This study addresses three questions that arise in Asia when formulating, financing, implementing, and maintaining transnational linkages versus purely domestic connections. Firstly, how is optimal economic space to be defined as a useful starting point? Secondly, how can relevant criteria be...

Policy in Pakistan has been fairly path-dependant, placing a higher weight on export promotion and domestic industrialisation development than on domestic commerce. Yet domestic commerce is growing rapidly, and quite possibly is the largest sector in the economy. This paper argues that a more...

This study investigates regional and ethnic inequality in Indonesia from five dimensions : access to education and health facilities, education outcome, health outcome, voice, as well as income and consumption. We believe this is the first comprehensive study that looks at ethnic inequality in...

To make Asia more economically sustainable and resilient against external shocks, regional economies need to be rebalanced toward regional demand- and trade-driven growth through increased regional connectivity. The effectiveness of connectivity depends on the quality of hard and soft...

Among the important issues debated in the current phase pertaining to the agricultural sector include the expectations about the next technological phase and the efficiency parameters during the current phase. Growing population as well as income enhances the demand for agricultural products and...

Among the important issues debated in the current phase pertaining to the agricultural sector include the expectations about the next technological phase and the efficiency parameters during the current phase. Growing population as well as income enhances the demand for agricultural products and...

There is indeed a strong opportunity for South Asian countries to benefit from intensifying regional ties. As a regional policy dialogue becomes stronger and barriers are gradually eliminated, or at least substantially reduced, economic integration will intensify in the next decade or two. This...

Thailand is a middle-income country with per capita income of 134,343 baht or US$3,887 in 2007.1 It was once an agrarian economy, but with the pace of development, its economy now relies more on industry and services. As a result, employment in these sectors has been increasing. With the move...

ILOs initiative to assess the impact of the financial crisis on employment and labour market of South Asian economies and develop alternative policy responses to mitigate the adverse social effects of the crisis on the world of work, especially the vulnerable groups, is timely and addresses a...

This paper provides structural estimates of heterogeneous returns to work experience for Japanese married women. A dynamic model of labor force participation is used to account for dynamic self-selection into employment. Heterogeneity is incorporated into the model in a way that allows for the...