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on South East Asia |
| By: | Ressita Ramadhani (Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA)) |
| Abstract: | Central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) offer ASEAN countries an opportunity to modernise payments, enhance financial inclusion, and support economic integration. Countries such as Malaysia, Thailand, and Singapore are actively piloting CBDC initiatives, exploring both wholesale and retail applications, and testing cross-border interoperability. Global pilot projects – including mBridge, Dunbar, and Cedar x Ubin+ – provide valuable insights for ASEAN, demonstrating benefits in efficiency, transparency, and risk management. At the same time, implementing CBDCs presents challenges: smaller economies face potential capital flight, regulatory gaps remain in KYC, AML, and CFT frameworks, and CRS adoption is uneven. To fully harness CBDCs’ potential, ASEAN must establish standardised cross-border payment mechanisms, strengthen regulatory and financial security frameworks, and enhance digital literacy for governments, businesses, and citizens. By addressing these risks and leveraging regional collaboration, ASEAN can position itself as a competitive and resilient player in the evolving global digital economy. Latest Articles |
| Date: | 2025–09–30 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:era:wpaper:pb-2025-10 |
| By: | Britwum, Kofi; Demont, Matty |
| Keywords: | Marketing, Consumer/Household Economics, Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety |
| Date: | 2024 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:aaea24:343802 |
| By: | Achmad Solikin (Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA)); Manami Uechi (Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA)); Rahayu Susanti; Wuri Wulandari |
| Abstract: | Despite reductions in hunger, Southeast Asia faces a rising triple burden of malnutrition – stunting and wasting, hidden hunger, and overweight and obesity – compounded by food-feed competition and fragmented policy responses. Nutrition insecurity is exacerbated by the insufficient integration of nutrition within broader food security initiatives. The One Health approach provides a framework for sustainable, action-oriented solutions by linking crop/plant and livestock production, animal and human health, and environmental wellbeing. ASEAN countries have demonstrated strong commitment and collective action toward ending global hunger, malnutrition, and diet-related noncommunicable diseases while strengthening food and nutrition security. However, nutrition has yet to be fully integrated into the mainstream agenda, including within the ASEAN OH JPA. This brief provides recommendations for ASEAN Member States (AMS) to address the triple burden of malnutrition through the One Health approach by transforming governance, multisectoral coordination, and knowledge systems. Latest Articles |
| Date: | 2025–09–30 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:era:wpaper:pb-2025-09 |
| By: | Fikri Adib Rianto (Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA)) |
| Abstract: | Indonesia’s recent decision to recognise the United States as an adequate jurisdiction for personal data protection – made under a new bilateral trade deal – permits the transfer of Indonesian personal data to US private entities without additional safeguards. This move, taken before Indonesia’s Personal Data Protection Authority (PDPA) is established and before adequacy criteria are formally defined, raises concerns over legal legitimacy and data governance. Given persistent systemic risks in the US – ranging from corporate misuse and cybersecurity vulnerabilities to expansive surveillance powers and fragmented privacy laws – the decision appears premature. To safeguard privacy while supporting trade interests, Indonesia should complete its domestic data protection framework, clarify adequacy criteria, and temporarily recalibrate its adequacy determination until more robust bilateral governance mechanisms are in place. Latest Articles |
| Date: | 2025–10–29 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:era:wpaper:pb-2025-11 |
| By: | Manh-Duc Doan (Development and Policies Research Center (DEPOCEN), Suite 305 - 307, 12 Trang Thi Street, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi) |
| Abstract: | Exploiting a quasi-natural experiment–the Vietnam-U.S. Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA)–I investigate the impact of trade liberalization on children's human capital investment in Vietnam. Using regional variation in export tariff uncertainty due to the BTA, I find that children in provinces more exposed to tariff reductions were more likely to engage in work rather than attend school, and this effect persisted for 20 years after the BTA. Additionally, the effects were more pronounced among boys, older children, rural children, and those with less-educated parents. These negative effects are driven by the increase in job opportunities, i.e., the child labor incidence, and the wage premium in the higher exposure provinces. The findings indicate that trade liberalization has increased the opportunity cost of education. These results remain robust across various alternative estimations. |
| Keywords: | trade agreement, tariff reduction, schooling, child labor, Vietnam |
| JEL: | F14 F16 J24 O12 |
| Date: | 2025 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:dpc:wpaper:0197 |
| By: | Paul Glewwe (University of Minnesota); David Raitzer (Asian Development Bank); Uttam Sharma (Integrated Development Studies); Kenn Chua (University of Minnesota); Milan Thomas (Asian Development Bank) |
| Abstract: | Although Asian economies have increased access to education, students’ learning often trails grade level expectations. In the Philippines, learning worsened through prolonged classroom closure during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. Together with the Department of Education, we conducted a 42-school randomized controlled trial of computer-assisted instruction in remote areas of the country. The tested intervention consisted of digitized learning modules deployed on tablets that connected to school local Wi-Fi networks for junior high school students. The tablets were the main source of instruction for 2.5 months before schools reopened, after which they served as a supplement to, rather than a replacement for, in-person instruction. We find that the intervention increased student learning in mathematics, but not in English. For mathematics, we estimate intent-to-treat effects of 0.34 standard deviations of the distribution of test scores and average treatment-on-the-treated effects of 0.46 standard deviations for schools that ever used the digitized materials. Students with higher levels of “grit” at baseline benefit more from the intervention, as do those who have higher baseline test scores. The mathematics treatment-on-the-treated effect for schools that continued usage for a second year is 1.6 standard deviations, suggesting that those schools drove the observed impacts. |
| Keywords: | COVID-19 pandemic;computer-assisted instruction;EdTech;distance learning;remote schools |
| JEL: | I21 I24 J13 N35 O14 |
| Date: | 2025–12–08 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ris:adbewp:021834 |
| By: | Masanori Kozono (Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA)); Ari Aji Cahyono (Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA)); Siti Mustaqimatud Diyanah (Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA)) |
| Abstract: | Digital technologies are transforming the agriculture and food systems of ASEAN, offering new opportunities to enhance productivity, sustainability, and resilience. ASEAN has taken collective steps to accelerate this transition through initiatives such as the ASEAN Guidelines on Promoting the Utilisation of Digital Technologies for ASEAN Food and Agricultural Sector (2021), the ASEAN Leaders’ Declaration on Strengthening Food Security and Nutrition in Response to Crises (2023), and the Action Plan for Sustainable Agriculture in ASEAN (2024). To support these regional efforts, this study assesses the current utilisation of digital tools across agricultural value chains, identifies barriers to technology diffusion, and analyses enabling policy frameworks. Based on surveys of 824 respondents across eight ASEAN Member States (AMS), the study finds that smartphone-based solutions – such as advisory applications, digital payments, and marketplaces – are the most widely adopted. However, adoption is primarily driven by economic objectives rather than environmental benefits. The main constraints include limited infrastructure, low digital literacy, and high adoption costs. Looking ahead, digital marketplaces and drones are expected to become the most in-demand technologies. Comprehensive and inclusive policies – anchored in strong infrastructure, skills development, financing mechanisms, and regional co-operation – are critical to advancing sustainable digital transformation in ASEAN’s agri-food systems. Latest Articles |
| Date: | 2025–11–21 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:era:wpaper:pb-2025-12 |
| By: | Sharmin Taskin (College of Business Administration, International University of Business Agriculture and Technology (IUBAT), Dhaka, Bangladesh Author-2-Name: Youji Kohda Author-2-Workplace-Name: School of Knowledge Science, Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (JAIST), Ishikawa, Japan Author-3-Name: Author-3-Workplace-Name: Author-4-Name: Author-4-Workplace-Name: Author-5-Name: Author-5-Workplace-Name: Author-6-Name: Author-6-Workplace-Name: Author-7-Name: Author-7-Workplace-Name: Author-8-Name: Author-8-Workplace-Name:) |
| Abstract: | " Objective - Businesses engage in corporate social responsibility despite the challenges of balancing social welfare and commercial objectives. While companies often prioritize financial performance, social responsibility is essential for long-term success. The concept of creating shared value (CSV), has emerged as a framework that seeks to align business success with positive social impact. The goal of contemporary companies is sustainable development, achieved by generating shared value that enhances social outcomes while strengthening profitability and competitiveness. Shared value creation is therefore critical to advancing sustainable development without undermining profitability. This has led to the emergence of a new business strategy that considers community and societal needs for effective corporate competitiveness, such as creating shared value. Methodology/Technique - To examine the use of CSV, this study assesses the shared value-creation practices of businesses across seven Asian nations: Japan, Korea, China, Hong Kong, Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh. The review process involves identifying objectives, critically evaluating existing literature, synthesizing key findings, and developing a theoretical framework. Findings and Novelty - It is anticipated that CSV is not consistently adopted; instead, it is often driven by self-interest, government influence, or treated as a rhetorical ""buzzword"" in the selected Asian countries. The study recommends developing a sustainable framework oriented toward CSV as a strategic approach for businesses in Asia. Type of Paper - Review" |
| Keywords: | Creating Shared Value (CSV); Sustainability; Business Strategy; Asian Business; Global Practice. |
| JEL: | F1 F2 |
| Date: | 2025–12–31 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:gtr:gatrjs:gjbssr669 |
| By: | Saranya Sree Subramaniam (Faculty of Management, Multimedia University, Cyberjaya, 63100, Selangor, Malaysia Author-2-Name: Chinnasamy Agamudai Nambhi Malarvizhi Author-2-Workplace-Name: Faculty of Management, Multimedia University, Cyberjaya, 63100, Selangor, Malaysia Author-3-Name: Author-3-Workplace-Name: Author-4-Name: Author-4-Workplace-Name: Author-5-Name: Author-5-Workplace-Name: Author-6-Name: Author-6-Workplace-Name: Author-7-Name: Author-7-Workplace-Name: Author-8-Name: Author-8-Workplace-Name:) |
| Abstract: | " Objective - This research aimed to understand the factors influencing the use of Internet of Things (IoT) healthcare solutions by elderly patients with non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in Malaysia, utilising the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology 2 (UTAUT2) and the Health Belief Model (HBM) as guides for the study. Methodology/Technique - A sample of 30 respondents aged 60 years and older participated in the pilot survey, which was conducted using a structured questionnaire on a Likert-type scale. The data analysis was performed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 28 to conduct descriptive statistics, frequency analyses, and reliability analyses to assess instrument consistency. Findings - Performance impact, trust, and task-technology fit were the most significant drivers of IoT adoption, while social influence and facilitating conditions played a minimal role. The results indicated that age, patients' preferences for tangible health, low benefit-centredness, user-friendliness, and data security, compared to source-based encouragement or infrastructure support. Novelty - The novelty of this study lies in the utilisation of UTAUT2 and HBM guidelines to examine IoT adoption among elderly NCD patients in Malaysia, an area that has been largely understudied in digital health. This study also provided a potential customised application for an IoT healthcare system to aid disease control among the elderly. Type of Paper - Empirical" |
| Keywords: | IoT healthcare, Elderly patients, Non-communicable diseases, Technology adoption, UTAUT2, Health Belief Model. |
| JEL: | O14 O33 |
| Date: | 2025–12–31 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:gtr:gatrjs:jmmr352 |
| By: | Khairul Firdaus Anuar (Faculty of Technology, Design & Management, UCYP University, Pahang, Malaysia Author-2-Name: Nurhaizan Mohd Zainudin Author-2-Workplace-Name: Faculty of Industrial Management, Universiti Malaysia Pahang, Al-Sultan Abdullah, Lebuh Persiaran Tun Khalil Yaakob, 26300, Gambang, Pahang, Malaysia Author-3-Name: Muhammad Ashraf Fauzi Author-3-Workplace-Name: Faculty of Industrial Management, Universiti Malaysia Pahang, Al-Sultan Abdullah, Lebuh Persiaran Tun Khalil Yaakob, 26300, Gambang, Pahang, Malaysia Author-4-Name: Author-4-Workplace-Name: Author-5-Name: Author-5-Workplace-Name: Author-6-Name: Author-6-Workplace-Name: Author-7-Name: Author-7-Workplace-Name: Author-8-Name: Author-8-Workplace-Name:) |
| Abstract: | " Objective - This study investigates the impact of Transformational Leadership (TL) on Organizational Infrastructure Resources; Knowledge Sharing (KS), Human Resource Management (HRM) and Top Management Commitment (TMC) in Malaysian construction organizations. Grounded in the Contingency Theory, this research posits that TL is strategic in nature by assisting in aligning internal capabilities to performance goals within a project-driven environment. Methodology/Technique - Using a survey method, this study obtained usable responses to investigate the extent to which these variables affect performance, using Partial Least Squares-Structural Equation Model (PLS-SEM) analysis. Findings - The results of the empirical study reveal that TL has a significant positive influence on all three KS dimensions (KS among projects, KS within projects, and KS within organizations), HRM, and TMC. These results highlight the importance of TL for knowledge-oriented collaboration, the intensification of HR practices, and the strengthening of executive alignment. Novelty - The research adds to the leadership and construction management literature by presenting the significant empirical proof of organizing TL into the organization's infrastructure. Practical implications argue for the institutionalization of TL-based leadership development and its inclusion in HRM and strategic governance practices to enhance organizational performance in construction firms. Type of Paper - Empirical" |
| Keywords: | Transformational Leadership; Knowledge Sharing; Human Resource Management; Top Management Commitment; Construction Industry; Malaysia. |
| JEL: | L00 L25 L74 |
| Date: | 2025–12–31 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:gtr:gatrjs:jmmr353 |
| By: | Viet Lien Le (Development and Policies Research Center (DEPOCEN), Suite 305 - 307, 12 Trang Thi Street, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi); Tu Anh Bui (Development and Policies Research Center (DEPOCEN), Suite 305 - 307, 12 Trang Thi Street, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi); Anh Ngoc Nguyen (Development and Policies Research Center (DEPOCEN), Suite 305 - 307, 12 Trang Thi Street, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi); Ngoc-Minh Nguyen (Development and Policies Research Center (DEPOCEN), Suite 305 - 307, 12 Trang Thi Street, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi) |
| Abstract: | This paper develops and tests a Nash bargaining model of household labor allocation. The model explains how spouses allocate their time to housework by maximizing joint utility while accounting for outside options such as income opportunities. In this framework, the spouse contributing more earnings gains stronger bargaining power and can negotiate a smaller share of housework. Using Vietnamese panel data from 2018 and 2020, we estimate a Seemingly Unrelated Regression (SUR) system to examine how relative income influences household labor division. The results show that women with higher relative income reduce their housework time. Moreover, relative income affects the reallocation between spouses: husbands increase their contribution to domestic tasks while wives reduce theirs. For specific activities, relative income decreases wives’ time on both pure household chores and caregiving. Our findings contribute to the literature by providing evidence from a developing Asian country and underscore the importance of women’s economic empowerment in promoting gender equality in unpaid work. |
| Keywords: | Household decisions, Nash, |
| Date: | 2025 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:dpc:wpaper:0196 |
| By: | Abigail Stocker |
| Abstract: | This paper examines how child marriage rates for both boys and girls respond to exogenous shocks to rainfall, temperatures, and conflict. Using individual-level data from India, Indonesia, and Nepal, I empirically estimate the effects of shocks on child marriage. Low rainfall and high temperatures, which reduce income, decrease the annual probability of child marriage for boys and girls by 1-8%. Exposure to conflict, which increases the risk of experiencing conflict-related violence, decreases child marriage for boys and increases it for girls by up to 30% and 3%, respectively. Effects are similar regardless of the child's age, spousal age gap, or direction of the marriage transfer. I also develop a theoretical household bargaining model, which predicts that negative shocks to income or to child marriage preferences reduce child marriage rates. These findings suggest a perverse relationship between income and child marriage, which is relevant for policymakers seeking to simultaneously reduce child marriage and poverty. |
| Keywords: | gender; child marriage; marriage transfers; income; Asia; development |
| JEL: | J12 J16 O15 |
| Date: | 2025–12–17 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cwm:wpaper:175 |
| By: | Ngoc-Minh Nguyen (Development and Policies Research Center (DEPOCEN), Suite 305 - 307, 12 Trang Thi Street, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi); Anh Ngoc Nguyen (Development and Policies Research Center (DEPOCEN), Suite 305 - 307, 12 Trang Thi Street, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi) |
| Abstract: | We simulate the impact of changes in tobacco taxation on tax revenue and public health outcomes to provide empirical evidence for the tobacco tax reform proposals of the Ministry of Finance in Vietnam. Different tax policy scenarios are compared to understand the role of tax structures on government revenue and the tobacco industry. While increasing tobacco prices through taxation helps reduce tobacco consumption by 22.68%, switching from a uniform ad valorem to a mixed tax system using a maximum retail price as a tax base could compensate for the reduction in tobacco consumption and ensure an increase in total tax revenue. In addition, the supply chain margin considerably depends on the tax structure. Changing from an inclusive VAT to an exclusive VAT generally decreases the supply chain margin of the tobacco industry and particularly makes the margin for the lower-price segment negative, implying a loss for this segment. |
| Keywords: | tabacco, tax, Vietnam |
| Date: | 2025 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:dpc:wpaper:0192 |
| By: | Idomoto, Yuji |
| Abstract: | China’s rise is widely viewed as a destabilizing force in East Asia, prompting concerns of heightened military competition or even an arms race. This paper challenges such assumptions by reexamining traditional security threats through the lens of realist theory. Drawing on offensive and defensive realism, it argues that China’s capabilities and revisionist intentions—while significant—do not warrant the level of alarm often portrayed. Regional capability balances, geographic buffers, and the high costs of territorial aggression constrain China’s ability to project traditional military power. Moreover, China’s increasing reliance on gray-zone tactics and geoeconomic tools suggests a strategic shift away from direct military confrontation. Empirical analysis reveals that East Asian states’ military responses remain moderate, especially when compared globally. Taken together, this study offers a more calibrated understanding of East Asia’s evolving security landscape. |
| Keywords: | Social and Behavioral Sciences, East Asia, East Asia security, defensive realism, offensive realism, Chinese gray-zone tactics |
| Date: | 2025–12–16 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cdl:globco:qt5g2051pg |
| By: | Meng Yu Ngov; Pierre-Louis Vezina; Trang Thu Tran; Gaurav Nayyar |
| Abstract: | When countries subsidize the production and innovation of green goods, does it make it easier for others to join their value chains? We explore this question using Viet Nam’s solar panel industry as a case study, using firm-to-firm transaction data to map out its value chain. We find that Viet Nam imports solar parts and components at substantially lower prices from subsidizing countries: about 30% cheaper than from non-subsidizing countries and nearly 50% cheaper from China, where all key inputs are subsidized. We also find that Chinese FDI firms - which account for around 75% of exports and 50% of jobs among all solar producers - export solar panels at around 38% cheaper than other solar panel exporters in Viet Nam. Lastly, we find that local suppliers of solar panel parts and components linked to these firms experience positive productivity gains. Together, the results are consistent with subsidy spillovers that operate through cheaper intermediate inputs, transmission of cost advantage through multinational production networks, and productivity spillovers to local firms. |
| Keywords: | global value chains, green subsidies, FDI |
| JEL: | F14 F23 Q42 |
| Date: | 2025 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:csa:wpaper:2025-14 |
| By: | Wannaphong Durongkaveroj; Riswandi Riswandi |
| Abstract: | In recent decades, cash transfers have played an important role in enhancing social protection in developing countries. This paper examines the causal effects of Thailand's large-scale unconditional cash transfer programme (“the state welfare card programme”) that covered over 20 percent of the country's population. Using regression discontinuity methods and nationally representative household socio-economic surveys, the results suggest that this programme had a negative and statistically significant impact on total expenditure and food expenditure. |
| Keywords: | Poverty, Cash transfers, Social protection, Thailand |
| Date: | 2025 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:unu:wpaper:wp-2025-103 |
| By: | Gautam, Ajay Kumar |
| Abstract: | COVID-19 presented unparalleled difficulties for financially disadvantaged renters, limiting their ability to pay for housing. The impact of this crisis on petty landlords, who often provide housing to these precarious renters, is unclear and requires investigation. Utilising data from a survey of 300 households, and focus group discussions (FGDs) with 100 petty landlords, primarily first-generation Scheduled Caste (SC) and Other Backward Class (OBC) owners, this case study examines the effects of the pandemic on petty landlords in urban villages in Delhi, India. The findings highlight the sedimentation of caste in informal rental market spaces: Firstly, it highlights the role of caste-based socio-economic factors in the emergence of petty landlords in relation to dominant caste landlords. Secondly, it examines the circumstances that led to financial strain among marginalised caste landlords during the pandemic and explores how their responses to this stress worsened existing housing challenges for vulnerable tenants. Thirdly, the study reveals that gender also played a significant role in shaping the experiences of petty landlords, with women outnumbering men as proxy landlords in this group. Lastly, the paper explores how state imposed eviction interventions brought the complexities of caste, class, gender and urban marginality to the forefront. |
| Keywords: | Covid-19; caste; India; petty landlords; rental economy; urban villages; coronavirus; COVID-19 |
| JEL: | R21 R31 Z13 R14 |
| Date: | 2024–12–31 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ehl:lserod:126535 |