Widespread Poverty Amidst High Economic Growth: Some Lessons from South Asia

2014 ◽  
pp. 143-169
Author(s):  
G. K. Chadha
Keyword(s):  
Economic Growth ◽  
South Asia

Has the Internet increased FDI, economic growth, and trade? Evidence from Asian economies

2021 ◽  
pp. 026666692199974
Author(s):  
Zi Hui Yin ◽  
Chang Hwan Choi
Keyword(s):  
Economic Growth ◽  
East Asia ◽  
South Asia ◽  
Internet Use ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Economic Factors ◽  
Vector Autoregressive ◽  
Western Asia ◽  
Asian Economies ◽  
Transaction Efficiency

This study examines the causal relationship between the Internet and economic factors in Asian economies between 1997 and 2017. The economic factors consist of gross domestic product (GDP), foreign direct investment (FDI), imports, and exports. A comparative analysis of East, South, and Western Asia was conducted using a panel vector autoregressive model. The findings show bidirectional causality between FDI and Internet use in South Asia, unidirectional causality from Internet use to FDI in East Asia, and unidirectional causality from FDI to Internet use in Western Asia. Moreover, the findings indicate unidirectional causality from exports to Internet use in East Asia and unidirectional causality from Internet use to exports in South Asia, but no impact in Western Asia. Finally, the results show unidirectional causality from Internet use to GDP in Western Asia. As these results suggest that Internet use has boosted economic performance in Asia, policy makers in the region should improve Internet use with a focus on economic growth, improving transaction efficiency, and facilitating foreign investment.

The Optimum Level of Income Inequality in South Asia: An Econometric Analysis

2021 ◽  
pp. 139156142110390
Author(s):  
Fahmida Khatun ◽  
Syed Yusuf Saadat
Keyword(s):  
Economic Growth ◽  
Income Inequality ◽  
Gross Domestic Product ◽  
South Asia ◽  
Gini Coefficient ◽  
Econometric Analysis ◽  
Domestic Product ◽  
Optimum Level ◽  
Capita Gross Domestic Product ◽  
Per Capita

Inequality in the distribution of income can be beneficial or detrimental for economic growth depending on the level of inequality. This study advocates that when income inequality is low, increase in income inequality increases economic growth, whereas when income inequality is high, increase in income inequality decreases economic growth. The level of inequality that maximizes economic growth is defined as the optimum level of income inequality. This article attempts to determine the optimum level of income inequality for South Asia through an econometric analysis. It uses panel data from Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, over a 34-year period to undertake a systematic investigation using panel instrumental variables techniques. The results of this study confirm that an optimum level of income inequality does exist, and occurs at a Gini coefficient value of 0.4492. Thus, this research empirically confirms that the relationship between income inequality and economic growth is non-linear. Further calculations show that for an economy that is at the optimum level of income inequality, the per capita gross domestic product can be expected to double within approximately 13 years, provided all other factors are held constant. However, a change in the Gini coefficient by 0.10 units in either direction—higher or lower—away from the optimum level, can increase the number of years for the per capita gross domestic product to double by 55 to 57 years, depending on the method of approximation. JEL: D31, D63, O15, O40

Urbanization and Socio-Economic Growth in South Asia Region

2018 ◽  
pp. 843-867
Author(s):  
Jyoti Chandiramani ◽  
Aanchal Airy
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Economic Growth ◽  
South Asia ◽  
Human Development ◽  
World Bank Report ◽  
The People ◽  
Sustainable Urbanization ◽  
The World ◽  
Large Investment

Urbanization in the South Asia Region (SAR) stood at 34% (2014) and is relatively sluggish when compared to that of the World at 54%. The World Urbanization Prospects (2014) and World Bank Report (2016) reveals that the future urbanization globally will be concentrated in Asia and predominantly in the select countries of SAR - Bangladesh, India and Pakistan. The chapter analyses the demographic and socio-economic characteristics of the select countries, which are indicative of the quality of life of citizens, benchmarking it with that of Asia and the world. The analysis reveals the slow, messy and hidden nature of urbanization in the region which is required to be addressed. The conclusions recommend large investment and policy imperatives which should bring about sustainable urbanization ensuring basic urban services resulting in improved demographics, Human Development Indices and other socio-economic characteristics of the people in the region.

Investigating the Role of Regional Economic Integration on Growth: Fresh Insights from South Asia

2020 ◽  
pp. 097491012097480
Author(s):  
Muhammad Ibrahim Shah
Keyword(s):  
Economic Growth ◽  
Human Capital ◽  
South Asia ◽  
South Asian ◽  
Economic Integration ◽  
Regional Integration ◽  
Policy Implications ◽  
Regional Economic Integration ◽  
Asian Countries ◽  
Regional Economic

Regional economic integration is the key to achieving prosperity and stability. However, intra-regional trade in South Asia accounts for not more than 5%–6% of their total trade. This study aims to examine the role played by regional economic integration in determining the economic growth of South Asian countries over the period 1980–2015. Since shocks in one country may affect another country in the region, this is taken into account in the article by employing methodologies that are robust to cross sectional dependence. Specifically, continuously-updated and bias-corrected (CupBC) of Bai et al. (2009) and Dumitrescu–Hurlin panel causality test (2012) have been employed to estimate long-run coefficients and determine the direction of relationship among the variables, respectively. The findings suggest that economic integration increases economic growth significantly in this region. However, contrary to popular belief, both democracy and human capital are negatively related to economic growth. Bidirectional causality is found between economic integration and democracy, regional integration and human capital, democracy and human capital and, democracy and labor. This study also presents several policy implications for South Asian countries.

Impact of remittances on economic performance in consideration of institutional quality

2020 ◽  
Vol 47 (3) ◽  
pp. 479-507
Author(s):  
Surya Nepal ◽  
Sae Woon Park ◽  
Sunhae Lee
Keyword(s):  
Economic Growth ◽  
Developing Countries ◽  
South Asia ◽  
Central Asia ◽  
Financial Development ◽  
Economic Performance ◽  
Institutional Quality ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Asian Developing Countries

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to empirically assess the impact of remittances on the economic performance of the 16 Asian developing countries, taking account of their institutional qualities.Design/methodology/approachA panel of 16 Asian developing countries (Central Asia, South Asia, and ASEAN) over the period of 2002–2016 is employed in the analysis. To assess the impact of remittances on economic performance in consideration of institutional quality, OLS estimates as well as GMM are used.FindingsThe effect of remittances on economic growth is statistically significant. In addition, they also impact economic growth when they interact with institutional or financial development variables. For the long-run growth process of Central Asian, South Asian, and ASEAN countries, a sound and smooth institutional framework appears to be indispensable. Also, it was found that more fragile economies tend to achieve bigger growth than less fragile economies, as this kind of growth is triggered by more remittances flowing into fragile economies. However, the impact of remittances on growth does not depend on the level of ICT. FDI and financial development have positive impact on growth.Research limitations/implicationsThere are limitations to this research as well. Due to the unavailability of data, several countries had to be removed from this study. The cost of sending money might be an important variable for this study. However, the data on this variable from reliable sources are almost impossible to gather. Therefore, this variable is also not included in this research. The savings from remittances when intermediated through formal financial channels will, in fact, produce a positive allocation and distribution of resources that may eventually become an important source of growth. However, one precondition for larger and greater growth is that remittances need to be well and properly utilized by the financial sector. Therefore, quality institutions should be formed first, which can facilitate investment activities and make the flow of remittances more convenient.Originality/valueThis paper exclusively considers the case of Asian developing countries (Central Asia, South Asia, and ASEAN) to assess the impact of remittances on the economic performance of these countries, with special consideration of the interaction effects of remittances and institutional quality in these emerging Asian economies. The previous studies on the effect of remittances on growth do not conform to one concrete conclusion. This study is undertaken in a bid to get the best possible result on the impact of remittances on the growth of the selected countries, majority of which attract substantial chunk of remittances into their economies.

Values as an Obstacle to Economic Growth in South Asia: An Historical Survey

1967 ◽  
Vol 27 (4) ◽  
pp. 588-607 ◽  
Author(s):  
Morris David Morris
Keyword(s):  
Economic Growth ◽  
South Asia ◽  
Economic Performance ◽  
Western Europe ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Economic Organization ◽  
Historical Survey ◽  
Value System ◽  
The World ◽  
And Performance

There are two widely held explanations for South Asia's failure to attain the level of economic performance achieved by the now developed countries of the world: One is that British imperial policy frustrated economic growth after 1750; the other is that the Indian value system and die social structure that reflected that value system were obstacles to economic growth. It is worthy of note that both interpretations tend to visualize pre-1750 South Asia at a level of economic organization and performance at least equal to that of western Europe in 1750, with the economic gap appearing only subsequently.

Foreign Aid, FDI and Economic Growth in South-East Asia and South Asia

2020 ◽  
pp. 097215091989095
Author(s):  
D. Tripati Rao ◽  
Narayan Sethi ◽  
Devi Prasad Dash ◽  
Padmaja Bhujabal
Keyword(s):  
Economic Growth ◽  
Private Sector ◽  
East Asia ◽  
Foreign Aid ◽  
South Asia ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Trade Openness ◽  
Financial Assistance ◽  
South East Asia ◽  
Domestic Investment

We examine the interrelationship among foreign aid, foreign direct investment (FDI) and economic growth in South-East Asia (SEA) and South Asia (SA) during 1980–2016. The findings from alternative empirical estimations suggest that while foreign aid is negatively associated with FDI as well as growth, FDI positively influences growth. Further, governmental financial assistance to private sector for domestic investment turns out to be important in all empirical estimations insofar as positively associated with FDI flows as well as growth. We, therefore, infer that low-income SEA and SA economies should focus on channelizing governmental financial assistance to private sector for domestic investment, macroeconomic stabilization, trade openness, and efficient utilization of aid flows, in order to attract, absorb and reap the benefits of complementing FDI flows and sustaining higher economic growth.

The drivers of economic growth in South Asia: evidence from a dynamic system GMM approach

2019 ◽  
Vol 46 (3) ◽  
pp. 564-577 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammad Mafizur Rahman ◽  
Rezwanul Hasan Rana ◽  
Suborna Barua
Keyword(s):  
Economic Growth ◽  
South Asia ◽  
Energy Use ◽  
Government Expenditure ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Dynamic Estimation ◽  
One Step ◽  
Key Variables ◽  
Generalised Method Of Moments

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the drivers of economic growth in South Asia region for the period of 1975–2016 using the World Bank data. Design/methodology/approach Panel corrected standard error (static estimation) approach and one-step system generalised method of moments (dynamic estimation) approach are used. Findings Both the static and dynamic estimations indicate that energy use, gross capital formation and remittances are the main drivers of economic growth in South Asian countries. The effects of all these variables are positive and significant. The extent of the effect of energy use is much higher than that of other two variables on the economic growth. A 1 per cent increase in the growth of energy consumption can expedite the gross domestic product growth by approximately 3 per cent in South Asia. However, the key variables, such as trade, government expenditure and foreign direct investment demonstrate no significant effect. Originality/value The current research is original in the sense that it investigated the issue with a new data set using improved econometric techniques. Moreover, in South Asia as a whole, this kind of study is totally absent, particularly with panel data of a large number of years. Furthermore, this study has taken into account the problem of heterogeneity and the biases created by cross-section dependence, which were mostly absent in previous studies. Therefore, the findings of this research are new contributions to the existing literature.

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