Academia Studies in Asian Economies series – serie

Food security can be defined as the perceived availability of a high-quality, domestically-produced staple food supply which will maintain the existing standard of living. This book provides a forum for a panel of distinguished authors to debate such issues as whether or not many developed countries in Asia – such as Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, China, Hong Kong and Singapore – have legitimate concerns about their food security. They find, controversially, that this issue is of importance to all countries, not just to developing countries lacking the income to acquire an adequate food supply.The authors analyse the forces affecting the demand for, and supply of, staples such as rice, vegetable oils and protein meals. Rice is the most important staple in Asia and so the authors pay particular attention to the effects of rice production strategies and trade policies on food security. They examine the implications of trade liberalisation in the ASEAN free trade area and in East Asia on agricultural trade and food security. They also discuss the implications of China’s ongoing economic transition on its intra-provincial and international agricultural trade, and its policy on self-sufficiency.Food Security in Asia provides a timely evaluation of the food security issue which will be of interest to scholars of Asian studies, agricultural economics and international economics.

Currently developed countries pay much more attention to harmfully addictive substances than developing countries. However, the experience of developed countries is very relevant to the developing world since substance abuse is likely to impose a continually increasing burden of disease in this region in the near future. This book extends the frontiers of research on the economics of substance use and abuse in a variety of extremely significant ways. It focuses on the determinants and consequences of the consumption of cigarettes, alcohol, betel quid, and illicit drugs in the United States, Great Britain and Taiwan. The authors use a variety of empirical techniques to examine the roles of price, advertising, risk perception, time preference and forward-looking behaviour in consumption decisions and the effects of these decisions on labour market outcomes, unintended pregnancies and criminal violence.Economic Analysis of Substance Use and Abuse will be required reading for scholars of economic development and health economics.

Following on from their previous book Economic Efficiency and Productivity Growth in the Asia-Pacific Region, the authors in this volume analyse the economic performance of many of the major economies in the Asia-Pacific region including Taiwan, Thailand, Singapore, Korea, Indonesia, Hong Kong, China and Japan. They examine economic and productivity growth, competitiveness and efficiency developments in the region. An introductory essay by the editors surveys recent economic developments in the region whilst introducing and cohesively integrating the chapters that follow. The studies employ a variety of modern analytical constructs and empirical techniques of open economy growth accounting as well as the measurement of productivity change, technical change and economic efficiency. A number of the chapters examine the entire region while others focus exclusively on a nation or industry. Several chapters study the causes and consequences of the financial crises in the region in 1997 from a recent historical perspective.This book will be of special interest to scholars of economic growth and its determinants as well as all those interested in Asian studies.

In order to control ever-increasing health care expenditure, Western and Asian countries are seeking to develop more efficient health care models. Studies on health care that focus specifically on Asian countries are rare, rendering this a unique and welcome addition to the literature. This book presents quantitative research on various aspects of health care reform and health policy in Asia-Pacific countries such as China, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and the US - nations diverse in their economic development, social demographic structure and health care expenditures. The book's main topic for discussion is the role of both government and health insurers in funding health care. The implementation of community-based, supplemental and national health insurance is explored, as are grants and the financing of hospitals and care for the elderly. The effectiveness of education as an input to health investment and the rehabilitation of patients are also examined. Aiming to close the gap between the existing economics research and the rapid pace of the development of Asian health care markets, this unique and timely book is a must read for policymakers, researchers, academics and students with a special interest in health economics, policies and services.

Monetary Policy and Taiwan's Economy questions whether the Asian crisis could have been avoided through the application of recommendations highlighted by the contributors. The conclusion reached is that in an abstract world, perhaps; but in the world in which we live; no. It is argued that the proposals made could certainly contribute to improved policy, albeit effecting marginal improvements rather than ground breaking changes.The contributors demonstrate that proficient monetary policy and banking regulation can be achieved through sound economic analysis that takes into account:monetary aggregates in monetary policythe role of exchange rate policies in the Asian crisisthe relationship between the exchange rate, capital flows and central bank interventionsimilarities between the restructuring of banking systems in Asia and in Eastern Europe following the fall of communism.This book will appeal to academics and researchers of macroeconomics - especially those with a particular interest in monetary theory and policy. Economic analysts, commercial banks, financial institutions and specialists in financial crisis will also find the book to be a fascinating read.

This unique book examines the problem of global warming from the perspective of Asian Pacific countries. The unprecedented economic and demographic growth over the past two decades has increased the importance of the Asian Pacific region. It has become both a very large source of greenhouse gases as well as an important site to measure climate change impacts. Complex economic tools including computable general equilibrium models, international input-output models and engineering-economic models are used to assess the baseline emission levels and abatement costs for the economies examined. All outcomes suggest that abatement is possible, but will be expensive. The studies also suggest that the more energy efficient the economy, the higher the costs of further abatement. The book reveals how Asian countries in the tropics are more likely to be harmed than those in the temperate zone. Alternative strategies to mitigate carbon emissions such as energy conservation, emission permit trading, carbon tax, and carbon sequestration are examined to tackle the difficult problem of establishing effective policy tools to control warming in the Asian Pacific and the globe. While no single author provides a complete answer to this complex problem, all authors provide vital information and new ideas with which to fashion workable international and regional policies.Global Warming and the Asian Pacific is likely to be read by scholars and researchers of Asian studies, environmental and resource economics, as well as policymakers and those specifically involved in global warming research and policy.

Human Capital, Trade and Public Policy in Rapidly Growing Economies argues that only two centuries ago, no society had ever enjoyed sustained growth in living standards. The contributors to this book aim to discover why the world today exhibits a predilection for perpetual self-improvement.In particular, the book focuses on the forces underlying long-lasting growth in East Asia's Newly Industrialized Countries (NICs). Drawing from the experiences of Hong Kong, South Korea, Singapore and Taiwan, it questions whether public policy can contribute to removing barriers towards accumulation of wealth, and if so, what development policy should be put in place to remedy the existing distortions or market failure problems.Theoretical and empirical analyses are also used to broach other important issues, such as:Why do some economies experience growth while others decline?What are the major determinants of long-term growth and development?Is human capital the main driving force?Does international trade play a crucial role?This book will appeal to those with an interest in development and public policy.