Recent Research Policy Briefs

Managing Capital Flows in Asia: Policy Issues and Challenges
Authors: Masahiro Kawai, Mario B. Lamberte

While capital inflows can provide emerging market economies with invaluable benefits in pursuing economic development and growth, they can also pose serious policy challenges for macroeconomic management and financial sector supervision. This policy brief describes the patterns of capital flows in and their impact on emerging Asian economies and discusses possible policy measures to manage surges in capital inflows while remaining consistent with the goals of macroeconomic and financial sector stability. It suggests options for workable national policies and regional policy cooperation, particularly in exchange rate management.

Read Research Policy Brief 26.

Infrastructure and Asia's Trade Costs
Authors: Douglas H. Brooks

Infrastructure has played a key role in Asia's export-led rapid growth, but the details of that contribution are poorly understood even though infrastructure accounts for huge amounts of investment. This policy brief examines and, where possible, quantifies the role of hard and soft infrastructure in reducing Asia's trade costs and thereby influencing trade flows and patterns.

Read Research Policy Brief 27.

A Strategy for Small- and Medium-Sized Enterprise Development within a National Innovation System: The Case of the People's Republic of China
Authors: Tracy Yang, Jamus Jerome Lim, Toshiki Kanamori

The small- and medium-sized enterprise (SME) sector can play a significant role in further reforms of the People's Republic of China's national innovation system, which, in turn, could spur continued growth. This policy brief highlights how issues such as innovation, research and development, and strategic clustering influence the SME sector, and outlines internal and external conditions that may affect the further development of this sector.

Read Research Policy Brief 28.