In a case study of Taiwan's tea industry during the Japanese colonial period, we identify an important function of middlemen: sorting. The transaction cost saved by the intermediary due to sorting is shown to be empirically significant. We also study other services provided by tea middlemen,...

This article looks back at the relationship between Australia and China, particularly following the normalisation of relations in 1972.

This paper studies the relationship between operational costs and state ownership in Indian railways between 1874 and 1912. We find the move to state ownership significantly decreased working expenses. The cost declines are not driven by anticipation effects, changes in reporting standards, or...

Recognizing the significant role that energy plays on growth, the South Asian countries are beginning to focus on their energy issues and formulate common energy policies. The SAARC Energy Center (SEC) was established in 2005 to address energy challenges in the South Asian region. In this paper...

Trade statistics portray China as the largest exporter of high-tech products. This paper demonstrates that China's leading position in high-tech exports is a myth created by outdated trade statistics, which are inconsistent with trade based on global supply chains. Current trade statistics...

The paper is a study of a rather recent regional interstate formation in Asia, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. Its background and progress is highlighted. With all indications, the organisation has caught the attention of researchers and will continue to occupy the agenda of the 21st...

The present paper is an attempt to examine the volatility in the individual stocks listed at NSE using daily closing prices of 29 selected companies. The companies have been selected from the list of S&P CNX Nifty covering the period from 1996-97 to 2006-07. The data have been analyzed by...

This work enters into the topic of one of the world´s most increasing economy, the economy of China. It will treat the question, how a country, hence a political system which was such closed and had a quite small economical standard and growth rate was able to improve in a tremendous way. This...

The current paper intends to analyze both the current and the emerging trends of the transportation of energy resources in the regions of Middle East and Central Asia. The means of land and sea transportation are examined in the light of both the financial changes and the geopolitics. Oil and...

The purpose of the study is to study the factors affecting the behavior and the demand for using buses between Bangkok and other provinces. This study examines the four main factors affecting the number of passengers. The factors consist of i) personal factors, ii) social factors, iii) carrier...