This paper tests whether local financial development matters for SMEs' growth performance. We develop a theoretical model framework based on banks' and firms' profit-maximizing behavior that critically hinges upon credit default risk ratio. We argue that an expansion of branch network would...

This paper analyzes a unique case of default risks and associated factors of a solar home system (SHS) program in Bangladesh and, within that context, proposes a theoretical market-based solution to finance a renewable energy (RE) program. The paper first develops a theoretical framework that...

This paper assesses the role of the Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation (BSCIC) in the cluster-based development of SMEs over time using firm-level survey data, as well as critically examining the institutional impact on the industrialization process in Bangladesh. The role of...

As Bangladesh is a densely populated and land-scarce country, a land trust method can be applied in order to ensure productive and sustainable land management. We argue that land trust can be applied to managing agricultural land, khas land, real estate, and a delta in a sustainable manner in...

While discussing the enhancement of the connectivity between Europe and Asia, this policy paper explores a new area of cooperation, which is the use of European long-term investment funds in Asia's infrastructure. We argue that, if Asian countries agree to offer 50% of their spillover revenue to...

As an alternative clean and climate-friendly energy source, renewable energy has gained increased importance in government policies, in particular regarding the use of sun power to operate irrigation projects. Researchers have found solar-power-based irrigation projects to be reliable,...