State enterprises in a competitive industry: An Indonesian case study

There have been surprisingly few studies of Indonesian state enterprises, in a country with extensive state ownership in all sectors of the economy. This paper presents some evidence on the economic performance of state weaving enterprises. The main conclusion is that their record has been very poor, especially im comparison with similar privately-owned firms, but that some account must be taken of the institutional environment in which they operate.     

Vehicle-to-grid systems for sustainable development: An integrated energy analysis

Vehicle-to-grid (V2G) systems represent a means by which power capacity in parked vehicles can be used to generate electricity for the grid. This paper describes the first detailed and global analysis of the potential of V2G technologies over the long-term (to 2100) using a comprehensive energy-systems model. In this analysis we explore the potential for V2G systems to supply a number of electricity submarkets and concomitantly accelerate the diffusion of advanced vehicle technologies, including hybrid-electric and fuel cell drivetrains. We also examine the potential impact of V2G on the global energy system, particularly in terms of investment in conventional capacity, and the possible role of V2G-enabled vehicles in increasing the market penetration of renewable electricity generation technologies. Importantly, however, V2G technologies represent a paradigm shift in how the energy and mobility markets are related, and a number of possible barriers to the widespread adoption of this technology are also discussed.     

Triumphs and tragedies: expectations and commitments upon repatriation

Building on and extending the literature on organizational commitment, this study examines the relationship between repatriates' work and non-work-related expectations and their commitment to their parent companies and new local work units after completing international assignments. The results, based on a sample of 174 repatriates and 92 partners within five US multinationals, indicate that positive, linear relationships exist between certain work and non-work expectations and commitment to the parent company and local work unit, while significant, nonlinear relationships exist between other expectations and these commitments. These results have both theoretical and practical implications, which are discussed.     

在线购买不信任与信任前因后项关系研究

不信任和信任是两个相互关联但不同结构的一对概念,对此,学术界并没有达成共识。本文通过纵向实证研究,以在线购买为情境,再次验证了这一观点;并且发现,不信任和信任及其前因后项在性别、学历水平、互联网使用时间和网购次数、消费金额方面存在显著差异;消费者在线购买信任的产生更多体现在对安全控制的良好感知,而消费者在线购买不信任的产生更多体现在对不隐私保护的认知;安全控制不仅通过信任间接积极地影响购买意图而且对其也有直接强正作用,不隐私保护不仅通过不信任间接地积极影响不购买意图而且对其也有直接强正作用。这些结论与本论文作者2007年相关的研究结论保持基本一致。该结论将再次对电子商务运营商提供重要启示,即要增加消费者的在线购买信任和意图着力点必须在安全控制,而消除不信任和不购买意图更重要是消除不隐私保护。     

Asian trade: long‐term patterns and key policy issues

Fragmentation‐based specialisation has become an integral part of the economic landscape of East Asia. Dependence on this new form of international specialisation is proportionately larger in East Asia, in particular in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, than in North America and Europe. In this regard, an important recent development has been the rapid integration of China into regional production networks. This development is a counterpoint to the popular belief that China's global integration would crowd out other countries' opportunities for international specialisation. The rise of product fragmentation has strengthened the case for a global, rather than a regional, approach to trade and investment policymaking. Given the global orientation of the region's economies, we question whether there would be a significant benefit from current efforts to promote regional cooperation, unless the principle of ‘open regionalism’ is recognised. With both the Doha Round and APEC floundering, this is one of the major multilateral policy challenges of our time.     

Survey of Recent Developments

Following the remarkably successful 2014 parliamentary and presidential elections in Indonesia, attention now turns to the new president and his agenda for the next five years. President Joko Widodo, known as Jokowi, has emphasised the importance of strong economic growth and rising living standards. But he faces significant, broad-ranging economic challenges and, perhaps not surprisingly, serious discussion of these issues did not feature during the election campaigns. In many respects the economy is at a crossroads, facing the choice between a business-asusual scenario of no reform and consequently sluggish economic growth, and a politically difficult reform agenda that would set it on a higher growth path. Economic policymakers regard the events of 2013 as a mini economic crisis, and they feel vindicated in their explicit preference for stability over growth—that is, for slowing the economy through tighter fiscal and monetary policy and letting the currency decline. For now, the economy is slowing but holding up quite well, especially by comparative international norms and considering foreign and domestic headwinds, including possible macroeconomic and financial fragilities. Here we examine these headwinds—from global economic volatility and declining commodity prices, particularly in the wake of the so-called Bernanke shock of May 2013, to the continuing policy drift at home. We investigate whether there is evidence of an emerging adjustment from the commodity-driven growth of the past decade to some of the traditional tradables sectors, especially manufacturing. While the commodity boom is almost certainly a thing of the past—at least at levels witnessed since 2005—the country's political narratives and the government's microeconomic policies appear to be still premised on an era of plenty funded by a disappearing boom. We speculate on likely options and directions for what in all likelihood will be a ‘Jokowi decade’.     

The role of direct foreign investment in developing east asian countries

Conclusion purpose of this paper has been to provide an overview of the role and extent of foreign investment in East Asian developing countries. We have not been concerned with the costs and benefits of DFL Rather, we have attempted to integrate the scattered and limited information on DFI into recent empirical research on the subject. Many of the issues concerning DFI can be examined only through detailed case studies, and our paper is intended to be complementary to such research. Several conclusions emerge from our study. First, DFI constitutes a substantial but still relatively minor source of the total resource inflows to the region, and a very small proportion of total domestic investment. Secondly, although there have been changes in the“packaging” of capital and technology inflows, these changes do not appear to be as great as is sometimes suggested. Thirdly, there are significant differences in the nature and extent of DFI among the investing countries. Fourthly, the importance of DFI varies markedly within the manufacturing sector, and these variations can be explained, at a general level, with reference to the theory of DFI. Fifthly, the phenomenon of intra-firm trade in manufacturing does not appear to be particularly important in the case of United States investment, but it is significant in the rapidly expanding Japanese investments abroad.