scholarly journals Investigating Okun’s Law in SAARC Countries: An ARDL Approach

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Md. Abu Hanif ◽  
Zobayer Ahmed ◽  
Hakan Acet ◽  
Savaş Çevik
Keyword(s):  
Growth Rate ◽  
South Asian ◽  
Unemployment Rate ◽  
Negative Relationship ◽  
Okun’S Law ◽  
The South ◽  
Okun's Law ◽  
Asian Region ◽  
Long Run ◽  
South Asian Region

Abstract Purpose: The aim of this paper is to test the applicability of Okun’s law in SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) counties. It also intends to find the long-run association between unemployment rate and growth rate and investigate the impact of growth rate on unemployment in the South Asian Region.Design/methodology/approach: The study uses annual time series data for eight SAARC countries, from 1991 to 2015. To meet the objectives of the research, the graphical illustration of trend with descriptive statistics are followed by econometric analysis. Based on the stationarity of the variables, an autoregressive distributive lag (ARDL) model has been estimated to test the long-run relationship between unemployment and growth.Findings: The results indicate that per capita GDP negatively influences the unemployment rate in the long run only in three member countries of SAARC, namely- Afghanistan, India and Sri Lanka and in the South Asian Region in aggregate. This paper also finds a negative relationship between the growth rate and unemployment rate in Bangladesh, but this association is not statistically significant. The study doesn’t find any negative relationship between the two variables in Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal and Pakistan. The study discovers the validity of Okun’s law, but the attained Okun coefficient is less than that of the actual Okun coefficient, documented by Arthur Okun. Another substantial evidence is that the significance of the connection between the growth rate and unemployment rate varies among the SAARC countries.Research limitations: The main limitation of this paper is the unavailability of data for Afghanistan compared to other SAARC countries. Originality/value: This paper is unique as it tests the validity of Okun’s law in every member country of SAARC and as a region of South Asia. To date, no such study like this has been found in the body of literature which finds long-run relationship in all SAARC countries.JEL Classification: E24, J64, O11, O40.

scholarly journals Socio-economic Scenario of South Asia: An Overview of Impacts of COVID-19

2021 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 20-37
Author(s):  
Arti Yadav ◽  
Badar Alam Iqbal
Keyword(s):  
Economic Growth ◽  
Human Development ◽  
South Asian ◽  
The South ◽  
Asian Region ◽  
Distributed Lag ◽  
Long Run ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Short Run ◽  
South Asian Region

The present study explores the socio-economic scenario of the South Asian region before and after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. It analyses the long run and short-run association between human development, unemployment and the economic growth of the region using the Pooled Mean Group (PMG) Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) model before the situation of the pandemic. It was found that human development has both short-run and long-run association, while the unemployment level has only a long run association with economic growth of the South Asian region. The study suggests that maintaining quality and growth sustainability during and after the pandemic situation will ultimately depend on the human development aspects of the region in terms of appropriate fiscal and monetary policy, vocational training, increased dependence on domestic production and consumption.

scholarly journals Climate change, regulatory policies and regional cooperation in South Asia

2018 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 22-35 ◽  
Author(s):  
Habib Zafarullah ◽  
Ahmed Shafiqul Huque
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
South Asia ◽  
South Asian ◽  
Regional Cooperation ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The South ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Regulatory Policies ◽  
Asian Region ◽  
South Asian Region

Purpose With climate change and environmental degradation being major issues in the world today, it is imperative for governments within a regional setting to collaborate on initiatives, harmonize their policies and develop strategies to counter threats. In South Asia, several attempts have been made to create a common framework for action in implementing synchronized policies. However, both political and technical deterrents have thwarted moves to accommodate priorities and interests of collaborating states. The purpose of this paper is to assess these issues and existing policies/strategies in selected South Asian countries and evaluate integrated plans of action based on collaborative partnerships. Design/methodology/approach Using a broad exploratory and interpretive approach, this paper evaluates how harmonization of environmental principles and synergies among countries can help reduce the effect of climate change and environmental hazards. Based on a review of ideas and concepts as well as both primary and secondary sources, including official records, legislation, inter-state and regional agreements, evaluation reports, impact studies (social, economic and ecological), and commentaries, it highlights several initiatives and processes geared to creating environmental protection standards and practices for the South Asian region. Findings Climate change has resulted in devastating impacts on people. It contributed to the proliferation of climate refugees and high incidence of poverty in South Asia. The region faces both political and technical obstacles in developing a sustainable approach to combat climate change. This is exacerbated by non-availability of information as well as reluctance to acknowledge the problem by key actors. The best strategy will be to integrate policies and regulations in the various countries of the region to develop strategic plans. The approach of prevention and protection should replace the existing emphasis on relief and rehabilitation. Originality/value The paper provides a critical overview of the climatic and environmental problems encountered in the South Asian region and provides pointers to resolving shared problems through the use of policy instruments for regulating the problems within the gamut of regional environmental governance. It attempts to identify solutions to offset regulatory and institutional barriers in achieving preferred results by emphasizing the need for redesigning regulatory structures and policy approaches for ecological well-being.

scholarly journals Importance of Confidence Building Measures for bridging the gap between Pakistan & India

2020 ◽  
Vol V (IV) ◽  
pp. 41-48
Author(s):  
Muhammad Tasleem Ashraf ◽  
Ali Shan Shah ◽  
Abdul Basit Khan
Keyword(s):  
South Asian ◽  
Academic Work ◽  
The South ◽  
Asian Region ◽  
High Tension ◽  
South Asian Region

This research would base on the detailed investigations and steps taken by both countries to build confidence and trust to meet their conflicts and reducing uncertainty and promoting peace. This research will also point out the achievement of confidence building measures which has made possible both sides to start talks to meet the bilateral issues of both sides. The study will examine the importance of CBMs to reduce high tension between India and Pakistan which has made the south Asian region regional peace in danger. The study has also examined the academic work to realize the importance of good relations between the two neighboring nations having the long common border and mutual disputes since independence.

scholarly journals What Leads to Intra-Industry Trade between Sri Lanka and South Asia?

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thilini Saparamadu ◽  
Nesrine Akrimi
Keyword(s):  
Sri Lanka ◽  
South Asia ◽  
South Asian ◽  
Economies Of Scale ◽  
Random Effect Model ◽  
Value Added ◽  
The South ◽  
Industry Trade ◽  
Asian Region ◽  
South Asian Region

This study ascertains the determinants of Intra-Industry Trade (IIT) with particular reference to IIT between Sri Lanka and its major trading partners in South Asia; namely; India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. The study uses secondary data published in World Development Indicators, Penn World Table from 1992 to 2017. The level of IIT is calculated by using data gathered from Comtrade Data Base. Using panel data regression, the study adopts Random Effect model to analyze the regression results. The study concludes that economies of scale measured by difference of value added in the net output of the manufacturing sector and market size measured by average gross domestic product exert a significant influence on the level of IIT in the South Asian region. Differences of per capita Gross National Income (GNI - difference in income level) and tariff rate (the proxy for trade barriers) poses a negative influence on the level of IIT. The policymakers should be concerned about the possibility to increase IIT in the South Asian region. Based on the findings of the study, the present research offers policy recommendations to promote IIT within the region.

Depression among women in the South-Asian region: The underlying issues

2007 ◽  
Vol 102 (1-3) ◽  
pp. 219-225 ◽  
Author(s):  
J.K. Trivedi ◽  
Manisha Mishra ◽  
Arvind Kendurkar
Keyword(s):  
South Asian ◽  
The South ◽  
Asian Region ◽  
South Asian Region

“Freeing” Trade in South Asia

2012 ◽  
Vol 47 (2) ◽  
pp. 81-100
Author(s):  
Pratima Singh
Keyword(s):  
South Asia ◽  
South Asian ◽  
Economic Integration ◽  
Bilateral Trade ◽  
The South ◽  
Jel Codes ◽  
Asian Region ◽  
Trade Relationship ◽  
Minor Losses ◽  
South Asian Region

This paper discusses economic integration in the South Asian region using an India-centric approach. It suggests that the gains for India withdrawing its tariff on imports from Pakistan and Bangladesh hugely outweigh the losses for the country. It uses a bilateral trade approach, analyzing the India-Pakistan and India-Bangladesh trade relationships. The India-Pakistan relationship shows Pakistan's exports to India contribute much less to India's total imports than to Pakistan's GDP. The benefits of India unilaterally withdrawing tariffs, thus, are substantial. The India-Bangladesh trade relationship, despite having many complementary characteristics, is not very well established. Both the countries will gain immensely if India opens up its borders to their exports. These gains will outweigh the minor losses for India which will be compensated for by its increased goodwill. Economic integration is important to maintain stability in this region and the two bilateral relationships described above are crucial in ensuring this. (JEL Codes: F13, F14, F15)

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