Misalignment of the Baht and its Trade Balance Consequences for Thailand in the 1980s and 1990s

This paper examines Thailand's pre‐crisis exchange rate policy, focusing on the degree of the country's real exchange rate misalignment pre‐crisis and its consequent effects on Thailand's trade balance with its two large trading partners, the US and Japan, in the 1980s and 1990s. Defining misalignment as the difference between actual and ‘equilibrium’ exchange rates, we estimate three key ‘equilibrium’ exchange rates of the Thai baht: (a) the real effective equilibrium exchange rate of the Thai baht against its twenty‐two major trading partners; (b) the bilateral real equilibrium exchange rates of the baht against the US dollar; and (c) the bilateral real equilibrium exchange rate of the baht against the Japanese yen.     

Corporate Response to Environmental Challenges of the 1990s

No abstract available for this article.     

Japan's Fiscal Policies in the 1990s

This paper first summarises Japan's fiscal policies in the 1990s. Then, we investigate the macroeconomic impact of government debt and the sustainability problem. We find that the Keynesian fiscal policy in the 1990s was not effective and fiscal sustainability may therefore become a serious issue. We also estimate the optimal level of deficits and evaluate fiscal reconstruction movements. It is shown that the actual deficit exceeded the optimal level in the late 1990s. We then inspect fiscal reconstruction movements in the Hashimoto Administration in 1997 and find that the major factor of recession in 1997 was not fiscal consolidation. An important lesson from Japan's fiscal policies in the 1990s is that long‐run structural reform is more important than short‐run Keynesian policy.     

Alcohol Advertising Controls in the 1990s

Public health campaigners have criticized the British system for the regulation of alcohol advertising, which relies on several distinct codes of practice governing different media. This paper looks at the options for change, in the light of the economic, political and technological factors that will influence the development of the UK's alcohol advertising policy in the 1990s. The available evidence on the costs and benefits of alternative policies is reviewed, drawing on the Addiction Research Centre's multi-disciplinary programme of work undertaken at the Universities of Hull and York. While there is some evidence that a ban on alcohol advertising would have a marginal effect on overall consumption, it is argued that legislative intervention is no longer feasible. Technological innovation and global pressures for deregulation have made it difficult for national governments to ban the advertising of any one product. At the same time, however, it is feared that commercial pressures resulting from the introduction of satellite broadcasting and the increased competition for advertising revenues could undermine the existing self-regulatory system and exert a downwards pressure on advertising standards. It is suggested that the way forward lies in developing a strong self-regulatory system throughout Europe.     

Marketing's agenda for the 1990s

Companies must master six specific issues to achieve market leadership in this decade. Successfully applying these six make-or-break issues can shape an organization's marketing strategy and boost its bottom line.     

European and world energy perspectives: the 1980s and 1990s

Substantial successes have been achieved since 1973 in increasing energy efficiency and substituting other fuels for oil. However, reliance on oil and oil imports remains high. The temporary easing on the oil market must not lead to complacency as any relaxation in energy policy efforts may well contribute to provoking the next oil price shock.     

Five challenges for China in the 1990s

There are many economic challenges facing China in its transformation to a market economy. Professor Dean discusses five of the most important of these challenges and the opportunities which they present. This article is a revised version of an address to the China Institute of Contemporary International Relations, Beijing.     

Foreign Direct Investment and European Integration in the 1990s

This paper examines the effects of EU integration in the 1990s on the FDI relations in Europe. We find that the completion of the Single Market, the 1995 enlargement and the so-called Eastern enlargement are characterised by a substantial, positive anticipation effect in the period between the announcement and the formal establishment of each integration step. Neither the Single Market Programme nor the previous enlargement exhibited any further positive effects on intra-EU FDI volumes after their establishment.     

A development strategy for the 1990s

The United Nations Committee for Development Planning (CDP) in its annual report has attempted to formulate a development strategy for the 1990s. We have asked Udo E. Simonis, a member of the CDP, to summarize the main findings and recommendations of that report. The full report will be issued asOfficial Records of the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations.     

The “Third World” in the 1990s

Given that the developing countries today present a highly differentiated picture, is it appropriate to continue to speak of a “Third World”? If so, how does this group of countries appear to the present-day observer? What is their position within the world economy? What problems and challenges are they facing?     

20世纪90年代以来的金融创新及金融脱媒

放松管制和信息技术的革命性进步,使得金融创新自20世纪90年代以来呈现了与过去不相同的特征.金融业竞争逐步加剧,金融机构创新能力不断增强.同时,创新不仅仅在产品方面,更表现为服务方式的创新.电子金融的发展挑战了传统的金融机构,同时自身也历经了考验.新的金融创新带来了新的金融脱媒现象,并给监管者提出了新的课题--在信息时代如何有效地保护金融业消费者的利益和防范系统性风险.     

Foreign Direct Investment in Latin America in the 1990s

Summary

FDI in Latin America has witnessed a resurgence in the 1990s after the debt crisis and capital drought of the 1980s. This inflow results both from more market-friendly policies in the recipient countries and lower returns and growth in developed nations. The latter factor has also attracted many short-term, portfolio instruments to the continent which can be highly damaging to local economies when not properly regulated. Privatization has been among the more important country-specific variables attracting direct investors to the region. Despite the positive effects of FDI, Latin American countries are still beset with problems such as unequal distribution of income and poverty that direct investment is unlikely to ameliorate.     

US Manufacturing in the Early 1990s: the Chase and Challenge

This article, based on a chapter in a forthcoming book, starts by outlining the strengths and weaknesses of US manufacturing processes by comparison with the international competition. It then goes on to discuss the lessons which emerging theory and practice can offer managers in their efforts to improve competitiveness.     

美国20世纪90年代管制改革述评

本文提出,美国20世纪90年代的管制改革是对里根时期放松管制政策的发展,它以是否有利于企业创新作为衡量管制改革成效的首要标准,调整管制行业结构,缩小管制范围;改革管制内容,完善管制政策;改进管制方法,提高管制效率;引入市场机制,推动企业创新;采取有力措施,保护相关者利益.管制改革对美国新经济的产生和发展起到了至关重要的作用,并成为新世纪美国产业竞争政策的重要依据之一.