The integraton by trade and FDI of emerging economies: The ASEAN example

The paper investigates the role of regionalization and regional identity in the endeavours of emerging economies to connect successfully to the global world economy. It addresses the question of whether the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), with its loose institutional integration framework, has contributed to the global integration of its very heterogenous members in the first decade of the 21st century – and, if so, what are the drivers behind this. The paper summarizes connecting theories, using a multidisciplinary approach, and uses descriptive statistical analysis to identify the achievements of the ASEAN-6 countries within global trade and foreign direct invesment (FDI) flows in the given time period. We suggest that ASEAN countries, with their efforts to initiate interconnecting regional organizations in Asia, most specifically the ASEAN+3 (APT) construction, did contribute to greater integratedness of member countries; and they have created a regional image with a common market and production base. Such achievements, however, can be in great part attributed to the micro-level activities of international and regional firms wishing to establish cross-border production networks in these countries.

Brazil and India: two BRICs as a building bloc for South-South cooperation""

Includes Bibliography

A expansão para o Oeste: a Parceria Transpacífica sob a perspectiva dos Estados Unidos

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

A expansão para o Oeste: a Parceria Transpacífica sob a perspectiva dos Estados Unidos

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Recent trends in Asian integration and Japanese participation

In East Asia, de facto integration is taking place because Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) and Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) are flourishing in the region. ASEAN aims to form an ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) by 2015 with the completion of the ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA). Surrounding countries have been competing with each other to forge FTAs or EPAs with ASEAN, including China, Japan, Korea, Australia and New Zealand, and India. As a result, ASEAN has become a trading hub in East Asia. Bilateral FTAs/EPAs are also partly in place among 16 countries (ASEAN + 6). These economic ties in trade, services and investment are accelerating this region’s development as the world’s largest production base and biggest consumption market, helping to turn around the global recession in the aftermath of the so-called Lehman Shock. However, some problems also need to be pointed out in the East Asian integration such as the spaghetti bowl effect, severe competition, labor issues, environmental destruction and power struggles.

The integration by trade and FDI of emerging economies: The Asian example

The paper investigates the role of regionalization and regional identity in the endeavours of emerging economies to connect successfully to the global world economy. It addresses the question of whether the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), with its loose institutional integration framework, has contributed to the global integration of its very heterogenous members in the first decade of the 21st century – and, if so, what are the drivers behind this. The paper summarizes connecting theories, using a multidisciplinary approach, and uses descriptive statistical analysis to identify the achievements of the ASEAN-6 countries within global trade and foreign direct invesment (FDI) flows in the given time period. We suggest that ASEAN countries, with their efforts to initiate interconnecting regional organizations in Asia, most specifically the ASEAN+3 (APT) construction, did contribute to greater integratedness of member countries; and they have created a regional image with a common market and production base. Such achievements, however, can be in great part attributed to the micro-level activities of international and regional firms wishing to establish cross-border production networks in these countries.

Developing a new index for comparing road safety maturity: Case study of the ASEAN community

As part of the development of the ASEAN Regional Road Safety Strategy, a new index for measuring road safety maturity (RSM) was constructed from numerical weightings given to measurable factors presented for each of the pillars that guide national road safety plans and activities in WHO Global Road Safety Report 2013: road safety management, safer road and mobility, safer vehicles, safer road users and post-crash response. The index is based on both a content analysis approach and a binary methodology (report/no report) including measures which have been considered pertinent and not redundant. For instance, the use of random breath testing and/or police checkpoints in the national drink driving law are combined in the enforcement index. The value of the index per pillar ranges from 0 to 100%, taking into account whether there is total, partial or non-implementation of certain actions. In addition, when possible, the self-rated level of enforcement is included. The overall ratings for the I 0 ASEAN countries and the scores for each of the pillars are presented in the paper. The extent to which the RSM index is a valid indicator of road safety performance is also discussed.

Incidencia de la política "desarrollo pacífico" en las relaciones de china y la ASEAN. Una aproximación desde la soberanía de las islas Spratly, 2004 – 2012

El interés de este trabajo es el de analizar la Política Exterior de la Republica Popular China, más específicamente la conocida como Desarrollo Pacífico, y su incidencia en las disputas territoriales del Sudeste Asiático. El trabajo se dividirá en 3 partes, donde cada una tratara distintos aspectos del Desarrollo Pacífico, y través del mismo se explicará como por medio de distintos conceptos se pueden entender las múltiples posiciones chinas, así como las preocupaciones de los países que conforman el bloque ASEAN. El propósito de este documento será demostrar que a pesar de que dicha política ha ayudado de forma sustancial a mejorar las relaciones entre ambos bandos y ha traído bastantes beneficios políticos, no ha sido suficiente para eliminar la tensión en la zona y dar una solución a las disputas que se viven.

Incidencia del proyecto “ASEAN community” en el desarrollo humano de Tailandia (2004-2014)

Esta investigación se interesa en evaluar los logros y retos que ha presentado el proyecto ASEAN Community en cada una de sus tres áreas de acción (Comunidad económica, comunidad de política y seguridad, y comunidad socio-cultural) ante su aplicación en Tailandia. De esta manera, se busca analizar la incidencia que ha tenido el proyecto en el Desarrollo Humano de Tailandia durante el periodo 2004-2014. A través del análisis del estatus actual a la luz del concepto de libertades instrumentales se realiza la evaluación de los resultados de los proyectos y su conveniencia o no para el desarrollo humano de la sociedad tailandesa.

Synthesis and characterization of K2Ca5(SO4)6· H2O, the equivalent of görgeyite, a rare evaporite mineral

Görgeyite, K2Ca5(SO4)6··H2O, is a very rare monoclinic double salt found in evaporites related to the slightly more common mineral syngenite. At 1 atmosphere with increasing external temperature from 25 to 150 °C, the following succession of minerals was formed: first gypsum and K2O, followed at 100 °C by görgeyite. Changes in concentration at 150 °C due to evaporation resulted in the formation of syngenite and finally arcanite. Under hydrothermal conditions, the succession is syngenite at 50 °C, followed by görgyeite at 100 and 150 °C. Increasing the synthesis time at 100 °C and 1 atmosphere showed that initially gypsum was formed, later being replaced by görgeyite. Finally görgeyite was replaced by syngenite, indicating that görgeyite is a metastable phase under these conditions. Under hydrothermal conditions, syngenite plus a small amount of gypsum was formed, after two days being replaced by görgeyite. No further changes were observed with increasing time. Pure görgeyite showed elongated crystals approximately 500 to 1000 µ m in length. The infrared and Raman spectra are mainly showing the vibrational modes of the sulfate groups and the crystal water (structural water). Water is characterized by OH-stretching modes at 3526 and 3577 cm–1 , OH-bending modes at 1615 and 1647 cm–1 , and an OH-libration mode at 876 cm–1 . The sulfate 1 mode is weak in the infrared but showed strong bands at 1005 and 1013 cm–1 in the Raman spectrum. The 2 mode also showed strong bands in the Raman spectrum at 433, 440, 457, and 480 cm–1 . The 3 mode is characterized by a complex set of bands in both infrared and Raman spectra around 1150 cm–1 , whereas 4 is found at 650 cm–1.

Technology strategy : findings from adoption and adaptation of Japanese manufacturing management (JMM) to ASEAN and Australasian automotive manufacturers

The purpose of this study is to demonstrate the appropriateness of “Japanese Manufacturing Management” (JMM) strategies in the Asian, ASEAN and Australasian automotive sectors. Secondly, the study assessed JMM as a prompt, effective and efficient global manufacturing management practice for automotive manufacturing companies to learn; benchmark for best practice; acquire product and process innovation, and enhance their capabilities and capacities. In this study, the philosophies, systems and tools that have been adopted in various automotive manufacturing assembly plants and their tier 1 suppliers in the three Regions were examined. A number of top to middle managers in these companies were located in Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Philippines, Viet Nam, and Australia and were interviewed by using a qualitative methodology. The results confirmed that the six pillars of JMM (culture change, quality at shop floor, consensus, incremental continual improvement, benchmarking, and backward-forward integration) are key enablers to success in adopting JMM in both automotive and other manufacturing sectors in the three Regions. The analysis and on-site interviews identified a number of recommendations that were validated by the automotive manufacturing company’s managers as the most functional JMM strategies.

Evaluation of polycaprolactone scaffold degradation for 6 months in vitro and in vivo

The use of polycaprolactone (PCL) as a biomaterial, especially in the fields of drug delivery and tissue engineering, has enjoyed significant growth. Understanding how such a device or scaffold eventually degrades in vivo is paramount as the defect site regenerates and remodels. Degradation studies of three-dimensional PCL and PCL-based composite scaffolds were conducted in vitro (in phosphate buffered saline) and in vivo (rabbit model). Results up to 6 months are reported. All samples recorded virtually no molecular weight changes after 6 months, with a maximum mass loss of only about 7% from the PCL-composite scaffolds degraded in vivo, and a minimum of 1% from PCL scaffolds. Overall, crystallinity increased slightly because of the effects of polymer recrystallization. This was also a contributory factor for the observed stiffness increment in some of the samples, while only the PCL-composite scaffold registered a decrease. Histological examination of the in vivo samples revealed good biocompatibility, with no adverse host tissue reactions up to 6 months. Preliminary results of medical-grade PCL scaffolds, which were implanted for 2 years in a critical-sized rabbit calvarial defect site, are also reported here and support our scaffold design goal for gradual and late molecular weight decreases combined with excellent long-term biocompatibility and bone regeneration. (C) 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res 90A: 906-919, 2009

Year 6 students' idiosyncratic notions of unitising, reunitising and regrouping decimal number places

Having flexible notions of the unit (e.g., 26 ones can be thought of as 2.6 tens, 1 ten 16 ones, 260 tenths, etc.) should be a major focus of elementary mathematics education. However, often these powerful notions are relegated to computations where the major emphasis is on "getting the right answer" thus procedural knowledge rather than conceptual knowledge becomes the primary focus. This paper reports on 22 high-performing students' reunitising processes ascertained from individual interviews on tasks requiring unitising, reunitising and regrouping; errors were categorised to depict particular thinking strategies. The results show that, even for high-performing students, regrouping is a cognitively complex task. This paper analyses this complexity and draws inferences for teaching.