F. Gerard Adams

Why is China so Competitive? Measuring and Explaining China's Competitiveness

This paper evaluates factors responsible for the competitiveness of China in the world economy and relative to its East Asian rivals. China has been highly successful in capturing world export markets. Chinese competitiveness is not just a matter of an undervalued exchange rate and extremely low labour costs. It reflects the coincidence of favourable cost conditions with improvements in Chinas ability to produce products that meet world market specififications. These improvements are closely related to foreign participation in Chinas economy through foreign direct investment and joint venture enterprises.

Projections of Chinese Energy Demands in 2020

As current trends of Chinese economic growth and motorization continue, its demand for higher efficiency fuels (oil, gas, and electric power) will increase. This, coupled with China’s limited domestic production, can translate into a massive demand for energy imports. To predict China’s energy demand into 2020, an econometric model of the Chinese energy economy is constructed based on its energy balance. This paper suggests that China’s increase demand for energy imports will be most sensitive to increases in motorization rather than economic growth. It can be partially offset by increasing domestic energy production or energy efficiency.

Economic Growth and Energy Import Requirements: An Energy Balance Model of Thailand

Abstract This paper develops an energy balance model for Thailand, makes projection of future energy needs, and tests various alternative strategies to deal with energy dependence. We show that rapid economic development may have large negative impacts on the balance of payments of energy deficient economies like Thailand. Fortunately, East Asian growth is based on export promotion so that foreign earnings tend to offset the cost of imported fuel.

How the Dragon Captured the World Export Markets: Outsourcing and Foreign Investment Lead the Way

This paper explores several theories regarding how China has become highly successful in capturing world export markets. The paper concludes that increased competitiveness is dependant on, but not limited to several factors discussed in detail including, exchange rate undervaluation, low wage rates and excess labor resources. Direct foreign investment which enabled China to produce products that meet world market specifications, brought new technology and foreign management, played a key factor. Reasons for Chinas advantage over other East Asian countries are explored. The merits and methods of various measures of Chinas competitiveness and comparative competitiveness are also discussed.

Can Information Technology Revive Economic Development in East Asia? The Role of Human and Technical Resource Policy

Development of IT/e-business is a centerpiece of renewed economic growth in most countries of East Asia. This paper considers the challenges for policy focusing on the acquisition of knowledge and its utilization. While many countries in East Asia are well along the way toward upgraded production of IT related products, the softer aspects of IT and e-business are a greater challenge. They will call for policies that provide the needed infrastructure, and, particularly, they will pose a challenge in developing human capital.