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The determinants of FTA use in Southeast Asia: A firm-level analysis

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  • Wignaraja, Ganeshan

Abstract

The spread of free trade agreements (FTAs) in Southeast Asia has ignited a debate about their impact on enterprises including the business costs from the Asian ‘noodle bowl’ effect. This paper undertakes a comparative and firm-level analysis of the determinants of FTA use in Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines. The likelihood of firms using important ASEAN+1 FTAs (e.g. the ASEAN-China FTA, the ASEAN-Japan FTA and ASEAN-Korea FTA) is positively associated with acquiring knowledge about FTAs, building technological capabilities, and membership in industrial clusters. Non-use of FTAs is explained by a lack of information about FTAs and the absence of FTAs with major trading partners. Key policy implications are the need to improve business support for FTAs, to conclude FTAs with major trading partners, and to create a database on FTA preference use.

Suggested Citation

  • Wignaraja, Ganeshan, 2014. "The determinants of FTA use in Southeast Asia: A firm-level analysis," Journal of Asian Economics, Elsevier, vol. 35(C), pages 32-45.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:asieco:v:35:y:2014:i:c:p:32-45
    DOI: 10.1016/j.asieco.2014.10.002
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    Cited by:

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    2. Arudchelvan, Menaka & Wignaraja, Ganeshan, 2015. "SME Internationalization through Global Value Chains and Free Trade Agreements: Malaysian Evidence," ADBI Working Papers 515, Asian Development Bank Institute.
    3. Sapkota, Jeet Bahadur, 2020. "Integrating South Asia into Asia: Evidence from Trade Statistics," MPRA Paper 106097, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    4. Sapkota, Jeet Bahadur & Acharya, Chakra Pani & Minowa, Mari & Neupane, Pramila, 2018. "Trade integration in Asia: Trends and determinants," MPRA Paper 106063, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    5. Sapkota, Jeet Bahadur & Shuto, Motoko, 2016. "Is Pan-Asian Economic Integration Moving Forward? Evidence from Regional Trade Statistics," MPRA Paper 106075, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    6. Postigo, Antonio, 2022. "Utilization of GSP schemes as a political and economic determinant of the utilization of North-South FTAs," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 29(5), pages 1420-1447.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    ASEAN; Business use of free trade agreements; Asian noodle bowl effect; Asian regional economic integration; Technological capabilities;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • F13 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Trade Policy; International Trade Organizations
    • F14 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Empirical Studies of Trade
    • F15 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Economic Integration
    • O31 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Innovation and Invention: Processes and Incentives
    • O32 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Management of Technological Innovation and R&D

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