Asia Insights : Business and management

General Links and sources

ASEAN

The ASEAN Declaration states that the aims and purposes of the Association are: (i) to accelerate the economic growth, social progress and cultural development in the region through joint endeavours in the spirit of equality and partnership in order to strengthen the foundation for a prosperous and peaceful community of Southeast Asian nations, and (ii) to promote regional peace and stability through abiding respect for justice and the rule of law in the relationship among countries in the region and adherence to the principles of the United Nations Charter.

APEC
The Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation forum (APEC) is the principal international organization for promoting open trade and economic cooperation among 21 member economies around the Pacific Rim . The site features fact sheets, speeches and documents relating to APEC work

Asian Development Bank

the work of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) is aimed at improving the welfare of the people in Asia and the Pacific, particularly the 1.9 billion who live on less than $2 a day. Despite many success stories, Asia and the Pacific remains home to two thirds of the world's poor. ADB is a multilateral development financial institution owned by 65 members , 47 from the region and 18 from other parts of the globe. ADB's vision is a region free of poverty. Its mission is to help its developing member countries reduce poverty and improve the quality of life of their citizens.

Asia Monitor Resource Center (AMRC) , is an independent non-government organization (NGO) which focuses on Asian labour concerns. The center's main goal is to support democratic and independent labour movements in Asia . Hosts "Asian Labour Update", which periodically covers a detailed discussion about issues such as implications of code of conducts for Asian workers.

Research Institutes, Universities and Networks

Euro-Asia and Comparative Research Centre
This research centre is based at INSEAD in Paris. "The mission for the Centre is to create and disseminate new knowledge related to management in Asia and the comparison of business systems more widely."

Kenan Institute Asia
Kiasia is a private non-profit foundation, established in 1996 with endowments from USAID, Royal Thai Government, the Frank Hawkins Kenan Institute of Private Enterprise and the William R. Kenan Charitable Trust. It promotes sustainable economic development in Asia. Its main activities are in knowledge exchange, business practices, environmental management, human resources and IT.

China

BUYUSA.gov: China
The China section of BUYUSA promotes US exports to China . Users can subscribe to a free online newsletter published by the US Embassy, Beijing . Produced weekly, it provides regular updates on the business and economic situation in China . Sourced from a wide range of Chinese and international material, the newsletter includes tips on doing business in China and coverage of developments in various commercial sectors.

The Centre for Chinese Business and Development
This research centre is a joint venture at Leeds University , between the Department of East Asia n Studies and the Centre for International Business. Scholars with a wide range of interests work at the centre. Research is conducted on China , and in addition, consultancy services are offered.

China Initiatives
This research centre is based at the International Center for Finance at Yale School of Management. Yale's connection with China dates back to the 19th century, with the joint- financing of a steamship transportation company. The centre today conducts research into capital markets, securities law, market development and more. Working papers and articles can be accessed on this site, often in English and Chinese

China Labor Watch (CLW) is an independent not-for-profit organisation whose mission is the realisation and defense of labour rights in China . CLW seeks the enforcement of labour laws provided for under the laws of the PRC as well as internationally recognised protections. CLW seeks to help China 's workers become more informed of their rights, and to empower them to pursue and realise these rights within their communities.

Market Profile on Chinese Mainland
This frequently updated short business profile is produced by tdc trade.com, the organisation which markets Hong Kong traders and businesses worldwide. It offers a good background and data on the business and economic situation in mainland China , which could be useful for business students carrying out projects on China . Major economic indicators are given in a table. The site is divided into sections: Latest Development, Current Economic Development, Foreign Trade and Investment, Trade and Investment Policies, WTO Commitments, Economic Relations with Hong Kong and Hong Kong 's Trade with the Chinese Mainland

Ministry of Commerce of the People's Republic of China
This site has information about how the ministry works. There are news updates, statistics and policy releases. The site is available in Chinese (Mandarin) or English, although the English version contains less information

Sinopolis
Sinopolis is an independent media company which tracks news on Chinese business. The home page features breaking news stories, and sections on different aspects of China - business, technology, environment and economic reforms. There are also special features and more lighhearted features like quizzes on China. This is a quality site which could provide good information for anyone researching recent developments in Chinese business or economics. For example, there is information on the Chinese press, e- commerce, the WTO relationship with China and environmental awareness. Thousands of archived articles can also be searched. The site is entirely in English.

India
Aditya V Birla India Centre
The Aditya V Birla India Centre is based at the London Business School and conducts “management research pertaining to India and globalisation of India n Business and the resultant opportunities.” It aims to have a strong presence on the Internet, to employ a wide cross-section of researchers, to provide a forum for exchange of ideas and to make Indian management a major part of the business school curriculum. The site features some working papers, news of seminars and the centre’s masterclasses.  

The Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT)
Research and teaching institute focussing on developing India's capacity to engage in foreign trade The Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT) aims to serve as catalyst for new ideas, concepts and skills for the internationalisation of the Indian economy. |The IIFT's research is focussed on the following areas: WTO issues EU studies Free and Preferential trading arrangements Agriculture markets South Asia and Southeast Asia.

India n Institute of Finance
Based in Delhi , The India n Institute of Finance was founded in 1987 as a non-profit educational institution, engaged in education, research, training and consulting. The Institute publishes research publications and has published a quarterly journal - Finance India - since 1987. There is a link to the homepage for Professor J.D. Agarwal, the Director of the Institute, who is a leading economist. It has been suggesting various policy prescriptions to the Indian government and the corporate world.

Japan

Association of Japan ese Business Studies
AJBS is based in the USA . It is an international organisation which enables professionals to exchange information and ideas on the Japanese business system. Members include academics, researchers from business, and government and business executives. The site does not have a great deal of content, but there are details of its conferences held in various countries, and the proceedings, plus some links to other sites connected with Japan.

Businesspatrol: Japan Selection
This Web site has a collection of good quality links to business or trade information about Japan. They are divided by resource type, for example, newspapers, business organisations and regional institutions. Simply click on the link to go to each Web site. Most sites are available in English.

Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO)
JETRO was established in 1958 by the Japanese government to implement its trade policy. However, since the 1980s it has started promoting imports and foreign investment to Japan, to achieve a more balanced trade policy. JETRO has offices worldwide and since its merger with the Institute of Developing Economies (IDE), it also has an important research component. This is a rich site: as well as advice for businesses interested in Japan, there is much background information which could help business students: press releases about Japanese firms and performance; market information; statistics; regional economic information.

Japan Institute of Labour
The Japan Institute of Labour works under the supervision of the Ministry of Labour. It is engaged in the comprehensive research and study of labour problems. The Institute collects and classifies information and data both domestically and internationally with the intention of and publicising it. Another important role of the Japan Institute of Labour is to inform labour, management and the general public in order to deepen understanding and knowledge of labour problems. The site provides access to the Japan Labor Bulletin and links to other labour related servers. It would be of interest to any researchers interested in labour relations and/or relevant management issues.

Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, Japan (METI)
The official site for Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, with a history of the ministry, current organisation, some reports and policy documents, external trade policies, and latest news. You can search by policy area - environment, information, nuclear safety, SMEs, trade, natural resources, Japan Patent Office or other

President Online
This Japanese online magazine focuses on business strategy, management philosophy and also on executive lifestyles. While mainly aimed at Japanese business people, it could provide an insight into Japan ese management for any academics or students. There are some interesting survey results on the typical readership of President Online. To subscribe to the full edition, readers need to email international@president.co.jp. Please note that the full edition is only available in Japanese.

Research material and news  

Asia Pacific Business Review
An academic journal exploring business in the Asia Pacific countries. The journal looks at questions related to the growth of the Asia Pacific region and the origins of national economic success by examining economics, history, politics and culture. Contents of the journal and abstracts of the articles are freely available from the Web site.

Department for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Australia
The Australian Department for Foreign Affairs and Trade homepage has links to the departments work on culture, travel, policy and trade. The 'Trade' section is further split and includes trade and economy statistics, electronic commerce and market access. There are a large number of documents available within the statistics section. 'Economies at a Glance' houses pdf documents of key facts from 24 countries as well as country factsheets on many more. There are also reports on Australia's merchandise trade with East Asia available as downloadable files they compare monthly exports and imports from each country in the East Asian region.

Bizasia
Daily succinct news messages about the Asia/Pacific-Rim region Asia/Pacific-Rim Business News. "A personalized news service dedicated to business and company news in the Asia/Pacific-Rim region. Daily news stories are tagged and keyworded according to subject as well as type of article.
PDF] full report: "The end of child labour: Within reach"

International Labour Organization, 2006

New ILO Report shows marked decline in child labour worldwide - Believes its worst forms can be eliminated in 10 years, International Labour Organization (ILO), 2006

New Reports Offer Investors Guidance for Assessing Environmental, Social, and Governance Factors in Asian Businesses , Association of Sustainable and Responsible Investment in Asia (ASrIA) & International Finance Corporation (IFC), 2006 publishs a series of reports offering investors guidance on adding critical new areas for value creation and risk into analysis of Asian businesses... The reports...focus on the following sectors: automobiles; banking; metals and mining; oil, gas, and petrochemicals; power; pulp, paper, and timber; supply chain; and technology...

Taking Stock: Adding Sustainability Variables to Asian Sectoral Analysis , Association of Sustainable and Responsible Investment in Asia, 2006

Asia Pacific Management Forum - article of the month
The Asia Pacific Management Forum was founded in April 1995 to contribute to developing effective, independent, and indigenous Asia -Pacific Management expertise. Each month the 'Article of the month' is selected from over 400 management research and professional journals by the editorial board. The site allows readers to view full text of the article as well as an opportunity to visit the Asia Pacific Management Forum Editorial Board's home page, which provides links to other useful sites, and other commercial servers.

RRojas Databank
Published and maintained by Dr. Robinson Rojas, this site contains substantial information about economic and development issues in Chile , People's Republic of China, Taiwan, Latin America, South-East and East Asia. The archive contains papers and documents by the author and other writers, many of which are full text.

Corporate social responsibility in Asia

Eldis Corporate social responsible site

International Alert’s Business and Conflict programme has been working since 1999 to promote and catalyze the peace-building practice, principles and policies of extractive transnational corporations (TNCs) and local businesses. The website provides access to research, policy and field projects with a practical focus on engaging companies in conflict prevention and peace-building. It aims to promote the transformation or prevention of conflicts in specific conflict-affected countries, as well as producing learning and recommendations for others elsewhere. Areas of focus include Western Africa, Southern Caucasus, South Asia and South America.

Asia Monitor Resource Center (AMRC) , is an independent non-government organization (NGO) which focuses on Asian labour concerns. Aims and Principles: The center's main goal is to support democratic and independent labour movements in Asia. In order to achieve this goal, AMRC upholds the principles of workers' empowerment and gender consciousness, and follows a participatory framework. WWW hosts "Asian Labour Update", which periodically covers a detailed discussion about issues such as implications of code of conducts for Asian workers. Another Webzine is ALARM which has featured impacts of globalisation on workers and unions.

The business and human rights resource centre , aims to promote greater awareness and informed discussion of important issues relating to business and human rights. The online library covers over 1800 companies, over 160 countries, over 150 topics. It includes reports of corporate misconduct, as well as positive examples of "best practice" by companies.