The East Asian Model

Given the impressive growth in East Asia after World War II, initially led by Japan, the region's development models have been scrutinized since the 1980s. The shared Confucian cultural heritage, strong government guidance, and export led economies were often cited as contributors to the impressive growth. However, major changes have taken place in Asia on and around the turn of the century: Japan experienced two decades of economic slow-down, while World Bank figures reveal that China is poised to become the largest economy in the world in 2014, overtaking the United States. Bearing this in mind, is it even possible to formulate an East Asian development model in the context of a shifting twenty-first century? And if so, what is it? This book addresses this issue by looking at the economic, political and cultural perspectives of China, Japan and South Korea, focusing on dynamism and potential consensus regarding an East Asian development model. The chapters offer a historical background to the East Asian development model, as well as in-depth case studies of each of the countries concerned to show that whilst the East Asian development model does have distinct characteristics as compared with other areas, and other countries may draw some insights from the East Asian experience, it is not a panacea that fits all circumstances and fits all times. This book will be welcomed by students and scholars of Asian economics, Asian politics, international political economy and development studies.

Given the impressive growth in East Asia after World War II, initially led by Japan, the region's development models have been scrutinized since the 1980s. The shared Confucian cultural heritage, strong government guidance, and export led economies were often cited as contributors to the impressive growth. However, major changes have taken place in Asia on and around the turn of the century: Japan experienced two decades of economic slow-down, while World Bank figures reveal that China is poised to become the largest economy in the world in 2014, overtaking the United States. Bearing this in mind, is it even possible to formulate an East Asian development model in the context of a shifting twenty-first century? And if so, what is it? This book addresses this issue by looking at the economic, political and cultural perspectives of China, Japan and South Korea, focusing on dynamism and potential consensus regarding an East Asian development model. The chapters offer a historical background to the East Asian development model, as well as in-depth case studies of each of the countries concerned to show that whilst the East Asian development model does have distinct characteristics as compared with other areas, and other countries may draw some insights from the East Asian experience, it is not a panacea that fits all circumstances and fits all times. This book will be welcomed by students and scholars of Asian economics, Asian politics, international political economy and development studies.

This book attempts to provide an effective strategy for industrial development based on the KAIZEN management training experiments conducted in Ghana, Kenya, Ethiopia, Vietnam, and Tanzania. We focus on micro and small enterprises (MSEs) in industrial clusters, because clusters consisting of MSEs are ubiquitous and have high potential to grow.

East Asia's development experience, at least until its crisis in 1997, has been a source of hope for other countries in the South. And in modern economic theory, it has been at the centre of the debate about how the role of the state relates to processes of intentional economic progress.

Latin America is at a uniquely important juncture in its history and the history of development more generally. Neoliberal market-orientated policies are being called into question, growth has been volatile and equity has stayed the same or worsened. In Latin America there is no clear direction for change. This book presents an alternative development path for Latin America based on an East Asian model. East Asia remains the only developing region so far with high stable and equitable economic development. Based on in depth analysis and the presentation of new and unique material, this study provides a new perspective on the lessons of China's rapid development and examines relations between states and companies that have led to greater success by East Asian companies entering new international markets. More importantly, it highlights how Latin American politics can and must be transformed.

Hyungkee Kim analyses the model of East Asian development as it existed during periods of high growth and how it was transformed by pressures from both the Washington consensus and its own internal contradictions. Many have discussed the successes and failures of the East Asian model, but Kim is concerned rather with the story of its transformation, and its long-term sustainability. He uses a Five Sector Model, which focuses on the, state, corporate, financial, labour, and foreign sectors to identify the core of East Asian model and examine the variants in Korea, Japan and China. He also outlines the distinctions between the East Asian model and Western development models including the Anglo-American, Rhine, and Nordic models. He analyses in detail the institutional changes such as marketization, privatization, liberalization, and flexibilization that have transformed the East Asian model. Highlighting the major problems that emerged from the transformation of the East Asian model, Kim assesses its prospects for economic, social and ecological sustainability and proposes an agenda for institutional reforms. An essential reading for scholars of East Asian political economy.

This volume provides highly illuminating, analytic perspectives on key facets of the East Asian economies. It discusses weaknesses in the financial sector, corporate governance, exchange rate and trade policies, regulatory capability, and proposes remedies. Rethinking the East Asian Miracle is an indispensable book for all those with an interest in East Asia's prospects in the early decades of the new century.

The relevance of East Asian development experience to the less developed world crucially depends on whether an identifiable economic model underlies & largely explains the unquestionable economic success of the five nations of East Asia-Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, & Singapore-which are the subject of extensive analysis in this volume. If there is a model, is it transferable? There are two schools of thought on this question. Some believe that the explanation for East Asian economic success lies largely in the cultural realm: in values, institutional structures & social relations. Others maintain that economic success can largely be explained by the economic strategy these countries have adopted.