Even as a number of developing countries have been able to reap the export opportunities presented by the rise of global value chains (GVCs), Nepal's export performance remains dismal. This paper examines the challenges and constraints faced by manufacturing small and medium-sized enterprises...

The objective of this paper is twofold. First, it examines the effects of the implementation of trade facilitation (TF) measures on international trade flows and on participation in global value chains (GVCs). Second, it provides policy recommendations for developing Asia and the Pacific derived...

This paper aims to provide a non-technical explanation of the concept of trade in value added, with particular reference to East Asia. The trade in value added approach allows us to redefine the relationship between countries of origin and destination in international trade, and thereby...

This paper extends the global sourcing model with informal labor, which spawns reputation and legal costs for violating the rules and regulations imposed on foreign firms regarding accessing informal labor under integration. Under these circumstances, foreign firms, facing a higher cost than...

Under the pressure of the COVID-19 pandemic, many countries responded with various trade measures to prevent shortages of essential goods and ensure product quality and safety. COVID-19 trade measures were used to facilitate or restrict trade performance across countries, then increase or...

Free trade agreements (FTAs) have proliferated in East Asia in recent years. As of December 2008, eight bilateral FTAs and one plurilateral FTA involving Japan have entered into force; additional negotiations are ongoing with several more countries. The proliferation of FTAs in Japan and other...

The spread of regional trade agreements (RTAs) in Southeast Asia has ignited a debate about their impact on business, and ways to avoid raising the business costs from the Asian 'noodle bowl' effect. This paper undertakes a comparative and firm-level analysis of the impact of RTAs in Indonesia,...