Although Asia has been the world engine of economic growth since World War II, growth rates have differed sharply among the countries of the region. Still, all Asian countries have experienced some degree of growth limitation. Japan is facing the crucial issue of a quickly aging and shrinking population, a situation that South Korea is bound to face in the near future too. China, which still enjoys relatively high growth rates, is dealing with an exhaustion of its export-led growth model based on low wages, as well as huge and unprecedented environmental problems. In addition, food supply is still a concern for most Asian countries in spite of huge increases in productivity in the agricultural sector, the main reason being that global demand for food products has been increasing at an even higher speed. This edited collection focuses on the policies – at the macroeconomic level – and strategies – at the micro-meso economic levels – that need to be deployed in order to overcome the limits to growth in a post-global financial crisis and export-led growth context. It will be of interest to all scholars of economics, management and the political sciences who work on the economies of East Asia, and also to all those who work on the theme of 'transition economies'.

Multinationals and East Asian Integration

Adopting an international business perspective, this book presents new core concepts related to the management of relationships in Asia.

Both proponents and opponents of globalization assume it is a process that sweeps across national borders. Indeed, over the last twenty years, the key features of globalization provide prima facie evidence for this conventional wisdom. Dramatic developments in information and communications technology, the rise of global companies and production networks, the unstoppable internationalization of financial markets, and the deregulation and privatization of service sectors are all important examples of how this process unfolds in its raw form. Nevertheless, the increase in regional economic activity is another striking feature of this process. As multinational corporations extend their global reach, regional networks also emerge in the global trading system. Globalization therefore does not only mean a global convolution of economies, but could also lead to a spatial concentration of economic activity. All through the 1990s and at the beginning of the new century, East Asia experienced numerous structural changes leading to interesting market developments. South Korea’s rise to developed country status, the integration of the Southeast Asian economies, and the rise of China have made this region the manufacturing center of the global economy. Considering the economic importance of Japan and the other East Asian nations in the world, the crucial questions that arise include: What are the linkages between the global strategies of multinational corporations and their regional business operations? Why do subregional strategies emerge, especially recently to take advantage of China as a production base and market? Are the modern business practices in a multinational corporation’s home country easily transferred to their overseas operations and are they readily absorbed by local employees? Finally, which strategic directions are Japanese, American, East Asian and European enterprises going in this important business area of the world? To answer these questions, this book takes a closer look at several structural features of the East Asian economy and the corporate and business strategies of multinational corporations. The volume assembles up-to-date research by a number of European, Australian and Japanese scholars, and presents analysis of various business aspects of regional strategies in a global economy.

This collection explores the expansion of Japanese multinational firms into Asia, a process which paralleled the region's growth as a major economic region. The contributors discuss a wide range of topics, including the reasons for moving manufacturing to other countries, the flow of trade between Japan and these countries, technology transfer within firms, the impact of Japanese management practices in other Asian countries, and competition between Japanese and American firms in Asia.

This is a comprehensive examination of the role of foreign direct investment in East Asia before and after the financial crisis of mid-1997.

Analysing the role of multinational investors in emerging Asian economies and the implications for regional economic integration, this astute study examines the increasing role being played by Asian countries in the global economy. Encompassing a large number of diverse manufacturing and service sectors, this book highlights the cultural and strategic challenges faced by multinational investors in the region in which they invest. It shows that despite high rates of economic growth in Asian countries presenting multinational traders and investors with unparalleled market opportunities, there have been only tentative moves towards regional economic integration. Areas such as trade facilitation, uniform customs clearance, removal of non-tariff barriers and labour deployment issues are yet to be adequately addressed.