Services in Regioanl Trade Agreements: Implications for India

Service sector has emerged as the largest and fastest-growing sector in the global economy in the last two decades, providing more than 60 per cent of global output and, in many countries, an even larger share of employment. The growth in services has also been accompanied by the rising share of services in world transactions. In fact trade in services has grown as fast as trade in goods in the period 1990- 2003 (6% per annum). In recent years the number of international agreements aiming to liberalize and promote trade in services has increased dramatically. The General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS), negotiated as part of the Uruguay Round and followed up in Doha round has propelled the process of services negotiation but till date has limited success. In contrast to this, much of the recent and current international treaty addressing trade in services has occurred at the regional and bilateral levels. Traditionally, Regional Trade Agreements (RTAs) have focused on the liberalization of merchandise trade among members but new trends show inclusion of services. Examples include the Chile, Singapore Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) with the US, and the North America Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), which have provisions allowing temporary entry of business professionals into member countries to facilitate trade in services. Among the roughly 153 RTAs operational in the world today, 43 are economic integration agreements notified under the GATS Article V.2 Between 2001 and 2006, 35 RTAs with services, constituting approximately 20% of all notifications, were notified to the WTO. Some of the important agreements in Asia Pacific region which included services are Australia and New Zealand Closer Economic Relations Trade Agreements (ANCERTA), ASEAN Framework Agreement on Services (AFAS), etc. These efforts were followed by a proliferation of similar agreements such as that between Singapore and Australia in 2001, and Singapore and the US in 2002. As of 2006, the US has concluded more than 10 RTAs with strong services chapters. The EU has also entered into RTAs with services chapters with countries such as South Africa, Mexico and Chile. While the preceding examples are drawn from North-South RTAs, even the South-South RTAs are seen to be conforming to the trend. The growth of output in the service sector in India has been spectacular in recent times which got reflected in a higher contribution in the GDP. As a consequence of this, along with its move in the GATS negotiation, India has also plunged into Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA) through signing the India-Singapore CECA. Of late, its attempt to convert India-Sri Lanka FTA into another CECA and negotiation attempts with partners like EU, Malaysia, etc. clearly shows its inclination to include services in the new agreements. Services are intangible, mostly indivisible and can’t be stored. Its developmental impact though quite overwhelming is difficult to measure. The data on service sector is also difficult to capture. Due to all these, it is problematic for a developing country to develop its offers and commitments in a structured fashion in case of trade negotiation for services sector. At the same time, many service sectors are under tight control even in developed countries. Licensing, quota, regulatory structure, citizenship criteria, local content, subsidies etc are quite common in service sectors. Since services trade often requires (temporary) movement of provider or consumer, restrictions on services mostly arises from regulations and discriminating requirements regarding this movement. Therefore barriers to trade in services are particularly difficult to identify. Also, most of these barriers do not occur at the border. Developing countries are apprehensive in case of north-south services negotiation due to lack of transparency and information about the developed country service sector. Service sector commitments are riddled with lots of market access limitations and MFN exemptions which is common even in case of regional negotiation. Depending upon the sensitivity as well as technological levels, several components of different services are generally kept unbound. Sometimes, some modes of services (such as mode 4) have been kept unbound even for sub-component of a sector. Developmental impact of any services agreement needs to be judged from the commitment as well as negotiation strategy. This is important as several countries are pursuing GATS Plus commitments. The CECA has progressed beyond GATS understanding the current business environment. Negotiations on domestic regulation in GATS have progressed to the level of framing a text for adoption while in case of regional agreements more ambitious approaches are observed. The present paper focuses on India’s attempt to integrate with the world economy with service sector liberalistaion and understanding its strategy in services negotiation. The structure of the paper is as follows. Initial section will focus on introduction and an overview of some select RTAs having special attention towards service sectors. Section 2 provides a brief overview of India’s performance in the services sector, followed by a more detailed examination of the contribution of the service sector to growth, and the composition of services trade in Section 3. In particular, we’ll discuss the change in pattern of trade from the traditional goods sector to services. Section 4 examines India’s involvement in regional trade blocs keeping an eye on services sector. Several potential RTAs with services focus will also be discussed. The paper will make an attempt to develop a negotiating format for some of the important services understanding the current status of services in the partner countries as well as in India. While doing so, it will make an attempt to identify major barriers faced by India in some of the exportable services. These issues will be discussed in section 5. Section 6 will provide conclusion and induction from the major findings.regional trade; services

Developing India and Pakistan Bilateral Relations through Trade

Pakistan and India two largest economies in the entire of South Asia but their trade relations are very abysmally low owing to border disputes and lack of cooperation. In this paper scholar underscored that official trade relations between India and Pakistan could accelerate the bilateral relations in addition to resolution the all preceding issues with harmonious and brotherly manner.  However, both nations India-Pakistan have been involved in the unofficial trade which is not ever-increasing with rapid pace but also obliteration the government revenue and sabotage the domestic industry of both sides. Keywords: India-Pakistan, trade, Political relation

Information systems offshore outsourcing: a descriptive analysis

Purpose - The present paper has as its aim to deepen in the study of Information Systems Offshore Outsourcing, proposing three essential steps to make this decision: weighing up the advantages and risks of Offshore Outsourcing; analysing the taxonomy of this phenomenon; and determining its current geography. Design/Methodology/Approach - With that objective in mind, it was decided to base the research work on the literature about this topic and the review of reports and statistics coming from different sources (consultants, the press, public institutions, etc.). Findings - Offshore Outsourcing has grown vertiginously in recent years. Its advantages exceed even those of onshore outsourcing, though it also involves greater risks derived from the (cultural and physical) distance existing between customer and provider. Various types of services and customer-provider relationships hide under the umbrella of Offshore Outsourcing; i.e. it is not a homogeneous phenomenon. The main Offshore Outsourcing customers can be found in the USA and Europe, mainly in the UK but also in other countries such as Germany and France. As for provider firms, most of them are located in Asia −outstandingly in India but also in China and Russia. At present, there are important providers scattered in other continents as well. Originality/Value - The conclusions suggest that the range of potential Offshore Outsourcing destinations must be widened and that the search for a provider cannot be based exclusively on cost savings; other considerations such as quality, security and proximity of the provider must also be taken into consideration. That is precisely the reason why the study of new countries like Spain as Offshore Outsourcing destinations is proposed

Barriers to e-commerce and competitive business models in developing countries: A case study

This paper integrates and extends research on e-commerce in the developing world. We use three categories of feedback systems–economic, sociopolitical and cognitive—to offer a simple model of e-commerce barriers in the developing world. We also examine characteristics of e-business models that can be successfully employed in developing countries. Then, we provide the case of an e-business model followed by a Nepal-based multiple international award winning online provider. This paper‘s theoretical contribution is to explain the =hows‘ and =whys‘ of e-commerce in developing countries and to identify clear contexts and attendant mechanism

Development of touristic micro-regions: the case of Figueira da Foz

Nowadays, in a increasingly globalised world, small cities tend to be forgotten and neglected. In fact, there are not many academic studies available, yet, studies on large-scale cities are endless. Thus, this dissertation aims to study and develop academic research on the evolution of a small city in Portugal, Figueira da Foz. It aims to understand the progress achieved over the years in this “sun and sea city” and what was done to surpass that label. This dissertation also has the purpose to study what strategies should small-scale cities adopt to achieve development, innovation and positioning. Hence, to conquer these goals, a historical background was conducted in the first chapter so that context would be provided. Then, a literature review was made through the second chapter on the topics of local development, business and tourism. Finally, in the third chapter, interviews were conducted to locals with active participation in the city. Consequently, with all data gathered was possible to conclude the changes and what strategies work successfully in these contexts. Thus, in a constant changing reality and unexpected shifts, small cities do face many difficulties but with the right planning and placemaking it is achievable to overcome the hindrances and prosper the city, the community, the business and the economy.Num mundo cada vez mais globalizado, as pequenas cidades tendem a ser esquecidas e neglicenciadas. Além disso, não existem muitos estudos que reflitam sobre a realidade destas pequenas cidades e, em contraste.m, existem bastantes sobre grandes cidades. Posto isto, esta dissertação tem como um dos seus objetivos estudar e desenvolver estudos académicos sobre a evolução de uma pequena cidade de Portugal, a cidade da Figueira da Foz. Outro objetivo que pretende atingir é perceber o progresso alcançado ao longo dos anos nesta “cidade sol e mar” e o que foi feito para ultrapassar este rótulo. Por fim, esta dissertação também tem como objetivo apresentar quais as estratégias as pequenas cidades devem adotar para alcançar desenvolvimento, inovação e posicionamento. Posto isto, para alcançar estes objetivos, primeiramente, foi feita uma análise histórica para que contexto fosse providenciado. Em seguida, no segundo capítulo, foi feita uma revisão bibliográfica que reflete sobre os temas desenvolvimento local, negócios e turismo. Por fim, no terceiro e último capítulo, foram realizadas entrevistas a pessoas Figueirenses com participação ativa na cidade. Consequentemente, com todos os dados recolhidos foi possível concluir as mudanças e quais as estratégias que de facto funcionam nestes contextos de pequena escala. Assim, numa realidade em constante mudança, as pequenas cidades enfrentam muitas dificuldades, porém com o planeamento correto e placemaking é possível superar os obstáculos e prosperar a cidade, a comunidade, os negócios e a economia

COVID-19 Pandemic: Impacts on Small Businesses, Tourism, and International Students Globally: A Review

COVID 19 pandemic has substantially affected the globalized world. It has emerged as the black swan subsequent to the economic crisis of World War II, which has had a rippled effect on the healthcare sector as well as business infrastructure globally. To analyze the impact it has had on the overall globalized world, this research was performed. Using the descriptive research design, this research assessed the impact of COVID 19 on small businesses, tourism, as well as international students. The survey was performed where the individuals from different demographic backgrounds were analyzed. This included the individuals belonging to the small businesses, the tourism sector, as well as the educational sector with operations that are held internationally. The survey showed that individual across the three-sector has substantially been affected. This was due to the restricted mobilization, which affected the trade as well as traveling. The international students further experienced emotional distress and found their life to be affected. However, the research also revealed that the businesses that worked online proliferated as a result of COVID 19. Keywords: COVID-19 Pandemic, Small Businesses, Tourism, International Student. DOI: 10.7176/EJBM/13-6-09 Publication date:March 31st 202

Reintroduction of native cotton (Gossypium Barbadian) on the North coast of Peru: analysis of economic feasibility for small producers

In Peru the agro-export boom has determined a major shift of large farmers from traditional agro-industrial crops (coffee and cotton) to new agribusinesses (asparagus, oranges, avocados, apples). These dynamics have left room for the small farmers to enter the traditional agro-industrial sector, or into new niche markets as in the case of native cotton. On the North coast of Peru the cultivation of the native and naturally coloured cotton (Gossypium Barbadense spp. locally called algod\uf3n El Pa\ueds) is part of the Moche indigenous culture (a local pre-Inca population). Since 1949 the Peruvian legal prohibition to produce native cotton, linked to the risk of genetic contamination of the industrial white cotton cultivations, made the keeping of these traditional varieties very difficult. Nevertheless the situation has totally changed since 2008 due to Regulation n\ub0 29224 declaring native cotton as a genetic, ethnic and cultural heritage of the country. This study analyses the economic feasibility of re-inserting the native cotton as part of the agricultural production of 50 farmers on the North coast of Peru, proposing a farm economic data analysis, scenario analysis and sensitivity analysis based on OFAT (One Factor at A Time) methodology: the results attest that in all the productive scenarios proposed (10%, 25% and 50% of the farm agricultural surface growing native cotton) the average farm incomes are going to increase. Moreover the sensitivity analysis attests that also in the worst conditions of a 10% decrease in the native cotton price, the average farm incomes with native cotton are higher compared to the business as usual scenario in all three productive scenarios proposed

Influence of CSR and leadership style on sustainable performance: moderating impact of sustainable entrepreneurship and mediating role of organizational commitment

Nowadays, sustainable performance (SP) has become an obligation of every organization globally, which captures the attention of recent researchers and policymakers. Following the green theory, this study aims to examine the impact of corporate social responsibilities (CSR), transactional and transformational leadership on the SP. Besides, examining the moderating role of sustainable entrepreneurship and mediating role of organizational commitment among the nexus of CSR, transactional and transformational leadership, and SP is another target of this research. This study adopted the questionnaires to collect the data from the respondents of the internet services industry in China, and structural equation modeling (SEM)was employed to analyze the data. This research revealed that CSR, transactional, and transformational leadership have a positive effect on SP. Secondly, this study also indicated that sustainable entrepreneurship significantly moderates among nexus of transactional and transformational leadership to SP. Besides, our results show that organizational commitment positively mediates the links between CSR, transactional leadership, transformational leadership, and the SP. The conclusion of this research signifies that organizational leadership strongly influences the adoption of green and sustainable operations, which further influences the SP. These results help the regulation-making authorities make new policies related to CSR, leadership, entrepreneurship, and SP

The contradictory politics of the right to travel: mobilities, borders & tourism

The freedom of movement and right to travel are intrinsic to the growth of international tourism. Notwithstanding the inchoate nature of the right to tourism, the entitlement to travel and to pursue tourism without hindrance is firmly established in advanced capitalist societies. Moreover, the right to tourism has been recently enshrined in the 2017 United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) Framework Convention on Tourism Ethics. Tourists’ ease of mobility contrasts starkly with the movements of less privileged forms of mobility that may be variously constrained by racism, xenophobia and restrictive border controls. This paper contends that rather than a mere reflection of accumulated political rights (citizenship), such unequal and differentiated mobilities are conditioned by a complex assemblage of discursive frameworks and structural forces that are played out in specific historical-geographic contexts. Accordingly, we argue that the rights associated with global tourism must be analysed in the context of the contradictory politics of global mobility, or indeed in terms of the ‘mobility crisis’. This ‘crisis’ is one that is rooted in and shaped by the cumulative legacy of past colonial orders, global capitalism and geopolitical realignments, in addition to multi-scalar systems of governance through which borders are constituted, managed and policed

The Potential Impact of Domestic Tourism on Rwanda’s Tourism Economy

Student Number :0418716K - MA research report - School of Geography, Archaeology and Environmental Studies - Faculty of HumanitiesAs a continuously growing industry worldwide, tourism has often demonstrated its role as a vital tool in the advancement of economies through direct domestic and foreign exchange earnings and through the employment and investment opportunities it can generate. African countries, mainly in sub-Saharan Africa, often over-reliant on one or two sectors for economic development, have recognised the potential of the tourism industry to diversify local economies and contribute to poverty alleviation, economic regeneration and stability, affording many Africans the opportunity to participate in and benefit from tourism. The participation of local populations in Africa’s tourism industries, however, is often limited to employment opportunities. Travel by local tourists is often overlooked by members of the tourism industry, and is often considered a luxury by many in the local population. The role of domestic tourism and its importance for the creation of a sustainable tourism industry has been widely acknowledged, but limited writings on the subject exist and few tourism policies include domestic tourism, neglecting its potential. The emergence of a new African middle-class, equipped with more of a disposable income and influenced by Western lifestyles, has proven that such potential does in fact exist. Those living in Africa as well as members of the Diaspora have shown more of an interest in leisure travel and represent a new tourism market. Globally, the impact of domestic tourism has been shown to have had a great impact on the tourism economies of several countries, demonstrating that African countries can only serve to benefit from participating in domestic tourism. This research report provides a case study of Rwanda, an African country emerging from war and devastation, aiming to rebuild itself economically, socially and politically. The country has chosen tourism as one of its main economic drivers for poverty reduction and economic development. While the industry is succeeding, an over-reliance on international visitors in such a volatile region threatens the sustainability of the industry. The development of a domestic tourism industry, as has been demonstrated in other countries, offers the opportunity to generate a more diverse and economically sustainable domestic tourism industry. This research focuses on the potential impact of such a domestic tourism industry on Rwanda’s tourism economy and as a result, on the country’s economy as a whole