Michael G. Plummer – författare

As we enter the 2010s, the global economy is becoming increasingly integrated. International trade has been growing rapidly, an ostensibly irresistible trend that was only temporarily disrupted by the 2008-09 global recession. Globalization has become associated with a country's economic success while failure to open up markets is often viewed as a cause of economic stagnation. This is predicted by economic theory and verified by empirical investigations. One reason for the growth of trade is the impressive reduction of trade barriers over the past 60 years; namely the pursuit of liberal commercial policy by many countries, led by the United States. Yet, particularly with the economic malaise that has persisted since the Great Recession, the role of commercial policy has become increasingly controversial in the media and other public fora. The relationship between trade and employment, as well as the implications of trade for income distribution, are examples of profound influences on national economies that have provoked intensive debate in the public realm. These domestic effects go a long way towards explaining the widespread backlash against globalization that we have observed in recent years. This volume of contributions from some of the best-known international trade economists explores and analyzes the various aspects of commercial policy -- theoretical, empirical, and institutional -- in a way that standard texts in international economics do not. It does this via two sets of chapters: the first part covers general approaches to commercial policy, including theoretical, institutional, historical, and empirical contributions. Topics addressed include a general analysis of free trade compared to its alternatives, the future of the international trading system (including the regional trade agreement zeitgeist), trade's effects on employment, and the "special" case of agriculture. The second part is comprised of country-specific and regional applications, including case studies of key players in the international trading system (United States, the European Union, and Japan); small, open markets (Australia and Israel); large emerging markets (China and India); and a South-South regional grouping (the Association of Southeast Asian Nations).

With more than eighty chapters, this three-volume work – described by the current Director-General of the World Trade Organization as an "outstanding contribution" to understanding the world trading system – is by far the most comprehensive study yet undertaken of the WTO. The core of the book is the section on the legal framework of the WTO, which contains detailed legal analyses of the GATT 1994 and each of the specialized WTO agreements, as well as a discussion of the institutional framework of the WTO. The book also includes a number of chapters on the WTO dispute resolution process – a critical part of the world trading system – and on the growing phenomenon of regional trade agreements. In addition, the book contains sections discussing important political aspects of the WTO, such as the relationship between trade and the environment, labor, and human rights. A section on economic issues includes chapters analyzing the economic aspects of such critical issues as anti-dumping, safeguards, trade and the environment, and trade and labor. A series of country reports considers the WTO from the perspective of individual members and would-be members, ranging from the United States and the European Union to Mongolia.

ASEAN economic cooperation and integration have come a long way since the organisation's early days, when cooperation was more political and diplomatic than economic in nature. ASEAN now constitutes the most ambitious organisation of regional cooperation and integration in the developing world. This book investigates the economics of various ASEAN and ASEAN-centric economic integration initiatives, focusing in particular on the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC). In addition to assessing the potential effects of the AEC on the economies of the ten ASEAN member states via changes in trade, foreign direct investment and economic structure, this book underscores the implementation challenges ASEAN faces as it completes the AEC project. It also considers the AEC in the context of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). This comprehensive study is written for academic researchers and students, as well as for policy makers in ASEAN as they chart the future policy path of the region.

This book analyses how closer regional connectivity and economic integration between South Asia and Southeast Asia can benefit both regions. With a focus on the role played by infrastructure and public policies in facilitating this process, it provides a detailed and up-to-date discussion of issues, innovations, and progress. Country studies of national connectivity issues and policies cover Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand, examining major developments in trade and investment, economic cooperation, the role of economic corridors, and regional cooperation initiatives.Thematic chapters explore investment in land and sea transport infrastructure, trade facilitation, infrastructure investment financing, supporting national and regional policies, and model-based estimates of the benefits of integration. They also identify significant opportunities for strengthening these integration efforts as a result of the recent opening up of Myanmar in political, economic, and financial terms. For the first time for these regions, the book employs a state-of-the-art computable general equilibrium (CGE) model incorporating heterogeneous firms to estimate the advantages of integration.Providing perspective on the latest thinking on integration policy, Connecting Asia is an essential resource for academics, policymakers, and business people alike.Contributors: A. Bayley, T. Chalermpalanupap, K. Cheewatrakoolpong, S. Chirathivat, M.I. Chowdhury, M.I. Corpuz, P. De, H. Florento, J.-F. Gautrin, F. Hutchinson, B. Karmacharya, R. Mishra, K.G. Moazzem, P.J. Morgan, N. Perera, M.G. Plummer, M. Rahman, P.B. Rana, S. Ray, F. Sehrin, T.M.M. Than, M. Thuzar, D. Weerakoon, D. Wignall, M. Wignall, G. Wignaraja, F. Zhai

Economic integration, both within Asia and around the world, has had a major impact on the economies of the Asia-Pacific. NAFTA, the European Union, and ASEAN have determined the course of foreign direct investment, development, trade and policy making throughout the region. The editors of this volume have chosen 14 articles that best represent their work in this area over the past decade. They examine the major issues and future course of integration and offer recommendations for the future success of developing economies in an increasingly dependent world. The book is divided into three sections. The first offers the reader an overview of the chapters and an historical review of ASEAN integration. The second section considers the effects on Asian countries of regional integration in Europe and North America. The final section considers integration within the Asian economies themselves. Together, they reveal a complex and varied series of causes and effects. It also leads to three important policy conclusions that will need to be considered in charting the course of regional economic development in the twenty-first century.Researchers and students in Economics and international business and anyone interested in economic integration and Asian development will find this collection to be very useful.

Questions related to the economics of regionalism became increasingly important beginning in the late 1980s, when regional groupings started to become very popular as a tool of commercial policy. The goal of this book is to address the question of whether or not regionalism in developed countries has truly benefited developing countries and to what degree regionalism among developing countries and between developed and developing countries will improve economic development prospects. Mordechai Kreinin and Michael Plummer consider the implications of the emerging global trend of economic regionalism for developing countries. The analysis focuses on the trade and investment effects of integration in developed countries on developing countries, as well as the ramifications of regional integration in the latter. After an extensive review of the theoretical and empirical literature pertinent to the economics of regionalism, the book considers the ex-post trade and direct-foreign-investment effects of the Single Market Program in Europe and NAFTA, followed by chapters on ASEAN and economic integration in Latin America, primarily MERCOSUR. The study suggests three salient conclusions. First, in designing preferential trading arrangements, developed countries should recognize and attempt to minimize the possible discriminating effect on developing countries. Second, the developing countries have an abiding interest in the success of WTO negotiations that would minimize the discrimination against them of regional groupings in Europe and North America. And third, any customs unions or free-trade areas among the developing countries themselves should be outward-looking if they are to enhance the welfare of developing countries.Economists and policy scholars, as well as readers interested in regionalism and economic development, will find this book a great resource.

Internationalization of the world economy has made trade a key factor in the growth potential of nearly every nation's economy. Hence, economists have become increasingly interested in the determinants of international trade and competitiveness. Empirical Methods in International Trade captures the many aspects of this trend in globalization through practical techniques well-founded in economic theory.The authors, comprising some of the most influential applied international economists of their generation, use cutting-edge models to develop empirical approaches to critical aspects of economic interchange. These approaches are developed and explained carefully with the goal of making them accessible to a wide audience. Topics include: inter alia, labor markets and trade, regional economic integration, measures of national competitiveness and export similarity, aspects of the WTO and NAFTA, trade pattern persistence, trade in services, and various case studies applied to East Asia.Professors and students of international economics will find this volume a valuable addition to their library, as will policymakers dealing with economic issues of international scope.

The Enterprise for ASEAN Initiative (EAI), as envisaged in 2002 by the Bush administration, is set to be a landmark in U.S.-ASEAN trade relations. This study provides a detailed background and a map to the unfolding negotiations. It includes: a detailed review of the U.S.-ASEAN economic relationship, beginning with coverage of the U.S.-ASEAN trade in goods globally and ending with an in-depth analysis of the changing structure of bilateral trade in services; reviews of theories of FTAs and empirical testing of the economics of the EAI itself. Using the USSFTA as a reference point, this study identifies and highlights the special bilateral issues that will likely be involved in the ongoing EAI FTA negotiations. The EAI is considered in the context of a changing global, Asia-Pacific and sub-regional environment. Finally, the book makes a case for the EAI, focusing on policy motivations that is, as a defensive strategy for ASEAN and a proactive commercial policy approach for the United States - as well as a strategic imperative for both. ""The Economics of the Enterprise for ASEAN Initiative"" is intended to inform governmental and non-governmental policy-makers, trade analysts, economists and researchers who need to have a comprehensive guide to this major trade initiative.

Regional economic integration has become a key force in international commercial policy in the 2000s. Europe has traditionally embraced regionalism; the United States became actively involved in preferential trading arrangements only in the 1980s. While Asia has been late in accepting formal regional economic integration accords, all Asian countries are now in the process of creating various free-trade areas and other forms of economic integration programs, and some are already in place. This volume analyzes the regionalism trend from an Asian perspective. It considers the lessons from, and the economic implications of, various economic integration programs in the OECD (mostly the EU but also NAFTA), as well as the proposals for closer economic integration in the region itself. Chapters deal with both real and financial integration issues.

Given the rapid emergence of regional economic arrangements in Asia, especially in Southeast Asia, it is useful to understand clearly what regionalism implies for the region, as well as to take stock as to the far-reaching and complicated effects of formal economic cooperation and integration. This book allows the reader to better understand the relevant international policies of the Southeast Asian economies, and to appreciate the potential lessons for other developing regions. It also focuses on the regionalism trend with an explicit application to ASEAN, as well as the implications of regionalism in the developed countries.The goal of this book is to survey the economics and political economy of regionalism in the ASEAN context from a variety of perspectives and using various techniques, from standard economic analysis of preferential trading arrangements to the political economy analysis of institutions. Its approach is comprehensive in that it includes ASEAN economic integration in the areas of trade, foreign direct investment, and finance. Presentation of the material is designed to be accessible to non-technical audiences without sacrificing the rigor expected by economists and other experts.

This book provides new insights for policy debates on how to strengthen the gains from trade for innovation through an inclusive trading environment that facilitates access to knowledge for all. Rising economic nationalism, especially in the United States, creates new challenges to an enlightened globalization agenda.The US government has withdrawn from the Transpacific Partnership agreement (TPP) that once was considered to be the gold standard of megaregionalism, suggesting the need to highlight once again the critical role that international trade and investment play in fostering sustainable growth and prosperity. Fostering innovation and facilitating the links between trade and innovation are becoming increasingly important for developed and developing economies alike. But equally important are economic policies to ensure that gains and losses from trade for innovation are shared by all.This book is a must read for trade economists, innovation economists, trade negotiators, trade lawyers, and academicians interested in current transformations in the global economy and their impact on innovation and economic growth.