A Quantitative evaluation of Vietnam's accession to the ASEAN Free Trade Area

Vietnam's accession into the ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA) has been an important step in its integration into the world economy. The authors use a multi-region, multi-sector computable general equilibrium model to evaluate how different trade liberalization policies of Vietnam and its main trading partners affect Vietnam's welfare, taking into account the simultaneous impacts on trade, output, and industrial structure. They conclude that: A) The static economywide effects of the AFTA liberalization to which Vietnam is currently committed are small. On the import side, the exclusion of a series of products from the AFTA commitments appears to limit the scope of trade creation, and the discriminatory nature of AFTA liberalization would divert Vietnam's trade from non-ASEAN members. B) Vietnam's small initial exports to ASEAN make the gains from improved access to partner markets relatively modest. Since Singapore dominates Vietnam's ASEAN exports and initial protection in Singapore is close to zero, there are few gains from preferred status in this market. C) When Vietnam extends its AFTA commitments to all of its trading partners on a most favored nation basis, its welfare increases substantially - partly because of the greater extent of liberalization partly because the broader liberalization undoes the costly trade diversion created by the initial discriminatory liberalization, and finally, because of the more efficient allocation of resources among Vietnam's industries. D) AFTA, APEC, and unilateral liberalizations affect Vietnam's industries in different ways. AFTA appears to benefit Vietnam's agriculture by improving its access to the ASEAN market. E) Broad unilateral liberalization beyond AFTA is likely to shift labor away from agriculture and certain import-competing activities toward relatively labor -intensive manufacturing. Reduced costs for intermediate inputs will benefit domestic production. These sectors conform to Vietnam's current comparative advantage, and undertaking broad unilateral liberalization now seems a promising way to facilitate the subsequent development of competitive firms in more capital- and skill- intensive sectors. By contrast, more intensive import competition may lead some import substitution industries (now dependent on protection) to contract. F)The higher level of welfare resulting from more comprehensive liberalization implies that the sector protection currently given to capital-intensive and strategic industries is imposing substantial implicit taxes on the rest of the economy. G) All of the above suggests that AFTA should be treated as an important initial step toward broader liberalization. Binding international commitments in AFTA and, in due course, at the World trade Organization can provide a credible signal of Vietnam's commitment to open trade policies that will help stimulate the upgrading of existing firms and investment in efficient and dynamic firms.Environmental Economics&Policies,Agribusiness&Markets,Economic Theory&Research,Trade Policy,Labor Policies,Environmental Economics&Policies,Economic Theory&Research,TF054105-DONOR FUNDED OPERATION ADMINISTRATION FEE INCOME AND EXPENSE ACCOUNT,Trade Policy,Trade and Regional Integration

Allocation of Public Expenditures in the post-war Kosovo: A critical analysis

How public expenditures are allocated can have profound effects on the macro-fiscal environment of a country. This research project analyzes how the Government of Kosovo allocates its public expenditures. Two particular strategic documents are examined—the Economic Vision 2011-2014 and the National Development Strategy 2016-2021. It does so by analyzing whether or not the priorities set in these strategies are translated in Medium-Term Expenditure Frameworks and the Budget Laws. Finally, this research project examines how the allocated public expenditures are realized. The research concludes that despite the well-established written strategies, a wide gap exists between the priorities set and their actual execution

Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals through Net Zero Emissions: Innovation-Driven Strategies for Transitioning from Incremental to Radical Lean, Green and Digital Technologies

This work adopts a resource-based view for strategically managing firms’ tangible and intangible resources based on lean and green philosophies to explore the role of digital technologies in achieving NZE and the SDGs.This research outlines three contemporary issues. First, it assesses the theory-driven approaches and real-world datasets from conference of parties (COP) meetings. Second, adopting the VRIO (Valuable, Rare, Inimitable, Organized) framework, 25 identified digital technology-based values are obtained by digitalization-based integrated lean-green approaches that may enable manufacturing firms to pursue SDGs via net-zero emissions. Four scenarios of digital technology adoption and integration level of lean and green manufacturing pathways are proposed, differentiated by the degree of radical/ incremental interests in innovation and sustainable advantage types. Third, the study highlights that the achievement of NZE by SDGs may be possible only by adopting digital technologies and high-level integration of lean and green

Socio-Informatics

Contents Editorial Thematic Focus: Socio-Informatics Introduction to the Thematic Focus “Socio-Informatics” / Claudia Müller Digitalisation in Small German Metal-Working Companies. Appropriation of Technology in a “Traditional” Industrial Domain / Bernhard Nett, Jennifer Bönsch Travelling by Taxi Brousse in Madagascar: An Investigation into Practices of Overland Transportation / Volker Wulf, Kaoru Misaki, Dave Randall, and Markus Rohde Mobile and Interactive Media in the Store? Design Case Study on Bluetooth Beacon Concepts for Food Retail / Christian Reuter, Inken Leopold Facebook and the Mass Media in Tunisia / Konstantin Aal, Marén Schorch, Esma Ben Hadj Elkilani, Volker Wulf Book Review Symposium Charles Goodwin Charles Goodwin’s Co-Operative Action: The Idea and the Argument / Erhard Schüttpelz, Christian Meyer Multi-Modal Interaction and Tool-Making: Goodwin’s Intuition / Christian Meyer, Erhard Schüttpelz Co-Operation is a Feature of Sociality, not an Attribute of People : “We inhabit each other’s actions.” (Goodwin, cover) / Jutta Wiesemann, Klaus Amann The Making of the World in Co-Operative Action. From Sentence Construction to Cultural Evolution / Jürgen Streeck On Goodwin and his Co-Operative Action / Jörg R. Bergman

An Analysis of Clean Air Policies in Northrhine-Westfalia: The Case of Dust and Heavy Metal Emissions Related to the Iron and Steel Industry

This working paper describes those determinants of intrasectoral change within the iron and steel production sector in the Ruhr Area, Northrhine-Westfalia (NRW), which have contributed to the reduction of atmospheric heavy metal emissions since the early seventies, as well as the driving forces behind these intrasectoral changes. The aim of this paper is a description, as well as an assessment, of key elements of atmospheric point source and diffuse emission reduction policies related to the iron and steel industry. It constitutes part of the Rhine/Black Triangle Policy Comparison Study at IIASA. Intrasectoral changes pertaining to the reduction of atmospheric heavy metal and dust emissions are shown to have consisted, firstly, of process changes whose main characteristics were a replacement of older crude steel production processes, reductions and changes in fuel input and an increased recycling of residues. The second most important development was the application of gradually improved offgas collection and cleaning technologies. There were four major factors behind the intrasectoral change: developments in legal requirements; financial support from public institutions; economic motivations of the enterprises; and cooperative approaches

CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY IN ROMANIA

The purpose of this paper is to identify the main opportunities and limitations of corporate social responsibility (CSR). The survey was defined with the aim to involve the highest possible number of relevant CSR topics and give the issue a more wholesome perspective. It provides a basis for further comprehension and deeper analyses of specific CSR areas. The conditions determining the success of CSR in Romania have been defined in the paper on the basis of the previously cumulative knowledge as well as the results of various researches. This paper provides knowledge which may be useful in the programs promoting CSR.Corporate social responsibility, Supportive policies, Romania

A Study Regarding the Re-treatment of the Balance Sheet and of the Profit and Loss Account under Circumstances of Inflation and Hyper-inflation Approached According to the Conception of International Financial Reporting Standards

Inflation constantly has been seen as a controversial economic phenomenon that has generated numberless chronic lacks of balance in economy. In a hyper-inflationist economy the report without inflation re-treatment of the balance sheet and the profit and loss account is no more relevant for those who use accounting data, and the 90s’ Romania certainly faced such a hyper-inflationist economy. As the evaluation basis in accountancy is historic cost, and, due to the fact that under circumstances of high inflation, historic cost suffers a series of changes that distort reality, several accounting methods are employed. Theses accounting methods under circumstances of inflation may rely on conversion, evaluation or other mixed methods that consist in re-treating the financial reports of the companies at opening and closing these financial reports. As under the present circumstances a too rapid economic growth is envisaged for Romania that might determine the increase of inflation, the re-treatment of the balance sheet and of the results account could be a necessity in the future.inflation, balance sheet, profit, loss, re-treatment, evaluation, index, adjustment, price, hyper-inflation

Sustainable supply chains and circular economy practices

openThe world does not stand in one place. We live in a reality where the world is developing at a very high speed. Industrial and technological development has led to significant economic growth. Population growth causes an increase in material consumption. This almost certainly has a negative impact on the environment and society as a whole, such as a lack of natural resources, environmental issues, and natural disasters. Implementing Circular Economy practices and a Sustainable supply chain can significantly decrease the company’s environmental impact. The master thesis aims to demonstrate the Circular Economy and Sustainable supply chain opportunities in Kazakhstan. Apply empirical settings and case study approach by analyzing Kazakhstan and Almaty city as platforms for CE and SSC implementation. Provide theoretical background related to CE and SSC. Moreover, the thesis demonstrates the analysis of Kazakhstani companies, by providing primary quantitative research. Based on quantitative research, the thesis suggests the policy and managerial implications for effective SSC and CE implementation to the Kazakhstani government and companies.The world does not stand in one place. We live in a reality where the world is developing at a very high speed. Industrial and technological development has led to significant economic growth. Population growth causes an increase in material consumption. This almost certainly has a negative impact on the environment and society as a whole, such as a lack of natural resources, environmental issues, and natural disasters. Implementing Circular Economy practices and a Sustainable supply chain can significantly decrease the company’s environmental impact. The master thesis aims to demonstrate the Circular Economy and Sustainable supply chain opportunities in Kazakhstan. Apply empirical settings and case study approach by analyzing Kazakhstan and Almaty city as platforms for CE and SSC implementation. Provide theoretical background related to CE and SSC. Moreover, the thesis demonstrates the analysis of Kazakhstani companies, by providing primary quantitative research. Based on quantitative research, the thesis suggests the policy and managerial implications for effective SSC and CE implementation to the Kazakhstani government and companies