach conducting both separate regressions for each wave and an aggregated regression with all the waves combined. Descriptive statistics show that there is no decreasing trend in the traditional attitudes toward family and gender across the three waves. Separate regression results show that in general age and education perform more consistently than income and urbanization. Large inconsistencies exist in how the demographic variables perform across question items and waves and between the separate and aggregate regressions. The demographic variables perform more consistently in the aggregated regression than the separate regressions. The unclear longitudinal trends and inconsistencies in the regression results suggest that the “socialization” and “scarcity hypotheses” do not work so well, and the “Asian uniqueness” argument is relevant in the context of Mainland China, a “natural laboratory” with large demographic variations and a “Confucian” background. To elaborate more on the implications of “Confucianism, ” other societies in the Greater China area and East Asia can be compared, and to improve sample quality, provide qualitative explanations, and distinguish and address gender topics on different levels, other methods using domestic surveys, survey experiments, text analysis, interviews, and fieldwork can be incorporated. |
| Keywords: | Family Structure, Gender Roles, Asian Barometer, Mainland China |
| Date: | 2025–07 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wap:wpaper:2518 |
| By: | Aisyah Putri Mayangsari; Ana Rosidha Tamyis; Arjuni Rahmi Barasa; Lia Amelia |
| Keywords: | COVID-19, komunikasi kesehatan masyarakat, vaksinasi, kolaborasi, respons pandemi |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:agg:wpaper:4301 |
| By: | Reich, Charlotte; Bae, Dongjin; Mußhoff, Oliver; Bruns, Selina J. K. |
| Abstract: | Transformation of the food system is critical in the face of growing challenges such as climate change. Smallholder farmers in the Global South are particularly vulnerable to these challenges, often living in poverty. One potential pathway to increasing their resilience and income is through price premiums and consistent buy-offs from supermarkets. However, supermarkets rarely source from domestic smallholder farmers due to unstable production and a lack of guarantee of complying with food safety standards. An instrument to overcome these shortcomings are certification schemes. However, for a farmer to invest in or for a policy to subsidize certification, it is central to understand if there is a consumer group that will respond to it. Thus, our objective is to investigate whether urban consumers in a low-income country setting are willing to pay a premium for certified food. We specifically focus on Cambodia and the newly established Cambodian Good Agricultural Practice (CamGAP) certification, which promotes food safety. This research seeks to understand whether the willingness to pay (WTP) of consumers can support the entry of small farmers into the supermarket supply chain. In markets where food safety is an emerging concern but clear signals are lacking, a key question is whether certification can override existing heuristics consumers currently use to identify safe food. We used a quantitative questionnaire and a discrete choice experiment (DCE) with middle to high income urban shoppers to assess their WTP for CamGAP certified food. We also conducted an information treatment as part of the DCE by showing a short video to a randomly selected treatment group to examine the impact of consumer knowledge on purchasing decisions. Our results show that consumers' WTP is higher for certified food, with an even stronger WTP after receiving the information treatment. Notably, consumers were also more willing to pay for domestic fresh food after the treatment. Our study provides first evidence for governments and international agencies that certification can support smallholder farmers in accessing supermarkets, even in countries where food safety certifications are just entering the market. |
| Keywords: | Smallholder Farmers, Discrete Choice Experiment, Willingness to Pay, Market Integration |
| Date: | 2025 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:zbw:daredp:323233 |
| By: | Eric A. Hanushek; Le Kang; Xueying Li; Lei Zhang |
| Abstract: | The changing pattern of quality in China’s rural schools across time and province is extracted from the differential labor market earnings of rural migrant workers. Variations in rates of return to years of schooling across migrant workers working in the same urban labor market but having different sites of basic education provide for direct estimation of provincial school quality. Corroborating this approach, these school quality estimates prove to be highly correlated with provincial cognitive skill test scores for the same demographic group. Returns to quality increase with economic development level of destination cities. Importantly, quality appears higher and provincial variation appears lower for younger cohorts, indicating at least partial effectiveness of more recent policies aimed at improving rural school quality across provinces. Surprisingly, however, provincial variations in quality are uncorrelated with teacher-student ratio or per student spending. |
| JEL: | H40 I26 J69 O15 R11 |
| Date: | 2025–07 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:nbr:nberwo:34005 |
| By: | Sha Jiang (Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany); Haili Liang; Diego Alburez-Gutierrez (Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany); Emilio Zagheni (Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany) |
| Abstract: | Objective: Population aging and shrinking family structures in China are placing unprecedented strain on traditional family-based systems of old-age support. This study develops and applies a capital-based caregiving framework that integrates human capital with the structural dimension of social capital (i.e., kinship networks) to assess the caregiving dynamics within families. We provide the first long-term projection of family caregiving dynamics in China, modeling how rising education--by improving health--can simultaneously enhance caregiving capacity and moderate care needs amid declining kin availability. Methods: We used formal demographic kinship models to project the number and age composition of a broad range of kin for older adults in China from 1950 to 2100, capturing kinship structure as the structural dimension of social capital. Educational attainment and education-specific health gradients were then integrated to model the human capital of each kin member. These dimensions were synthesized into novel health-adjusted kin-dependency ratios to assess caregiving dynamics over time. Results: We find that while the number of working-age kin declines substantially across cohorts, rising education and health among both working-age and older kin enhance caregiving capacity and reduce care needs. Under a rapid educational expansion scenario, the health-adjusted kin-dependency ratio is projected to be approximately 10% lower by 2100 compared to a stalled education scenario, indicating a substantial buffering effect of human capital on aggregate caregiving burdens. Conclusions: Human capital investment, particularly in education, serve as a powerful, though partial, demographic buffer against the family caregiving challenges posed by population aging and shrinking family size. These findings demonstrate that overlooking the human capital composition of kin leads to overly pessimistic assessments of family caregiving capacity. The capital-based framework developed here offers a new perspective for integrating demographic and resource-based approaches to family support, with implications for aging societies beyond China. |
| Keywords: | China |
| JEL: | J1 Z0 |
| Date: | 2025 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:dem:wpaper:wp-2025-021 |
| By: | Takahiro Akita; Avadhesh Kumar Shukla (IUJ Research Institute, International University of Japan) |
| Abstract: | Nepal has made significant progress in reducing inequality in economic well-being. Meanwhile education has expanded substantially. This study analyzes the role of educational expansion in reducing expenditure inequality using data from the three rounds of the Nepal Living Standards Survey. It conducts a two-stage hierarchical inequality decomposition analysis by location and education. The expansion of basic education in rural areas contributed significantly to reducing overall inequality. The government should further promote basic education, while improving its quality and enhancing the socio-economic status of households. The government should also develop socio-economic infrastructure and establish efficient transportation networks throughout the country. |
| Keywords: | educational expansion, expenditure inequality, Nepal, urban-rural dimensions, two-stage inequality decomposition by location and education |
| JEL: | I24 I25 O15 O18 |
| Date: | 2025–07 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:iuj:wpaper:ems_2025_04 |
| By: | Sapovadia, Vrajlal |
| Abstract: | This research paper explores the intricate demand and supply dynamics within the Indian maritime industry, with a particular focus on the impact of various economic factors on shipping demand. The global economy, commodity trades, average haul distances, and local economic indicators significantly influence the volume and nature of cargo transported by sea. India, with its extensive coastline and burgeoning economy, relies heavily on its maritime sector for international trade and domestic logistics. This study will analyze how macroeconomic trends, government policies, infrastructure development, and technological advancements shape the demand for shipping services in India. It will also examine the current state of supply, including fleet capacity, port infrastructure, and shipbuilding capabilities, and identify the mismatches that exist. Through a comprehensive literature review, explanation of key terminologies, and a case study, this paper aims to provide actionable insights and recommendations for stakeholders to foster sustainable growth and enhance the competitiveness of the Indian maritime industry. |
| Keywords: | Keywords Maritime Industry, India, Shipping Demand, Economic Factors, Supply Dynamics, Port Infrastructure, Trade Volume, Government Policy, Freight Rates, Shipbuilding, Logistics. |
| JEL: | A1 A2 |
| Date: | 2025–07–08 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:125267 |
| By: | Heng-fu Zou |
| Abstract: | This paper develops a unified theoretical and historical framework to explain the cyclical structure of political purging and institutional collapse in totalitarian regimes, with a focus on the Chinese Communist Party(CCP) from 1942 to the present. We introduce three formal models: a dynamic signaling game with time-inconsistent punishment, a modified epidemic model of political participation and removal, and a quota driven reinterpretation game that captures the regime's shifting definition of guilt. These models reveal a structural logic in which early-stage partic ipation is incentive-compatible but later becomes retroactively incriminating as political needs evolve. Simulations demonstrate how participation spreads rapidly, trust deteriorates, and long-run strategy space collapses under coercive reinterpretation. By mapping these models onto major Chinese political campaigns-from the Yan'an Rectification and the Anti Rightist purge to the Cultural Revolution and Xi Jinping's anti-corruption drive -- we show that totalitarian governance operates through sequential betrayal of compliance. The regime manufactures loyalty, rewards it in the short term, then redefines it as disloyalty to fulfill ideological or factional quotas. This dynamic creates a system where no strategy ensures safety and all signals become vulnerable to reinterpretation. We conclude that this self-consuming logic of incentive collapse is not an aberration but a mathematically demonstrable feature of totalitarianism itself. |
| Keywords: | Chinese Communist Party, totalitarianism, political purges, game theory, incentive compatibility, signaling games, reinterpretation of guilt, quota systems, Cultural Revolution, authoritarian collapse |
| Date: | 2025–05–22 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cuf:wpaper:769 |
| By: | Daisuke TSURUTA |
| Abstract: | We investigate the differences in firm performance between non-defaulting firms and firms that have defaulted on their bank loan, and factors that determine these differences, using small business data. Many previous studies investigate the determinants of loan payment defaults by small businesses. However, few papers investigate small business activities and performance after they default. Using firm-level data from Japan, we show that bank borrowings, return on assets (ROA), and sales growth are all lower after such defaults. These negative effects last approximately 10 years after default if the firm survives, suggesting that the constraints associated with a default have negative effects on firm performance for extended periods. In addition, firms with weak financial statements before the default are unlikely to survive, but those that survive enjoy a high ROA. Next, asset growth, ROA, sales growth, younger management, and the existence of a successor have positive effects on firm survival after a default. These imply that real factors are important for firm survival after a default. Lastly, additional credit and reduction of interest payments have positive effects on sales growth after a default, but negative effects on ROA. This suggests that financial support from banks has a limited effect on the survival of defaulting small businesses. |
| Date: | 2025–07 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:eti:dpaper:25066 |
| By: | Rahman Mohon, Anisur; Yeamin Ahmed, Javed; Sen, Topon |
| Abstract: | This paper undertakes an in-depth exploration of the multifaceted economic and socio-political forces that have catalyzed Bangladesh’s progression from the stagnation and institutional fragility characteristic of its pre-independence and post-conflict phases to its current status as a resilient and steadily advancing South Asian economy. The country's journey from a devastated, least-developed nation to one on the cusp of achieving upper-middle-income status exemplifies a dynamic model of structural transformation. This analytical discourse focuses on macroeconomic restructuring, investment and trade liberalization, innovations in agricultural technologies, and the stabilizing influence of diaspora remittances. From a broader socio-economic lens, the study evaluates pivotal themes such as demographic transitions, educational advancement, public health outcomes, gender equity, and the socio-spatial dynamics of rapid urbanization. Moreover, the research critically interrogates persistent developmental bottlenecks—namely poverty, inequality, ecological vulnerabilities, and institutional inefficiencies—while emphasizing the centrality of digital and technological integration to future progress. Through this comprehensive synthesis, the paper elucidates the strategic policy interventions instrumental in facilitating Bangladesh’s growth trajectory and proposes future pathways for sustaining its momentum. |
| Keywords: | Politics; Policy Innovations; Institutional Quality; Demography; Investment |
| JEL: | A2 B4 E2 E61 G2 |
| Date: | 2025 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:125282 |
| By: | Atsuyuki KATO; Hiroyuki NISHIYAMA |
| Abstract: | This study theoretically and empirically examines the effects of free trade agreements (FTAs) on the supply chains of multinational enterprises (MNEs). Data on Japanese overseas manufacturing affiliates indicate that Japanese MNEs develop their supply chain networks in the local and other countries’ markets instead of trading with parent firms in Japan. We develop a simple firm heterogeneity model and examine its implications to explain this finding and confirm whether FTAs encourage MNEs to construct those networks. Our theoretical model reveals that FTAs affect the sales of domestic and export firms through changes in status. However, our theoretical model cannot confirm if FTAs increase the firms’ sales in the local or other countries’ markets because the signs of exogenous variables such as fixed labor inputs for the activities to follow the rules of the FTAs, tariffs, and the number of FTA member states are ambiguous. Thus, we empirically analyze whether FTAs increase local sales or sales in other countries’ markets. Our results reveal that regional FTAs have positive effects on sales in other countries’ markets, whereas bilateral FTAs do not increase local sales. In addition, we find that FTAs between local governments and large markets have varying effects depending on the conditions of the large markets. Our results indicate that Japanese MNEs develop supply chain networks by effectively utilizing various FTAs. |
| Date: | 2025–07 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:eti:dpaper:25068 |
| By: | Hussinger, Katrin; Palladini, Lorenzo |
| Abstract: | China's special economic zones (SEZs) have been established to foster business growth and innovation by improving the institutional context of specific sub-regional areas. We examine the effect of SEZs on the contribution of research and development (R&D) to the market value of firms located in these areas. The market value reflects investors' expectations of future returns to R&D, providing crucial information for strategic investment decisions. Larger R&D contributions to the market value create stronger incentives for firms to invest in innovation. Empirical results suggest that the contribution of R&D to the market value increases through the SEZs program, particularly for R&D intensive firms. This suggests that regional policies, while increasing incentives to innovate, may widen the gap between less and more R&D intensive firms, potentially impacting competition and long-term growth. |
| Keywords: | Special economic zones (SEZs), China, Market value, R&D, Institutional development, Innovation incentives |
| JEL: | O32 R58 O25 |
| Date: | 2025 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:zbw:zewdip:319898 |
| By: | Takuya Sakaguchi (Graduate School of Economics, Kobe University, JAPAN); Masahiko Shibamoto (Research Institute for Economics and Business Administration and Center for Computational Social Science, Kobe University, JAPAN) |
| Abstract: | Monitoring inflation is an important aspect of policymaking, but understanding the factors that drive inflation remains challenging. In this paper, we construct a cyclically sensitive inflation (CSI) index for Japan and examine its usefulness from several perspectives. Specifically, we investigate (1) the dynamic relationship from financial markets and the real economy to cyclical inflation, (2) how well cyclical inflation can predict future inflation trends, and (3) the effectiveness of the CSI as a real-time indicator of economic slack. Our empirical results show that the CSI can complement headline and core inflation measures and, when used together, help distinguish whether price changes are due to temporary factors or persistent pressures associated with the business cycle. |
| Keywords: | Cyclical inflation; Business cycle; Financial market; Inflation forecast; Japanese economy |
| JEL: | C32 E31 E32 E52 E58 |
| Date: | 2025–07 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:kob:dpaper:dp2025-22 |
| By: | Ridho Al Izzati; Fauzan Kemal Musthofa; Palmira Permata Bachtiar; Asep Suryahadi |
| Keywords: | tenaga kerja, investasi, dampak buruk, pandemi COVID-19, penutupan usaha |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:agg:wpaper:4292 |
| By: | Hiroyuki OIWA |
| Abstract: | This paper quantitatively examines the economic impact of the relative lack of digital investment in Japan as a factor contributing to the productivity gap between Japan and the U.S., which has expanded since the 1990s. Using panel data from 100 industries spanning from 1994 to 2020, the estimated production function confirmed that the marginal effect of software assets on value-added significantly exceeds that of tangible assets. Furthermore, if software assets and intangible assets, which are complementary, were to increase to U.S. levels, approximately half of the productivity gap (38 percentage points) between Japan and the U.S. could be closed. These analytical results suggest the need to shift the focus of policy support from investment in tangible assets to investment in software and intangible assets. Next, this paper estimates the investment function for the determinants of digital investment by eliminating selection bias in control variables using the Post-Double-Selection Lasso method. The analysis reveals that factors such as the quality of workers, software prices, and wages of general workers have statistically significant positive effects on the expansion of digital investment. Improving the levels of each factor by 76% could result in an approximate four-fold increase in the amount of digital investment, raising software assets to the U.S. level. This indicates that supporting the development and recruitment of high-quality workers who can internalize software development, providing support for scaling-up efforts to reduce software prices, and raising wages for workers overall are effective policy measures for enhancing Japan's productivity through digital investment. |
| Date: | 2025–07 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:eti:rdpsjp:25016 |
| By: | Selahattin Imrohoroglu; Daniel Carroll; Sewon Hur; Braden Strackman |
| Abstract: | In this paper, we use an overlapping generations-standard incomplete markets model to quantitatively investigate the long-run implications of Koreas demographic changes and policy reforms. Importantly, our quantitative model endogenizes the retirement decision and matches the elasticity of retirement to wealth. Optimal policy likely combines reforms such as increasing the retirement age, higher taxes, or changes to retirement benefits. We use the model calibrated to Koreas economy and demography as a quantitative laboratory to investigate two policy scenarios: increasing taxes or decreasing benefits. While decreasing benefits leads to great long run activity, it comes at the cost of lower average welfare, particularly for retirees. |
| Date: | 2025–07 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cnn:wpaper:25-017e |
| By: | Dumas, Christelle (University of Fribourg, Switzerland); JÃ tiva, Ximena (UNICEF Innocenti); Baumgartner, Stefanie (University of Fribourg, Switzerland) |
| Abstract: | The number of deaths from antibiotic resistance is steadily rising and has become a global public health issue. Children in low- and middle-income countries are disproportionately affected, as last-line antibiotics are usually unavailable to them. Pollution of riverways due to pharmaceutical products is one driver of resistance. We assess whether this channel con-tributes significantly to infant mortality in India. We show that living downstream of a producer increases the risk of infant mortality by 16% and that antibiotic production explains 17, 000 infant deaths in India per year. This suggests that better monitoring, new regulations, improved production processes, and strategic considerations on the location of antibiotic producers are needed to ensure that production does not induce negative externalities on the local population. |
| Keywords: | Pollution; Health; Antibiotic production; Antibiotic resistance; India |
| JEL: | O15 I15 Q53 |
| Date: | 2025–07–01 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fri:fribow:fribow00543 |
| By: | Koushik Mondal; Balagopal G Menon; Sunil Sahadev |
| Abstract: | The present study considers the rural pharmaceutical retail sector in India, where the arrival of organized retailers and e-retailers is testing the survival strategies of unorganized retailers. Grounded in a field investigation of the Indian pharmaceutical retail sector, this study integrates primary data collection, consumer conjoint analysis and design of experiments to develop an empirically grounded agent-based simulation of multi-channel competition among unorganized, organized and e-pharmaceutical retailers. The results of the conjoint analysis reveal that store attributes of price discount, quality of products offered, variety of assortment, and degree of personalized service, and customer attributes of distance, degree of mobility, and degree of emergency are key determinants of optimal store choice strategies. The primary insight obtained from the agent-based modeling is that the attribute levels of each individual retailer have some effect on other retailers performance. The field-calibrated simulation also evidenced counterintuitive behavior that an increase in unorganized price discounts initially leads to an increase in average footprint at unorganized retailers, but eventually leads to these retailers moving out of the market. Hence, the unorganized retailers should not increase the price discount offered beyond a tipping point or it will be detrimental to them. Another counterintuitive behavior found was that high emergency customers give less importance to variety of assortment than low emergency customers. This study aids in understanding the levers for policy design towards improving the competition dynamics among retail channels in the pharmaceutical retail sector in India. |
| Date: | 2025–07 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:arx:papers:2507.17023 |
| By: | YoungGak KIM; Sadao NAGAOKA |
| Abstract: | Business groups can provide access not only to internal capital markets but also to existing knowledge pools within the group, which can promote innovation. However, there is limited empirical evidence on intra-group knowledge flows that incorporated controls for selection effects. This study analyses the impact of business groups on inter-firm knowledge flows by using Japanese acquisition events that led to the establishment of subsidiaries. Leveraging acquisition events and panel data, we attempt to disentangle the selection effect of target firms acquired by business groups from the treatment effect of being internalized into the group. We combine patent data with detailed information on business group structures from the Basic Survey of Japanese Business Structure and Activities to capture factors influencing knowledge flows, such as the knowledge stocks of parent and acquired firms, their technological proximity, prior joint patent applications, and the post-acquisition governance structures of subsidiaries. Our main findings suggest that acquisitions resulting in the integration of independent firms into business groups tend to increase the level of, and accelerate the speed of, inter-firm knowledge flows. Moreover, this treatment effect is significantly positive for both wholly-owned and partly-owned subsidiaries. |
| Date: | 2025–08 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:eti:rdpsjp:25017 |
| By: | Adrian van Rixtel (BANCO DE ESPAÑA) |
| Abstract: | This paper discusses the challenges the Chinese economy has been facing and assesses the policy measures taken to mitigate them. The analysis starts in September 2024, when Chinese policymakers announced the largest package of stimulus measures in years, reflecting their concerns about the situation of the Chinese economy. This situation is indeed concerning, with a multitude of problems needing to be addressed. Economic growth has been declining, China is in mild deflation which could turn into a deflationary spiral, it has a severe property crisis and a concerning debt situation (with a large fiscal deficit according to IMF estimates). Moreover, the structure of its economy is unbalanced, with very low domestic demand, especially private consumption, and considerable industrial overproduction contributing to deflationary pressures. Furthermore, China has considerable demographic pressures, its banks – especially the smaller ones – have high non-performing loan ratios, partly due to loans to the property sector, and external risks have been growing, in particular those related to import tariffs and other trade restrictions imposed by the United States and the threat of even higher tariffs. The paper discusses in detail the policy measures taken during September-December 2024 by a large number of policy bodies. The Chinese economic policy regime is very complex, with many political, administrative and government organizations involved and with many policy conferences. These, and their policy measures, are all explained carefully. Monetary policy measures adopted by the People’s Bank of China are discussed and assessed in particular. Next, given that several of China’s economic challenges are rather similar to those that Japan faced during its “three lost decades”, an increasingly common question is whether China will be the next Japan, or whether China will face a “Japanification” of its economy. |
| Keywords: | China, economic policy, monetary policy, fiscal policy, economic slowdown, deflation, property crisis, demographics, “japanification” |
| JEL: | E00 E58 E60 E62 |
| Date: | 2025–07 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:bde:opaper:2517e |
| By: | Alex Bryson (University College London); Ryo Kambayashi (Musashi University); Susumu Kuwahara (Reitaku University); Akie Nakamura (Rengo-RIALS); Jacques Wels (Université libre de Bruxelles) |
| Abstract: | Official government estimates show a gradual decline in union density in Japan over several decades akin to that in other countries with decentralized bargaining structures. However, new evidence from various social surveys indicates that union density has been rising in Japan. Using one of these social surveys – the Survey on the Work and Life of Workers (SWLW) – we show union density has risen by 7.3 percentage points to 29.1% in the Japanese private sector between 2011/13 and 2020/24. We decompose the growth in union density since 2011/13 to establish how much of it is attributable to changes in workforce composition. Conditioning on union presence at the workplace, compositional change accounts for 47% of the increase in union density. The remaining 53% is due to within-group change with unions increasing membership across all types of worker including some with traditionally low rates of unionization. However, establishing a union at the workplace remains key since virtually all the growth in union membership (97%) is in unionized workplaces. |
| Keywords: | unionization; union membership; union density; union presence; decomposition; Japan |
| JEL: | J51 |
| Date: | 2025–07 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:crm:wpaper:2529 |
| By: | Sapovadia, Vrajlal |
| Abstract: | This research paper explores the phenomenon of "port de-industrialization" within the contemporary context of rapid advancements in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the escalating impacts of climate change. While many ports globally, including major Indian ports like Paradip and Vadhavan, continue to pursue industrial growth, the confluence of AI-driven automation and climate-induced disruptions necessitates a re-evaluation of traditional port development models. This paper argues that over-industrialization can lead to environmental degradation, infrastructure overload, and regional imbalances, prompting a strategic shift towards de-industrialization in certain port areas. Leveraging insights from strategic management theories, the study examines how ports can proactively adapt to these forces, transforming from heavily industrialized zones to more diversified, technologically advanced, and environmentally sustainable maritime hubs. It analyzes the role of AI in optimizing port operations and facilitating a leaner, more efficient structure, while simultaneously addressing climate change vulnerabilities through adaptive planning. The paper concludes by outlining a framework for strategic management and adaptation, emphasizing the need for flexible governance, stakeholder collaboration, and continuous innovation to navigate the complexities of a de-industrializing port landscape. Study sunsetting strategies for ports no longer viable due to AI trade compression or climate impact. |
| Keywords: | Port De-industrialization, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Climate Change, Strategic Management, Port Adaptation, Sustainable Ports, India. |
| JEL: | A11 G2 |
| Date: | 2025–07–08 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:125231 |
| By: | Qichun He (CEMA, Central University of Finance and Economics) |
| Abstract: | China's environmental pollution casts a shadow on its economic success. Concerning fiscal decentralization, China introduced the rule-based tax assignment systemin 1994. To avoid the structural change in underlying fiscal regimes, we use the provincial panel data during the period 1995-2010. We find that fiscal decentralization has no significant effect on environmental pollution as it is measured per capita emission of wastewater, waste gas or solid waste in system GMM (Generalized method of moments) estimation. Our results are robust when we use different measures of fiscal decentralization. We further find that fiscal decentralization has a significant, positive effect on pollution abatement spending and pollutant discharge fees, which indicates possible mechanisms for fiscal decentralization to help protect the environment |
| Keywords: | Fiscal decentralization, Environmental pollution, Pollution abatement spending, Pollutant discharge fees, Panel data |
| JEL: | H77 Q53 C23 |
| Date: | 2025 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cuf:wpaper:776 |
| By: | Hiroshi Kumanomido (LMU Munich); Yutaro Takayasu (The University of Tokyo) |
| Abstract: | Why can elite families often maintain their social and economic status over multiple generations? We show that adoption can contribute to the persistence of elite status by utilizing a unique historical framework of prewar Japan. However, the preference for adopted heirs may lead to selection bias in the process of choosing heirs, potentially biasing OLS results negatively. To address this selection bias, we use the gender of the firstborn child as an instrument for the adoption decision. We find that having an adopted heir increases the probability of maintaining elite status in the son’s generation by 27% compared to having a biological heir. Furthermore, we show that this result is driven by matching high-quality adopted sons with fathers who were highly successful in their early lives. |
| Keywords: | intergenerational transmission; adoption; succession; family; elite; |
| JEL: | J12 J13 J62 N35 |
| Date: | 2025–07–28 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:rco:dpaper:537 |
| By: | Keisuke KONDO |
| Abstract: | This study utilizes micro-geographic data to examine wage premiums across different residential and employment agglomerations. In the existing literature on economies of density, the distinction between residents and workers is often addressed without a clear differentiation between the two. This oversight hinders the formulation of practical policy recommendations for compact urban planning and industrial location strategies. Amid Japan’s ongoing population decline, certain regions retain the capacity to attract industrial activity despite their waning appeal as residential areas. However, when policy discussions focus exclusively on residential agglomeration, regions with substantial potential to revitalize local industrial clusters may be overlooked. To bridge this gap, the study integrates manufacturing establishment data with regional mesh data on both residents and workers. This study finds that employment concentration, rather than residential concentration within compact geographic areas accounts for wage premiums, thereby highlighting the critical role of spatial locality of employment in shaping industrial location strategies. |
| Date: | 2025–07 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:eti:dpaper:25069 |
| By: | Youngmin Kim (Korea Institute for Industrial Economics and Trade) |
| Abstract: | This paper argues that linking labor supply enhancement to regional investment is an appropriate policy means to promote regional investment.<p> The US state of Georgia has attracted advanced industry and large-scale investment through its Quick Start program, that is essentially a customized workforce supply program for investors and entrepreneurs. Benchmarking Georgia, the Korean government has implemented its own K-Quick Start project, modifying it to local characteristics. It is designed to equalize labor supply and demand in the early stages of regional investment.<p> The policy was found to have had a positive impact on job creation and local economic activity, but failed to attract advanced industries and large-scale investments due to the restrictions on participating firms and training programs centered mostly on field work.<p> This study evaluates the K-Quick Start policy in more detail, and proposes a handful of policy recommendations to maximize its effectiveness. |
| Keywords: | workforce policy; employment policy; regional economics; regional investment; regional development; |
| JEL: | E24 R11 R58 |
| Date: | 2025–05–31 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ris:kieter:021421 |
| By: | Yoshiyuki ARATA; Hiroshi YOSHIKAWA; Shingo OKAMOTO |
| Abstract: | The fact that the distributions of firm sales and individual incomes have a Pareto tail is one of the important statistical regularities, and numerous theoretical models have been proposed to explain it. However, recent studies have pointed out a difficulty with these existing models: they predict that the time required for firms to become giants or individuals to be super-rich is excessively long compared to what is observed in empirical data. Furthermore, our empirical data show that Zipf's law holds within the size distributions of younger firms and younger individuals, contradicting existing models that predict that Zipf's law is primarily driven by older firms and older individuals. This paper provides an alternative explanation for Zipf's law to address the inconsistencies observed in empirical data. We focus on the heavy-tailed nature of the distribution of growth rates for firm sales and individual incomes, showing that their growth dynamics are characterized by rapid growth over short periods. We show that the emergence of giant firms and the super-rich results from this rapid growth, leading to the formation of Zipf's law. Zipf's law reflects the shared growth dynamics underlying firm sales and individual incomes. |
| Date: | 2025–07 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:eti:dpaper:25070 |
| By: | Victor (Xucheng); CHEN |
| Abstract: | This study investigates the relationship between innovation activities and firm-level productivity among early-stage high-tech startups in China. Using a proprietary dataset encompassing patent records, R&D expenditures, capital valuation, and firm performance from 2020 to 2024, we examine whether and how innovation, measured by patents and R&D input, translates into economic output. Contrary to established literature, we find that patent output does not significantly contribute to either income or profit among the sampled firms. Further investigation reveals that patents may primarily serve a signaling function to external investors and policymakers, rather than reflecting true innovative productivity. In contrast, R&D expenditure shows a consistent and positive association with firm performance. Through mechanism analysis, we explore three channels (organizational environment, employee quality, and policy-driven incentives) to explain the impact of R&D, identifying capital inflow and valuation as key drivers of R&D investment. Finally, heterogeneity analysis indicates that the effects of R&D are more pronounced in sub-industries such as smart terminals and digital creativity, and for firms based in Shenzhen. Our findings challenge the prevailing assumption that patent output is a universal indicator of innovation success and underscore the context-dependent nature of innovation-performance linkages in emerging markets. |
| Date: | 2025–07 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:arx:papers:2507.18227 |
| By: | Paul-Emile Bernard (University of Paris-Dauphine, PSL) |
| Abstract: | This paper examines the role of political connections in shaping firm-level resource allocation in China. Using administrative data, I distinguish between national and local ties and estimate their effects on subsidies, capital costs, and tax liabilities. Politically connected managers secure systematically larger transfers and face more favorable financial conditions. National connections increase access to direct subsidies, while local ties reduce capital costs and effective tax rates. A difference-in-differences design reveals that nationally connected firms receive 38% higher annual subsidies over four years. Locally connected firms lower their capital costs by 2.5%. Political access substitutes for marketbased allocation. |
| Keywords: | Political Connection, Subsidy, Tax Avoidance, Misallocation |
| JEL: | D24 D72 L38 L52 H2 O25 |
| Date: | 2025–07 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:dia:wpaper:dt202505 |
| By: | Veeramani, C.; Dutta, Sourish; Izudheen, Mohammed |
| Abstract: | This study comprehensively analyses India's mobile phone manufacturing sector, examining its remarkable transformation through strategic integration into Global Value Chains (GVCs). It quantifies the impact of this integration on domestic value addition (DVA), exports, employment, and wage incomes, particularly contrasting the initial import-substitution policy phase (2016–19) with the recent export-oriented regime driven by the National Policy on Electronics 2019 and the Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme (2019 onwards). Employing a Leontief Input-Output (IO) framework, the study constructs highly disaggregated Domestic Use Tables from plant-level data from the Annual Survey of Industries (ASI) from 2016–17 to 2022–23. This methodology facilitates a rigorous estimation of both direct and indirect economic contributions. It introduces a novel approach to accurately assess the net trade balance by isolating the value of imported components used explicitly in mobile phone production, thus addressing recent scholarly debates. The analysis is further contextualised using the 'Flying Geese Model' to interpret India's evolving position in the global electronics trade. The findings reveal a substantial enhancement in economic gains following the policy shift towards export orientation. Total DVA (direct plus indirect) grew by 374%, with its share in gross output rising from an average of 9% in the first phase to 22% in the second. Contrary to prevailing scepticism, the analysis demonstrates that India achieved a robust positive net export balance in mobile phones and their components since 2019, even after precise adjustments for imported inputs. The sector has been a significant engine for job creation; ASI data shows direct employment grew from 24, 739 in 2016-17 to 254, 270 in 2022-23, accompanied by substantial growth in indirect employment and a notable rise in jobs for female production workers. This employment boom is complemented by significant growth in wage incomes, which increased by 396% for direct workers between the two phases. Furthermore, evidence of product upgrading is established through rising export unit values and a doubling of a constructed Output Quality Index. The study concludes that backward-linked GVC participation, focused on achieving scale through exports, is a potent strategy for boosting aggregate DVA, employment, and income, even if the initial DVA ratio is modest. The success of the mobile phone industry offers a powerful blueprint for India's ambitions in the broader electronics sector, underscoring the importance of prioritising scale and deep GVC integration over potentially counterproductive local content mandates. |
| Keywords: | Global Value Chains (GVCs), Mobile Phone Manufacturing, India, Domestic Value Addition (DVA), Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme, Input-Output Analysis, Employment Generation, Export-Oriented Growth, Industrial Policy, Flying Geese Model |
| JEL: | F14 L63 O14 F63 L52 |
| Date: | 2025 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:zbw:esrepo:322258 |
| By: | Yeolyong Sung (Korea Institute for Industrial Economics and Trade) |
| Abstract: | This report first examines the international presence of South Korea’s design industry, based on official statistical data compiled by KIDP. It then assesses how digital transformation — an overarching force reshaping the economy — is influencing the operational and transactional environment of the design industry, using evidence from a firm-level survey conducted by the Korea Institute for Industrial Economics and Trade (KIET). Through this review, the study aims to examine whether digital transformation could serve as a key driver for strengthening the global competitiveness and export performance of Korea’s design sector. |
| Keywords: | design; design industry; service industry; B2B services; business-to-business; B2B; digitalization; |
| JEL: | L81 L84 |
| Date: | 2025–05–31 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ris:kieter:021420 |
| By: | Heng-fu Zou |
| Abstract: | This paper develops a dynamic two-country differential game model to examine the long-term economic and geopolitical implications of the trade war between the United States and China. Departing from classical com parative advantage theory, the model incorporates national preferences for industrial self-sufficiency, trade balance, and strategic power accumulation. Each country is represented as a national agent optimizing intertem poral welfare based on consumption, production, trade, and geopolitical rivalry. Endogenous capital accumulation, productivity growth through learning-by-doing, and disutility from foreign dependence are central to the analysis. Strategic power is derived from both capital stock and trade surpluses, reflecting their role in underwriting technological leadership and military influence. Through simulations, we demonstrate how persistent trade surpluses allow China to accumulate strategic advantage, while sustained U.S. deficits weaken industrial capacity and global leverage. The framework challenges the orthodoxy of free trade and provides a basis for evaluating nationalist economic strategies and decoupling policies in a multipolar world. |
| Keywords: | Trade war, U.S.–China rivalry, differential game, capital accumulation, strategic power, tariffs, industrial policy, geopolitical economy, learning-by-doing, reindustrialization, dynamic optimization, economic nationalism |
| Date: | 2025–06–10 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cuf:wpaper:774 |
| By: | Sanjaya Kumar Malik (Institute for Studies in Industrial Development, New Delhi) |
| Abstract: | The electronics industry is the largest and fastest-growing industry in the world. Because of their complementary and enabler properties, electronics are increasingly diffusing into communication, computing, healthcare, defence, transportation, energy, and countless other applications around the world. Electronics are the driving force behind emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, blockchain, cloud computing, internet of things, advanced robotics, 3D printing, 5G, and so on. The electronics industry is the most-prioritized industry of the government of India as it lies in the heart of the Make in India and Digital India programme of the country. The domestic electronics industry has nevertheless been crippled with declining share of value addition in output and negative productivity growth over the last three decades. Employing the unbalanced panel data on electronics manufacturing firms from ProwessIQ database for the period spanning from 2000-01 to 2021-22, the paper analyses the technological efforts by the electronics manufacturing firms to delineate the dismal productivity growth in Indian electronics industry. The paper underscores an abysmal technological effort made by the firms in the electronics industry, that explains the dismal productivity growth in the Indian electronics industry during the last two decades. Further, the selective policy measures are not seen to have accelerated the technological efforts by firms in the electronics industry, instead there was a declined allocation of resources towards the technological activities to revive the productivity growth of the electronics industry. |
| Keywords: | Technological change, total factor productivity, electronics industry, India |
| Date: | 2024–01 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:sid:wpaper:277a |
| By: | Liping Gao; Gueye N. Ghislain; Hyeongwoo Kim; Jisoo Son |
| Abstract: | Using data from 29 regional housing markets in China, we estimate the long-run relationship between housing prices and key macroeconomic variables. Our findings suggest that the conventional cointegration framework can be misleading, as the estimated coefficients often contradict standard demand and supply theory even when statistical tests confirm the presence of cointegration. Among the variables considered, only real income consistently explains regional housing price dynamics. In contrast, factors such as the real interest rate and real building cost fail to account for price movements in a consistent manner across regions. We identify region-specific models that are both statistically valid and economically meaningful, revealing substantial heterogeneity across markets. These results call for more tailored, region-specific housing policies rather than uniform national strategies. |
| Keywords: | Housing Market; Cointegration; Dynamic Oridinary Least Squares; Disaggregated Regional Data |
| JEL: | R30 E00 C51 |
| Date: | 2025–07 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:abn:wpaper:auwp2025-04 |
| By: | Wu, Victor Y. |
| Abstract: | Mehmood et al. (2023) estimate the effect of Ramadan fasting hours on judicial decisions using case-level data from Pakistan and India. Using exogenous variation in fasting intensity due to the Islamic lunar calendar and latitude, the authors find that Muslim judges are significantly more likely to issue acquittals with longer fasting hours. Their main result, reported in Table 1, shows that each additional hour of fasting beyond the baseline minimum increases acquittal rates by about 10%. I successfully computationally reproduced this main result using the original authors' data and code: I found no coding errors or discrepancies in the replication package, and the point estimates and p-values in my reproduction match those reported in the published article. I then evaluated robustness for the Pakistan sample of judges using three alternative specifications. First, the result is robust to alternative inclusion of control variables: It remains stable and statistically significant whether controlling for case-level covariates, judge-level covariates, both, or none. Second, the effect persists across a different fixed effects specification that includes only district fixed effects. Finally, the result is robust to clustering standard errors at the judge level, although clustering at the month level increases the standard error and renders the estimate statistically insignificant. Overall, the authors' main finding is both computationally reproducible and robust. |
| Date: | 2025 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:zbw:i4rdps:245 |
| By: | Sungjin Kim (Korea Institute for Industrial Economics and Trade) |
| Abstract: | In the second half of 2025 (H2 2025), the South Korean economy faces stiff headwinds, with macroeconomic factors worsening amid deepening policy uncertainties fueled by geopolitical developments. Among external factors, expanding investment in IT infrastructure across the world is the sole bright spot. Domestically, supply capacity is set to grow slightly, primarily in advanced industries and promising sectors, and investments in the digital transformation (DX) and green transformation (GX) are expected to continue apace. Korean firms are also poised to continue offshoring production to offset rising costs of producing and exporting goods at home, domestic firms’ overseas supply chains and production networks are going to keep evolving.<p> Overall, despite increased uncertainty stemming from tariffs and a more aggressively protectionist US trade stance, improved IT demand is expected to drive expanded production and exports of ICT devices, semiconductors, and displays. And while the bio-tech and shipbuilding industries could hit a rough patch H2, overall they will have grown in 2025. |
| Keywords: | economic outlook; macroeconomic outlook; industrial outlook; industrial performance; production; aut |
| JEL: | E60 E66 L52 |
| Date: | 2025–05–31 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ris:kieter:021417 |
| By: | Masahito AMBASHI; Momoka KAMITANI |
| Abstract: | Using a uniquely constructed dataset, this study examines 2.5-dimensional musicals in Japan and investigates whether ticket prices tend to increase in response to an expansion in cast size. According to multiple regression analysis, ticket prices and cast size exhibit an inverted-U-shaped relationship, suggesting the presence of a certain threshold. When outliers exceeding this threshold are excluded, the number of main cast members (MCM) with official roles and titles demonstrates a substantially weaker positive correlation with ticket prices than the number of ensemble cast members (ECM) performing background roles. Moreover, the results of propensity score matching indicate that an increase in MCM size may not be reflected in higher ticket prices. A plausible interpretation of these findings is that innovations, particularly those associated with MCM, may promote productivity improvements that offset the upward pressure on ticket prices resulting from rising labor costs and increased market power in the monopolistic competition market of 2.5-dimensional musicals. |
| Date: | 2025–07 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:eti:dpaper:25067 |
| By: | Roy, Tirthankar |
| JEL: | N0 |
| Date: | 2023–12–31 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ehl:lserod:125364 |
| By: | Kaoru HOSONO; Masaki HOTEI; Daisuke MIYAKAWA |
| Abstract: | Using tax filing data of Japanese business enterprises from 2014 to 2020, we investigate how the 2015-2018 tax reforms in Japan affected the average tax burden and whether the reforms benefited growing firms or not. We first calculate backward-looking effective tax rates (ETRs) and then estimate the sensitivity of the ETR and its components with respect to firm sales growth, R&D intensity, and other characteristics. Our findings are as follows. First, the average ETR increased after the reform. Second, compared with the average ETR, ETRs for growing and R&D-intensive firms initially decreased, but then began to increase. The reforms did not benefit growing firms in the long run due to the expansion of tax bases. |
| Date: | 2025–08 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:eti:dpaper:25072 |
| By: | Makoto KADOWAKI; Sadao NAGAOKA; Takahiro MAEDA |
| Abstract: | The identification of relevant prior art is a key step in assessing an invention's contribution; however, it remains unclear whether and how applicants can contribute to this process through prior art disclosure. This study investigates how applicant disclosures causally affect patent examination performance using the Japanese Patent Office's 2002 policy reform requiring applicant disclosure as a natural experiment. We find that this reform has significantly improved the quality of applicant disclosure (as measured by its coverage of examiner citations of prior art), especially for high-quality inventions. The reform led to faster grant processing, a narrower initial patent scope, and fewer amendments between applications and grants, primarily through higher-quality disclosure. While the reform also led to a greater number of disclosures not used by examiners, which had the effect of slowing the grant process, this effect was dominated by the effect of higher quality. The reform also increased the total amount of prior art used by examiners and reduced both invalidation and rejection appeal trials through higher disclosure quality. Applicant disclosures complemented examiner search efforts, thereby enhancing the overall prior art base used in patent examinations. |
| Date: | 2025–08 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:eti:dpaper:25071 |
| By: | Jamal, Haroon |
| Abstract: | The purpose of this research is to highlight the trend in educational status of Pakistan which is represented through five indicators related to access to schooling and educational achievements. In terms of access to schooling two indicators are used: pre-primary enrollment and out of school children in the age cohorts 5-16 years, while to monitor educational achievement, overall and youth literacy rates and proportion of population with tertiary education are considered. Household data of five waves of nationally representative Pakistan Social and Living-Standard Measurement (PSLM) surveys is used in estimating educational indicators for the period 2005 to 2020. To summarize the status and growth in the indicators of educational performance, non-compensatory composite indices are developed. The methodology of these indices ensures that all indicators have same importance and a full compensation among them is not allowed. The results of this exercise broadly indicate very low or almost stagnant growth in the indicators of educational status during the period 2005 and 2020. |
| Keywords: | Education, Pakistan, Non-compensatory Composite Indices |
| JEL: | I21 I28 |
| Date: | 2025–06–06 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:124949 |
| By: | Ridho Al Izzati; Fauzan Kemal Musthofa; Palmira Permata Bachtiar; Asep Suryahadi |
| Keywords: | labor, investment, scarring effects, COVID-19 Pandemic, business closure |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:agg:wpaper:4291 |
| By: | Fiala, Lenka; Fitzgerald, Jack; Kujansuu, Essi; Mikola, Derek; Valenta, David; Aparicio, Juan P.; Wiebe, Michael; Webb, Matthew D.; Brodeur, Abel |
| Abstract: | Wang et al. (2024) report that Bangladeshi students randomly given access to lessons on a phone server saw significant learning gains during COVID- 19 school closures. We identify three sets of anomalies. First, this experiment shares participants with another experiment conducted simultaneously in the same region, but test scores for the same children systematically differ between the two experiments. Second, test scores for treated participants exhibit a uniform upward shift that is completely insensitive to the number of lessons children complete. Third, numerous documentation inconsistencies (e.g., concerning survey materials, randomization procedures, etc.) cast doubt on the study's data. |
| Keywords: | Reproduction, school closures, remote education, COVID-19, randomized controlled trial, Bangladesh |
| JEL: | B41 C12 C93 I21 I24 |
| Date: | 2025 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:zbw:i4rdps:241 |
| By: | Teter, Jacob; Ladha, Rijhul; Khan, Sarah; Das, Anannya; Ramji, Aditya; Hwang, Roland |
| Keywords: | Engineering, Social and Behavioral Sciences |
| Date: | 2025–08–03 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cdl:itsdav:qt0p97c43v |