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on South East Asia |
| By: | Jayant Menon; Roland Rajah; Ahmed Albayrak (Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA)) |
| Abstract: | Viet Nam is one of the most remarkable success stories of economic transformation in Asia. In a span of 3 decades, Viet Nam has managed to transform itself from an isolated, centrally planned agrarian economy into a dynamic manufacturing and services hub that is deeply connected to global supply chains. Increased trade and investment have been pivotal to Viet Nam’s economic success, with exports, in particular, playing a critical role. This study addresses the key question of whether Viet Nam has been able to utilise its trade policy, in general, and its free trade agreements (FTAs), in particular, as a vehicle to pursue and unlock difficult domestic reforms. If so, which of the agreements have had the greatest impact on domestic reforms, and in which sectors? To do this, the analysis employs a combination of qualitative and quantitative approaches, as well as an extensive review of existing studies. The findings indicate that modern FTAs, especially the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership and the European Union-Viet Nam Free Trade Agreement, have been able to keep the reform momentum going and fill gaps in some of the more difficult areas of reform. Nevertheless, significant changes came with the decisions to join the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the World Trade Organization, and the preparatory reforms associated with them continue to influence the economy more than any of the FTAs signed subsequently. If the FTAs can promote domestic reforms, then they have the potential to further facilitate the structural transformation of the economy. Structural transformation modelling allows us to estimate the typical development path of the manufacturing share of employment relative to Gross domestic product per capita over time and compare this with the actual path for Viet Nam, in the past and into the future. The comparison reveals that Viet Nam’s manufacturing share of employment rose rapidly from substantially below the typical development path to one substantially higher and maintaining an upward trend. Nevertheless, avoiding employment deindustrialisation in the future will require further domestic reforms that enhance within-sector productivity growth. Continued implementation of the more difficult reforms embedded in the modern FTAs, together with strong domestic reform efforts, will play a determining role in ensuring Viet Nam’s continued economic transformation and growth. |
| Keywords: | FTAs; WTO; structural transformation; Viet Nam |
| JEL: | F13 F16 F63 O47 |
| Date: | 2025–11–28 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:era:wpaper:dp-2025-09 |
| By: | Adiatma Siregar (Center for Economics and Development Studies, Universitas Padjadjara); Bondi Arifin (Ministry of Finance, Indonesia); Teguh Santoso (Center for Economics and Development Studies, Universitas Padjadjara); Riki Relaksana (Center for Economics and Development Studies, Universitas Padjadjara); Priscillya Hotma (Center for Economics and Development Studies, Universitas Padjadjara) |
| Abstract: | The healthcare system in Indonesia has undergone various changes and encountered significant challenges over the past decade. Notably, the issue of inequity within the health system, particularly concerning the distribution of health facilities and workforce, is a prominent concern. Against the backdrop of evolving policy regulations and advancements in digital health, Indonesia’s potential in health services is promising. Consequently, interventions are imperative to address and improve prevailing imbalances in the accessibility and quality of health service facilities and healthcare personnel. Strategic interventions towards this end involve implementing comprehensive programmes to enhance equity and quality, prominently featuring the integration and advancement of digital health technologies. |
| Keywords: | Health system; digital health; healthcare |
| JEL: | J24 |
| Date: | 2025–09–25 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:era:wpaper:dp-2025-07 |
| By: | Venkatachalam Anbumozhi (Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA)); Kentaro Yamada |
| Abstract: | Crop residue burning continues to pose major environmental, economic, and public health challenges in ASEAN. While the region has issued guidelines and advanced various initiatives, adoption of sustainable residue management practices remains uneven. Crop residues, however, are not merely a waste product – they are an underutilised resource with significant potential for creating new value chains, supporting rural incomes, and contributing to the region’s climate, circular economy and inclusive energy transition. A mix of public, private, and international financial mechanisms – ranging from incentives and concessional loans to carbon credits, private investment in infrastructure, and digital finance – can help small landholding farmers shift away from burning. Yet these measures require credible monitoring systems, stronger design, clearer time horizons, and better integration with technologies and market development. This brief outlines key financial strategies suited to ASEAN’s diverse agricultural landscapes and provides policy recommendations to support a long-term transition away from crop burning. Latest Articles |
| Date: | 2025–12–31 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:era:wpaper:pb-2025-14 |
| By: | Mahirah Mahusin (Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA)); Hilmy Priliadi (Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA)) |
| Abstract: | Source code underpins digital technologies and is typically protected as commercially sensitive intellectual property. While free trade agreements (FTAs) increasingly prohibit mandatory source code disclosure as a condition for market access, governments continue to require access in specific circumstances, including regulatory oversight of algorithmic systems, conformity assessments, law enforcement, and public procurement. Across ASEAN, member states have adopted diverse approaches. These include Indonesia's public procurement requirements, Malaysia's provisions allowing access in criminal investigations, and Thailand's safeguards under trade secret law. Recent FTAs reflect a shift from broad, categorical prohibitions towards more nuanced frameworks that permit regulatory exceptions, raise questions regarding the treatment of algorithms, and preserve space for voluntary disclosure. As ASEAN advances negotiations on the Digital Economy Framework Agreement (DEFA), source code provisions will need to strike a careful balance between protecting innovation and maintaining regulatory and judicial flexibility. This Policy Brief recommends affirming baseline prohibitions on forced disclosure, clearly safeguarding legitimate government access, clarifying the treatment of algorithms, protecting voluntary disclosure, and addressing implications for public procurement. Latest Articles |
| Date: | 2025–12–31 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:era:wpaper:pb-2025-15 |
| By: | Tran The, Tuan; Bui Van, Vien; Do Thi, Tho |
| Abstract: | Small and medium-sized enterprises account for more than 98.2% of total enterprises in Hanoi and contribute significantly to the city’s employment, innovation, and GDP. This study aims to analyze and evaluate the influence of corporate social responsibility and green marketing on the competitive advantage of small and medium-sized enterprises in Hanoi, Vietnam. With 292 valid survey responses, data analysis was conducted through PLS-SEM. The study results show that corporate social responsibility and green marketing are critical to the competitiveness of small and medium-sized firms in Hanoi. Corporate social responsibility positively influences green marketing (β = 0.812, p |
| Keywords: | social responsibility, green marketing, reputation, competitiveness, economic growth, community welfare, environment |
| JEL: | M14 M31 Q01 |
| Date: | 2025–02–28 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:127538 |
| By: | Benedikt Heid; Laura Márquez-Ramos; Harry Wardana |
| Abstract: | Industrial policy is on the rise. A key instrument used by governments is import licensing to protect domestic industries. However, evidence of its effectiveness is limited. Using customs and firm level data, we estimate the effects of the introduction of import licensing for iron and steel products in Indonesia in 2009. While we find that the number of incoming shipments of protected products is reduced, and that imports are sourced from fewer countries, the overall value or quantity of imports is not affected. At the same time, while domestic iron and steel producers increase their sales in the short run, we do not find long-lasting positive effects on their sales. Our results suggest that while import licensing imposes costs on importers who have to adjust their supply chains, sustained gains for domestic producers are limited. This suggests that import licensing is ineffective as an industrial policy. |
| Keywords: | trade restrictions, import licensing, industrial policy, Indonesia, iron and steel |
| JEL: | F13 F14 L52 L61 |
| Date: | 2025 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ces:ceswps:_12346 |
| By: | Talatchanant Tontiwachwutthikul; Kannika Thampanishvong; Kanis Saengchote; Krislert Samphantharak; Jirayu Chandrasakha |
| Abstract: | To mitigate the risk of carbon leakage, the European Union (EU) introduced the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) to impose a fair price on the carbon emissions associated with the production of carbon-intensive goods imported into the EU, thereby encouraging cleaner industrial production. This paper combines firm-level exporting activity data and financial data in a difference-in-differences regression framework to examine the impact that the CBAM policy announcement and implementation have on Thai exporting firms. We find that the announcement of the CBAM negatively affected Thai firms' ability to export impacted goods to the EU, and these adverse effects intensified following the CBAM implementation. Treated firms’ total export revenue decreased relative to the control group and were only able to partially mitigate the impact of this shock by increasing exports of non-CBAM goods to countries outside of the EU. |
| Keywords: | Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM); Thailand, exporting firm; International trade |
| JEL: | F14 F18 Q54 |
| Date: | 2025–12 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pui:dpaper:243 |
| By: | S M Toufiqul Huq Sowrov |
| Abstract: | This study investigates the impact of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) on economic growth in South Asian countries, utilizing annual panel data from five SAARC member states (Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka) over the period 1980-2017. Data sourced from the World Development Indicators and Penn World Table were analyzed using static panel models, including Ordinary Least Squares, Fixed Effects, Random Effects, and Generalized Least Squares regressions. The empirical findings reveal that FDI exhibits a consistently positive but statistically insignificant correlation with economic growth across all model specifications. In contrast, domestic investment and human capital development emerge as significant and robust positive determinants of growth. Control variables such as government consumption and inflation show expected negative, though generally insignificant, associations with growth. The results imply that for the sampled South Asian economies, enhancing domestic investment and fostering human capital are more critical for driving economic expansion than relying on FDI inflows. Consequently, policymakers should prioritize strategies that strengthen local investment climates and improve educational and skill-building institutions to boost productivity. While FDI's role remains complementary, its insignificant immediate impact suggests the need for further research into the conditional factors such as institutional quality, financial market development, and trade policies that might mediate its effectiveness in fostering long-term growth within the region. |
| Date: | 2025–12 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:arx:papers:2512.16958 |
| By: | Hao, Zhuang; Zhang, Xudong; Li, Gucheng; Tennekoon, Vidhura S.; Tian, Zerui |
| Abstract: | Farming households face intertwined uncertainties in health and agricultural production, raising critical questions about how ongoing efforts of developing countries on social insurance provision and expansion influence agricultural production decisions. This paper investigates the impact of health insurance on agricultural investments, leveraging the phased rollout of a nationwide basic insurance scheme integration in China that enhanced the affordability and accessibility of health care services for rural residents. We provide robust evidence that insurance integration leads high health-risk farming households to significantly reduce investments in food crop production, with expenses on seeds, fertilizers, pesticides, and films decreasing by 7.5%, 8.5%, 7.6%, and 7.3%, respectively. Empirical results suggest that insurance integration mitigates health risks, encouraging farming households to assume greater production risks. This is reflected in reduced food crop diversification, which may explain the decline in its investment. However, there is no significant evidence of increased engagement in other risky agricultural production activities, such as expanding sown areas or investing in cash crops. Importantly, the reduction in food crop investments does not compromise household income. These findings highlight the complex interplay between health insurance and agricultural decision-making, offering valuable insights into social policies aimed at reducing rural vulnerabilities. |
| Keywords: | Health Economics and Policy |
| Date: | 2025 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:aaea25:360927 |
| By: | Liu, Dan; Liu, Yaru; Jin, Yanhong; Deng, Haiyan |
| Abstract: | This paper examines how the private sector in a middle-income country like China adapts to extreme heat through seed breeding innovation. While most existing research has focused on abiotic stress, such as drought and heat, we extend the analytical framework to include biotic stresses, specifically crop pest and disease exposure, a critical but often overlooked dimension of climate adaptation. We construct novel firm-level, crop-specific exposure measures of extreme heat and crop pests/diseases to investigate how both climate-related abiotic and biotic stressors influence the development of heat/drought-tolerant (HDT) and pest/disease-resistant (PDR) varieties at the firm level. Our results show that Chinese seed firms actively respond to climate pressures, increasing HDT varieties by 2.6% and PDR varieties by 9% for an additional harmful extreme heat degree-day, with significant variations across crops. Maize exhibits comprehensive adaptation across both HDT and PDR, rice focuses on PDR traits, while wheat shows limited responsiveness due to biological complexity and weaker market incentives. Breeding innovation responsiveness is stronger among private firms compared to state-owned enterprises and is most pronounced under the independent innovation model relative to inter-firm collaboration and private-public partnership models. We identify three key pathways driving these responses: increased farmer demand for climate-resilient seeds, heightened pest and disease pressures induced by extreme heat, and government policy signals, proxied by official communications addressing climate- and pest/disease-related issues. Furthermore, the adoption of improved varieties significantly mitigates crop yield loss caused by extreme heat exposure and pest/disease prevalence--PDR varieties reduce pest-related yield losses by 363.72 tons in rice and by 1, 342.27 tons in maize. However, adoption and mitigation effects in wheat remain limited due to biological and market constraints. These findings offer valuable policy insights for enhancing agricultural climate resilience. |
| Keywords: | Productivity Analysis, Research and Development/Tech Change/Emerging Technologies |
| Date: | 2025 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:aaea25:361183 |
| By: | Arora, Utkarsh; Ali, Saif; Barsinge, Anjuman; Arora, Gaurav |
| Abstract: | Enacted in 2006, the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) instituted a large public works program that provides 100 days of assured employment to volunteering members of rural households in India. It is implemented at the village level by the local government, called the Gram Panchayat, which undertakes development projects considered important to the village community using funds allocated through MGNREGA. This paper studies the impact of MGNREGA-based water conservation through farm ponds on agricultural land use patterns within Gram Panchayats. It looks at how farm pond construction influences land use transitions from single cropping in one year to multiple cropping in the next and vice versa. Farm ponds can increase soil moisture, provide irrigation water storage facilities, and serve as a means of livelihood through pisciculture or animal husbandry. Economic adaptation to such changes by households can cause shifts in local agricultural land use patterns. We find that the construction of new farm ponds in a Gram Panchayat drives a 4% (2.2%-6.1%) year-on-year increase in single to double/triple-cropping transitions while reducing the transitions in the reverse direction. Preexisting farm ponds and previous cropping patterns in the Gram Panchayat also play a significant role in determining the extent and direction of transitions. The study provides valuable insights for policymakers aiming to enhance agricultural productivity and rural livelihoods through water conservation initiatives. This research combines national scale with a fine Gram Panchayatlevel granularity bringing together a unique spatial data repository comprising a variety of variables related to natural and built environments as well as administrative data which can potentially generate wide-ranging research opportunities in empirical economics and applied econometrics. |
| Keywords: | Community/Rural/Urban Development |
| Date: | 2025 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:aaea25:361116 |
| By: | Yu, Chengzheng; Hu, Hanwen; Zhang, Zhi Min |
| Abstract: | The Watershed Ecological Compensation Mechanism (ECM) is an innovative policy tool to deal with environmental challenges in the context of the coordinated development of environment and economy. In this study, we utilize a difference-in-differences method to examine the impact of the ECM in Dongjiang River Basin. We collect the law enforcement monitoring data of key environmental supervision units from the Jiangxi Provincial Department of Ecology and Environment, and quantify the impact of the ECM on the sewage discharge of key polluting enterprises. The results show that the implementation of the Ecological Compensation Mechanism in Dongjiang River Basin reduces the concentration of biochemical oxygen demand (about 12.48 mg/L) and suspended solids (about 6.07 mg/L) in the wastewater discharged by polluting enterprises. There is significant heterogeneity in the effect of this policy in areas with different population sizes. The implementation of the policy has a more significant effect on the pollution reduction in low-population areas. This study provides a reference for the government to optimize the formulation of compensation standards and compensation forms, and to enhance the enthusiasm of enterprises to participate through incentive measures, so as to promote the ecological governance of the Dongjiang River Basin and realize the coordinated development of economy and ecological environment. |
| Keywords: | Environmental Economics and Policy |
| Date: | 2025 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:aaea25:360752 |
| By: | Tian, Xiaohui; Tang, Yifang; Guo, Yifeng; Liu, Pengfei |
| Abstract: | As solar photovoltaic (PV) infrastructure expands rapidly across rural China, its economic implications for local communities have attracted increasing attention. This study provides a high-resolution, micro-level analysis of the impact of PV deployment on rural household income and energy use. We link nationally representative household panel data with satellite imaging data on PV sites between 2010 and 2022 to construct a time-varying measure of PV density within a 1–10 km radius of 381 villages. Using two-way fixed effects and a continuous-treatment difference-in-differences design, we find that PV deployment within a 3–5 km radius significantly increases household disposable income by approximately 8% and raises essential fuel expenditure by about 11%. These effects attenuate with distance from the PV sites. Heterogeneity analysis shows that the fuel expenditure effect is more pronounced among poor households, those located in heating regions, and households using clean or electric heating equipment. We find no significant differences in impact by income level, administrative poverty status, or agricultural income dependence, which provide important insights into the distributive consequences of rural energy transitions. The findings offer empirical evidence to support the design of equitable, spatially targeted PV development policies in developing regions. |
| Keywords: | Resource/Energy Economics and Policy |
| Date: | 2025 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:aaea25:361211 |
| By: | Son Thi Kim Le; Laurent Scaringella (Rennes SB - Rennes School of Business) |
| Abstract: | Literature on innovation has identified specific innovation patterns under scarcity conditions. This research investigates organizational and business environment factors that could be predictors of Jugaad-driven innovation to gain insight into the mechanisms of how resourceconstrained firms can innovate following an informally recognized innovation paradigm. In particular, we explore the drivers of self-constructed innovation-a form of Jugaad-driven innovation among small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in resource-constrained environments in developing countries. Using quantitative analysis of 2929 Vietnamese SMEs, we investigate how resource scarcities, social networking, and absorptive capacity influence the emergence of self-constructed innovation. Our findings reveal that weak infrastructure plays a significant role in triggering self-constructed innovation, whereas capital and human resource constraints do not show a significant effect. Additionally, we find that strong social networking and higher absorptive capacity enhance SMEs' ability to access external knowledge and develop selfconstructed innovations. The study also highlights that self-constructed innovation primarily emerges as a cost-effective, non-R&D alternative for firms facing resource limitations, reinforcing its strong connection with bricolage and frugal innovation. By examining the combined influence of external knowledge sources and internal capabilities, this study contributes to the literature on non-R&D innovation management, in particular Jugaad innovation and responds to the call for further research on innovation networks in developing economies. The findings offer valuable insights for policymakers and managers seeking to support SME innovation under resource constraints. |
| Keywords: | Developing country, Social networking, Absorptive capacity, Scarcity |
| Date: | 2025–07–11 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:journl:hal-05411228 |
| By: | Arteaga, Julian; Deininger, Klaus |
| Abstract: | As with most agricultural inputs, the optimal use of fertilizer leverages the production complementarities between different types of nutrients. Wide variation in the intensity of nutrient application rates suggests there are potentially large productivity gains to be had from rebalancing fertilizer use across nutrient types even under a fixed expenditure budget. Using detailed information on a large sample of rice fields across three states in eastern India, this paper investigates whether a more balanced use of fertilizer—measured as the ratio of potash to nitrogen applied to a field—can lead to higher yields and revenues. To address the endogeneity of fertilizer application decisions, the analysis exploits the fact that nitrogen-based fertilizers demanded by Indian farmers are mostly produced domestically in a limited number of manufacturing plants, while all potash-based fertilizers must be imported by ship from abroad. Instrumenting for the ratio of potassium-to-nitrogen fertilizer applied on a field with the relative travel distances between farmers’ villages and both the nearest urea production plant and the nearest international port, the paper estimates the impact of more balanced fertilizer use on yields and revenues. The estimates show that at median levels of fertilizer use, and keeping the level of expenditure on fertilizers constant, rebalancing fertilizer application choices such that the potassium-to-nitrogen ratio of fertilizer is doubled would lead to a 4.8 percent increase in yield. |
| Keywords: | International Development |
| Date: | 2025 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:aaea25:361015 |
| By: | Toshiyuki Uemura (School of Economics, Kwansei Gakuin University) |
| Abstract: | This study analyzes donation price competition between leader local governments with strong brand power and follower local governments with weak brand power, where multiple local governments offer similar local products as reciprocal gifts under the hometown tax donation (Furusato Nozei) system in Japan. We construct a strategic price competition model in which the strategic variables are donation prices and the timing of decision-making is sequential, with some governments acting first and others acting second in the presence of the brand externalities of reciprocal gifts. Based on a theoretical model grounded in household utility maximization and local governments' net donation revenue maximization, we formulate donation price reaction functions and demonstrate the policy implications for surplus through a comparative static analysis. To validate this theoretical model, we estimate donation demand functions using spatial econometric analysis. In an analysis targeting governments in Hokkaido offering reciprocal gifts with the well-known Hokkaido brand, the coefficients indicating complementarity between reciprocal gifts are significant due to brand externalities. Consistent with the theoretical model's assumptions, the empirical analysis also suggests the existence of leader governments, confirming the structure of strategic price competition, where the donation price of leader governments influences that of follower governments. The contributions of this study lie in its theoretical model of strategic price competition for the hometown tax donation system, comparative static analysis, and empirical verification of the existence of leader governments using spatial econometric analysis based on the haversine distance. We find that strengthening the brand power of reciprocal gifts is crucial for gaining a surplus. |
| Keywords: | Strategic price competition, Brand externalities, Spatial econometric analysis |
| JEL: | H71 H72 H77 |
| Date: | 2026–01 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:kgu:wpaper:305 |
| By: | Poudel, Dixit; Gopinath, Munisamy |
| Abstract: | While road infrastructure is widely recognized as a driver of economic development, can it also aid in disaster resilience? This paper investigates whether India’s national highway corridors—the Golden Quadrilateral and the North-South and East-West—can buffer production losses from extreme floods in informal manufacturing. Motivated by a structural model of disaster resilience at the plant level, the study examines the effects of dual and staggered treatments: floods and roads. It combines geospatially matched, staggered flood exposure data from the Dartmouth Flood Observatory with phased highway rollout timelines from the National Highways Authority of India and repeated cross-section survey data (1990–2016) on Indian informal manufacturing. Exploiting quasi-random variation in the timing of flood exposure and road construction, the study implements a stacked difference-in-differences design, matching treated districts to future treated counterparts. Results show that floods significantly reduce both gross output and value added, while highway access counteracts those losses. Plants located directly on completed highway segments nearly neutralize the average 7 percent flood-related output loss, benefiting from both higher output and lower input expenditures—labor, materials, and energy. These effects are magnified for plants that own transport equipment, highlighting a complementarity between internal logistics and external infrastructure. Off-highway plants exhibit similar resilience only when they possess transport assets, enabling access to distant road networks. Overall, the findings reveal that roads are not only engines of development but also critical enablers of resilience. Designing infrastructure with this dual function—development and resilience—is essential for building a climate-smart and resilient informal production economy. |
| Keywords: | International Development |
| Date: | 2025 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:aaea25:360978 |
| By: | Selvaraju, Sangeeth |
| Abstract: | This policy brief analyses draft emissions intensity targets for the iron and steel sector in India, as set out in the recently introduced Carbon Credit Trading Scheme (CCTS), and discusses the implications for the broader trajectory of low-carbon steel policy. The carbon market is one key part of the policy package for low-carbon steel. |
| Keywords: | carbon credit; carbon trading; emissions intensity; India; iron and steel; manufacturing; steel |
| JEL: | N0 R14 J01 L81 |
| Date: | 2025–08–22 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ehl:lserod:130523 |
| By: | Economics Team, Verité Research; Abeysinghe, Subhashini; Arangala, Mathisha; Siriwardena, Dilushi; Meegoda, Malinda |
| Abstract: | Sri Lanka’s strategic location in the Indian Ocean has placed it at the centre of intensifying geopolitical competition and rivalry between China and India. This report examines Sri Lanka’s experience in balancing its own priorities and needs with the competing interests and concerns of India and China through the lens of project financing. It provides a data-driven understanding of the opportunities, challenges, and pitfalls that countries like Sri Lanka face by analysing the grants, loans, and investments made by China and India from 2000 to 2023. Drawing from these findings, the report also sheds light on safeguards countries like Sri Lanka can adopt to overcome the challenges and mitigate risks. The experience of Sri Lanka provides valuable insights and lessons for countries navigating similar dynamics that strive to manage strategic competition and rivalry between global and regional powers with their own development needs and priorities. |
| Keywords: | International Development |
| Date: | 2024–12–31 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:vererr:386158 |
| By: | Takashi Oshio; Satoshi Shimizutani; Akiko S. Oishi |
| Abstract: | We examined the heterogeneous impacts of social security reforms in Japan over the past 40 years. We utilize a nationwide large-scale micro-dataset to compute individual-level social security wealth (SSW) and mortality rates by lifetime earning groups. We found that SSW declined for all groups after the social security reforms, which aimed to reduce generosity; however, the size of the negative impact was larger for richer individuals. These results indicate that a series of recent social security reforms have reduced inequality in SSW. |
| JEL: | H30 I31 J14 |
| Date: | 2025–12 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:nbr:nberwo:34574 |
| By: | Mehrotra, Santosh (University of Bath); Sarkar, Kingshuk (affiliation not available) |
| Abstract: | India introduced sweeping legal changes on labour laws in late 2025, summarising 29 laws into 4 labour Codes. The Key Changes and Concerns Industrial Relations Raises the threshold for requiring government permission for layoffs/retrenchments from 100 to 300 workers, encouraging firms to avoid permanent employees; Introduces "sole negotiating union" requiring 51% worker support; Imposes 14-day notices and prohibitions during conciliation, making legal strikes impossible Wages: Introduces unclear "floor wage" concept without adequate distinction from minimum wage; Lacks mechanism for revising the basic wage component based on changing consumption patterns; Social Security: Maintains 10-worker threshold for provident funds and benefits, excluding most unorganized sector workers; Misses opportunity to universalize social security as a legislative right Occupational Safety: Covers only establishments with 10+ workers, excluding smaller workplaces; The codes represent missed opportunities for genuine labor reform, avoiding issues like job security, collective bargaining rights, fair minimum wages, gender discrimination, and social security - especially for majority of India's workforce in the informal sector. |
| Keywords: | labour law, India, occupational health, social security, minimum wages, industrial relations |
| JEL: | J08 J38 J52 J53 |
| Date: | 2025–12 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:iza:izapps:pp218 |
| By: | Kramer, Berber; Pattnaik, Subhransu; Ward, Patrick S.; Xu, Yingchen |
| Abstract: | Smallholder farmers are among the most vulnerable to extreme weather events due to high dependence on rainfed agriculture, constrained financial resources, and the absence of insurance and safety nets. Unable to meet the collateral and land title requirements set by credit bureaus, female farmers, tenant farmers, and sharecroppers are often turned away from borrowing, limiting their ability to expand production and invest in modern inputs. “KhetScore” is a novel digital credit-scoring approach that utilizes remote sensing and machine learning to assess creditworthiness based on the expected productivity of a plot rather than the profile of a borrower. Using a cluster randomized trial in two states of India, we evaluate the effect of KhetScore in unlocking farmers’ access to credit and the impact of bundling KhetScore credit with insurance in mitigating borrowing risks and protecting farmers from default. Results reveal that offering KhetScore credit alone significantly crowds in borrowing from formal sources without driving borrowers into indebtedness. We hypothesize that bundling KhetScore credit with insurance can additionally protect farmers from indebtedness, but we cannot speak to the effect due to few insurance payouts being triggered. Improved access to credit through KhetScore credit-scoring is found to be effective in expanding agricultural production mainly at the extensive margin through increasing the area cultivated, especially in the Rabi (dry) season when land is often left fallow due to limited access to irrigation. |
| Keywords: | International Development |
| Date: | 2025 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:aaea25:360984 |