Asia-Pacific Journal of Regional Science最新文献

{"title":"Exploring latent dimensions of in situ urbanization in northern rural Kazakhstan through structural equation modeling","authors":"Darima Zhenskhan,&nbsp;Onggarbek Alipbeki,&nbsp;Song Soo Lim,&nbsp;Jumi Song,&nbsp;Aida Balkibayeva,&nbsp;Anar Nukesheva,&nbsp;Raushan Mussina,&nbsp;Gauhar Mussaif","doi":"10.1007/s41685-025-00376-8","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s41685-025-00376-8","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>In situ urbanization is a rural development model in which the essential rural characteristics are maintained while living standards are raised to urban levels. Few studies determined the complex factors influencing in situ urbanization, despite its importance for rural development, in developing Central Asian Countries such as Kazakhstan. The objective of this study was to examine evidence of in situ urbanization and investigate its driving factors in northern rural Zerendy, Kazakhstan. Annual data from 22 rural settlements between 2015 and 2022, including 79 villages in the Zerendy District, one of the largest getaways in the Akmola Region, were used. The results of partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) and structural models supported the relevance of productivity, amenities and friction as constructs associated with in situ urbanization patterns in the area. Among the three factors, amenities demonstrated the strongest association with in situ urbanization processes. Productivity and friction constructs yielded only statistically insignificant path coefficients. These findings imply that improving the availability of rural amenities can be a useful policy strategy to aid a country’s rural development.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":36164,"journal":{"name":"Asia-Pacific Journal of Regional Science","volume":"9 2","pages":"329 - 355"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-04-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s41685-025-00376-8.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145160517","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Impacts of bank loan performance, stability and risk factors on sustainable development goals: insights from South and Southeast Asia","authors":"Masud Rana,&nbsp;Hasibul Islam,&nbsp;Md. Abdullah Al Mamun,&nbsp;Rebeka Sultana Rekha","doi":"10.1007/s41685-025-00377-7","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s41685-025-00377-7","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>This study examined the impacts of bank loan performance, financial stability and risk factors on achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in South and Southeast Asia from 2009 to 2023 using advanced econometric methods, including Instrumental Variables Generalized Method of Moments (IV-GMM) and Panel Quantile Regression. The analysis incorporates data from 14 countries and evaluates six key banking indicators: Bank Non-Performing Loans to Gross Loans (BNPLGL), Bank Credit to Bank Deposits (BCBD), Bank Z-Score (BZS), Liquid Assets to Deposits and Short-Term Funding (LADSTF), Provisions to Non-Performing Loans (PNPL), and Bank Capital to Total Assets (BCTA). The IV-GMM results revealed significant regional differences. In South Asia, BZS (coefficient: 0.101, <i>p</i> &lt; 0.001), BCBD (0.096, <i>p</i> = 0.005), and LADSTF (0.067, <i>p</i> &lt; 0.001) showed strong positive relationships with SDG progress, highlighting the critical role of financial stability and liquidity in fostering sustainable development. Conversely, in Southeast Asia, results were more varied, BCBD (0.027, <i>p</i> &lt; 0.001) positively contributing to SDGs while BNPLGL (− 0.017, <i>p</i> = 0.314) and BZS (− 0.002, <i>p</i> = 0.867) exhibiting weak or negligible effects. Panel Quantile Regression underscored the importance of financial stability and risk management, particularly in low-performing countries, where BZS and BNPLGL significantly drove SDG progress. SDG-specific analysis highlighted banking contributions to poverty reduction (SDG1), health improvements (SDG3) and sustainable cities (SDG11), alongside challenges in climate action (SDG13) and biodiversity conservation (SDG15). The findings emphasize the need for region-specific banking reforms to strengthen financial stability, improve credit quality and align banking practices with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":36164,"journal":{"name":"Asia-Pacific Journal of Regional Science","volume":"9 2","pages":"449 - 478"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-03-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145168803","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Measuring the impact of creative city attributes on regional economic development in Thailand","authors":"Winai Homsombat,&nbsp;Phongthorn Wrasai,&nbsp;Nara Benjabutr","doi":"10.1007/s41685-025-00374-w","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s41685-025-00374-w","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Creative industries of Thailand have developed substantially over recent decades. However, challenges persist in quantifying their contributions to regional economies due to data limitations and issues with industrial classification. This study addressed these challenges by introducing tailored creative city indicators and analyzing the impacts of different creative city dimensions—cultural vibrancy, the creative economy, and the enabling environment—on the provincial economic output of Thailand. Using empirical data from 2015 to 2021, the study employed a panel fixed-effects model with gross regional and provincial product (GPP) as the primary variable. The findings revealed that, while the creative economy and enabling environment significantly boosted economic output across provinces, cultural vibrancy did not have the expected positive effect. In fact, provinces with high cultural heritage and venues often experienced lower economic outputs, particularly in smaller regions, suggesting that cultural assets alone may not drive economic growth without supporting infrastructure and industry. This study highlights the need for a comprehensive policy approach that integrates culture with economic participation and infrastructure to fully realize the economic potential of creative cities in Thailand.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":36164,"journal":{"name":"Asia-Pacific Journal of Regional Science","volume":"9 2","pages":"357 - 385"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-03-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s41685-025-00374-w.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145168650","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Integrated macroeconomic and climate impact assessment of Japan-financed power plants in Indonesia: a cost–benefit and input–output approach","authors":"Yoko Nobuoka,&nbsp;Takeshi Mizunoya","doi":"10.1007/s41685-025-00372-y","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s41685-025-00372-y","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Japan has long provided funding to Indonesia, supporting its economic growth through infrastructure investment, including energy-related ones. As representative projects, this study examined the efficiency of past investments in coal-fired and geothermal power plants. Over the past decade, these two technologies have benefitted the most from Japanese public funding. Employing the input–output analysis method, this study evaluated two model projects from the perspectives of both the host and the financing countries. We integrated economic effects across sectors and the associated value-chain impacts of climate change into the cost–benefit analysis framework. The results highlighted that these projects may not necessarily represent efficient resource allocation. Specifically, coal projects were not justified on a cost–benefit basis because of their high climate costs and the low value-added rate of the Indonesian electricity sector. We also found that geothermal projects may be barely viable for Indonesia if the electricity sales price is not sufficiently high. However, the project was justified when aggregated with the net benefit accrued in Japan. Japan substantially benefitted from the export of coal-fired and geothermal power plant equipment. This yielded a benefit-to-cost ratio of over 3.0 for Japan for both projects. These findings underscore the importance of conducting comprehensive overseas project assessments that integrate climate change impacts and economic effects on both host and financing countries. Our analysis framework is also relevant to evaluating recent energy transition projects and can highlight the resource-efficiency perspective in developing Asia and Japan.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":36164,"journal":{"name":"Asia-Pacific Journal of Regional Science","volume":"9 2","pages":"545 - 583"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-03-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s41685-025-00372-y.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145165156","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Regional proliferation in Indonesia: impact on manufacturing outcomes and firm survival","authors":"Ana Uluwiyah,&nbsp;Nachrowi Djalal Nachrowi,&nbsp;Chaikal Nuryakin","doi":"10.1007/s41685-025-00373-x","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s41685-025-00373-x","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>This study examined the effects of regional proliferation resulting from Indonesia’s decentralization policies, with a focus on the formation of new districts and cities. The analysis used longitudinal data and applied a difference-in-differences (DiD) model and event study approach to evaluate the impacts of these policies on firm performance and growth. The findings showed that regional proliferation initially attracts industries to newly created areas, but firm performance may decline in the long term. Productivity and output showed improvements in the early years following proliferation, particularly during periods such as local elections. The ability of new regions to utilize their autonomy effectively varied, with some regions developing quickly while others faced challenges. Overall, this research provides causal evidence that decentralization can stimulate business productivity and industrial growth, although long-term support and strategic policy implementation remain crucial for the success of newly formed regions.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":36164,"journal":{"name":"Asia-Pacific Journal of Regional Science","volume":"9 2","pages":"419 - 447"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-03-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145164336","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Examining short-run and long-run nexus between economic growth, financial development, energy consumption and environmental degradation: empirical evidence for the Environmental Kuznets Curve Hypothesis in Egypt","authors":"Waqar Khalid,&nbsp;Ahmad Nawaz,&nbsp;Lamya Mohamed Aly Gadou,&nbsp;Saqib Ullah Khan,&nbsp;Huri Gül Aybudak","doi":"10.1007/s41685-025-00371-z","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s41685-025-00371-z","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The growing environmental challenges faced by Egypt highlight a need to examine how key macroeconomic factors influence environmental sustainability. In response, this research analyzes the short-run and long-run effects of economic growth, financial development, and energy consumption on environmental degradation in Egypt. Using annual time-series data from 1960 to 2022, we employ the Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) methodology and Error Correction Model (ECM) to assess the short-run and long-run effects of these macroeconomic factors on environmental degradation. Additionally, Granger causality tests are applied to explore causal linkages among the variables, while the Cholesky variance decomposition method estimates the proportionate impact of shocks on CO₂ emissions. The results revealed that, in the short-run, energy consumption, financial development, urbanization, and economic growth negatively impacted environmental quality, whereas trade openness and the squared term of economic growth improved it. In the long-run, however, all variables—except for the squared term of economic growth—contributed to increased CO₂ emissions. Furthermore, the study identified significant bidirectional causality between economic growth and energy consumption. Variance decomposition estimates indicate that economic growth and trade openness are primary drivers of CO₂ emissions in Egypt, accounting for 28.45% and 20.11% of the observed variation, respectively. These findings suggest that Egypt’s economic growth and international trade are pollution-intensive, highlighting the need for targeted policy interventions. We recommend the promotion of a clean energy transition through environmental awareness campaigns, investments in renewable energy technologies, financial sector reforms, and the development of sustainable urban infrastructure to support low-carbon economic growth and enhance environmental sustainability.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":36164,"journal":{"name":"Asia-Pacific Journal of Regional Science","volume":"9 2","pages":"479 - 511"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-02-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145166577","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Correction: Impacts of financial globalization on CO2 emissions in Asian countries and implications for Vietnam","authors":"Thi My Hanh Nguyen,&nbsp;Thi Khanh Linh Nguyen,&nbsp;Xuan Truong Pham","doi":"10.1007/s41685-024-00369-z","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s41685-024-00369-z","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":36164,"journal":{"name":"Asia-Pacific Journal of Regional Science","volume":"9 1","pages":"327 - 327"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-01-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143513129","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Nexus between rural poverty and environmental quality: empirical evidence from Indonesia","authors":"Sabrina Do Miswa,&nbsp;Fitri Kartiasih","doi":"10.1007/s41685-024-00370-6","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s41685-024-00370-6","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Two primary objectives of sustainable development goals are poverty reduction and environmental quality. Recent findings, however, point to a potential conflict between pursuing these two objectives. This study aimed to investigate the existence of a dilemma between rural poverty and environmental quality in Indonesia. Unlike previous studies, we focused on rural poverty and environmental quality index to examine the poverty-environmental degradation nexus. We also attempted to reveal the socio-economic dynamics that affect rural poverty and environmental quality. We used the data from 33 provinces of Indonesia between 2015 and 2022 and employed the system-generalized method of moments (SysGMM) approach. The results showed that rural poverty and environmental quality support trade-off relationships that improve environmental quality and increase rural poverty. Population density and income inequality hindered the improvement of environmental quality. Meanwhile, human development, rural labor wages, and information communication and technology (ICT) supported the improvement of environmental quality. Economic growth, electricity access, and ICT supported the alleviation of the rural poor. Therefore, the central and regional governments should make efforts to reduce income inequality and increase ICT access to simultaneously improve the quality of the environment and reduce rural poverty.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":36164,"journal":{"name":"Asia-Pacific Journal of Regional Science","volume":"9 1","pages":"57 - 81"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-01-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143513148","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Revealing ecotourism potentiality in northeast seven sister states, India: a geospatial analysis using multifaceted GIS-based approach","authors":"Alok Sarkar,&nbsp;Madhumita Mondal,&nbsp;Sushanta Das,&nbsp;Shasanka Kumar Gayen","doi":"10.1007/s41685-024-00367-1","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s41685-024-00367-1","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The seven sister states of northeast India are renowned for their diverse landscapes and vibrant cultural heritage. From the Himalayas in the north to the plateau plains in the south, the region offers lush rainforests and rich biodiversity, making it ideal for ecotourism. This study aimed to map and analyze the ecotourism potential across Northeast India's seven sister states through state-wise geospatial analysis. Geographic information system (GIS) and the full consistency method (FUCOM) multi-criteria decision analysis model were used for this purpose. While many multi-criteria decision making (MCDA) models have been used to identify ecotourism potential, FUCOM-based geospatial analysis is new to this area and ecotourism potential identification. Utilizing the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, the study assessed the effectiveness of each state and region in identifying suitable tourism zones. It highlighted the rich natural resources and cultural diversity of the seven sister states, which offer an ideal environment for ecotourism development. Through comparative analyses, we identified areas with the highest ecotourism potential and emphasized the importance of sustainable tourism initiatives to benefit both the environment and local communities. The potential zones in the Northeast States were categorized into five groups: Very High (23.34%), High (25.76%), Moderate (20.15%), Low (22.39%) and Least Potential (8.36%). The results suggest that improving infrastructure, engaging communities, enhancing marketing, advancing research, and fostering strong collaboration are significant ways to unlock its ecotourism potential.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":36164,"journal":{"name":"Asia-Pacific Journal of Regional Science","volume":"9 1","pages":"223 - 263"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-01-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143513146","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Mapping actor networks: shaping the dynamics of economic corridors through the lens of the Bioceanic Road Corridor","authors":"Ledys Franco,&nbsp;Miguel Atienza,&nbsp;Marcelo Lufin,&nbsp;Javier Revilla Diez","doi":"10.1007/s41685-024-00366-2","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s41685-024-00366-2","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Economic corridors are long-term projects that must address challenges beyond physical infrastructure to become fully operational. Most of these challenges, including institutional coordination, logistical integration, and creating favorable conditions for trade and investment, require complex networks of interaction among the corridor agents. This study analyzed the actor network within the Bioceanic Road Corridor (BRC) \"Mato Grosso do Sul—Ports of northern Chile\" to assess how their roles and interactions influence the development of the project. Based on 240 surveys and the application of social network analysis (SNA), we mapped key relationships within the BRC. Our contributions extend the analysis of economic corridors from a relational space perspective, highlighting the influence of key actors in shaping the development of these projects. Our findings reveal poor coordination between the private sector and subnational public agencies, threatening the corridor’s success. Limited private sector involvement restricts opportunities for regional economic growth, investment, job creation, and trade. Additionally, weak coordination among subnational actors worsens institutional fragmentation, hindering the implementation of policies aligned with local needs. To avoid BRC becoming a \"white elephant,\" institutional coordination must improve and incentives for private sector participation—such as public–private partnerships, tax incentives, and investment programs—are essential to unlock its potential for regional development.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":36164,"journal":{"name":"Asia-Pacific Journal of Regional Science","volume":"9 1","pages":"159 - 187"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-01-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143513147","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}