Journal of Asian Economics最新文献_第4页

A study on the impact of Regional Trade Agreement digital trade rules on global innovation network 区域贸易协定数字贸易规则对全球创新网络的影响研究

IF 3.4 3区经济学

Journal of Asian Economics Pub Date : 2026-03-01 Epub Date: 2026-02-14 DOI: 10.1016/j.asieco.2026.102144

Na Li , Ruobing Li

{"title":"A study on the impact of Regional Trade Agreement digital trade rules on global innovation network","authors":"Na Li , Ruobing Li","doi":"10.1016/j.asieco.2026.102144","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.asieco.2026.102144","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study examines the impact of Regional Trade Agreement (RTA) digital trade rules on global innovation networks from 2000 to 2023, with a focus on knowledge spillovers, technology transfer, and the institutional environment. Using social network analysis, difference-in-differences (DID) methods, fixed-effects models, and multiple testing strategies, it confirms that: (1) RTA digital trade rules enhance member countries' positions in the global innovation network; (2) Developing countries and high-digitalization countries benefit more significantly, with data-dedicated, intellectual property, and e-commerce provisions playing crucial roles, though new data economy provisions do not; (3) The effect shows an inverted U-shaped nonlinearity. These findings highlight that the effectiveness of RTA digital rules in strengthening the positions of members in the global innovation network, especially for developing countries, is highly dependent on the types of provisions. However, the current level of global digital development has not yet reached the tipping point to have a disruptive impact on the structure of global innovation networks. The study provides new insights into the relationship between digital trade regulations and global innovation network, suggesting ways for nations to strengthen their network positions through RTA negotiations.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":47583,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Asian Economics","volume":"103 ","pages":"Article 102144"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147421548","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

The impact of industrial robots on firm labor productivity: Evidence from China 工业机器人对企业劳动生产率的影响：来自中国的证据

IF 3.4 3区经济学

Journal of Asian Economics Pub Date : 2026-03-01 Epub Date: 2026-02-06 DOI: 10.1016/j.asieco.2026.102138

Jing Zhang , Yong Ye

{"title":"The impact of industrial robots on firm labor productivity: Evidence from China","authors":"Jing Zhang , Yong Ye","doi":"10.1016/j.asieco.2026.102138","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.asieco.2026.102138","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The technological upgrade of intelligent manufacturing, represented by industrial robots, is reshaping enterprises' production methods and factor allocation structures. This paper systematically examines the impact of exposure to industrial robot diffusion on labor productivity and its underlying mechanisms, based on a sample of Chinese A-share listed manufacturing companies from 2011 to 2019. Empirical results indicate that industrial robot adoption significantly enhances labor productivity, a conclusion that remains robust across multiple tests. Mechanism analysis reveals that industrial robots boost labor productivity by promoting capital deepening and optimizing the human resource structure within enterprises. Further heterogeneity analysis indicates that financing constraints shape the extent to which workforce restructuring accompanies automation exposure, leading to heterogeneous productivity outcomes across firms. Additionally, the productivity-enhancing effects of robot adoption are more pronounced for non-state-owned enterprises, non-high-tech enterprises, and small-to-medium-sized enterprises. This study reveals the transmission channels through which industrial robots influence labor productivity at the micro-firm level. It provides empirical evidence for understanding the mechanisms of production efficiency enhancement in the context of smart manufacturing and offers valuable insights for formulating relevant industrial policies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":47583,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Asian Economics","volume":"103 ","pages":"Article 102138"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147421553","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Impact of pension contribution rate reduction policies on labor productivity: Evidence from China 养老金缴费率下调政策对劳动生产率的影响：来自中国的证据

IF 3.4 3区经济学

Journal of Asian Economics Pub Date : 2026-01-01 Epub Date: 2025-12-15 DOI: 10.1016/j.asieco.2025.102098

Jianqiang Li , Zhiyi Ge , Jingyi Yu , Jiatong Yao , Yan Xu

{"title":"Impact of pension contribution rate reduction policies on labor productivity: Evidence from China","authors":"Jianqiang Li , Zhiyi Ge , Jingyi Yu , Jiatong Yao , Yan Xu","doi":"10.1016/j.asieco.2025.102098","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.asieco.2025.102098","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Our study investigates how provincial pension contribution rate reduction policies affect labor productivity of listed Chinese firms. Using a staggered difference-in-differences (DiD) framework, we find that these policies exert a significant negative impact on firms’ labor productivity. The results remain robust to multiple checks, including tests for parallel trends, dynamic average treatment effect (ATT) estimation, instrumental variable (IV) estimation, and the PSM-DiD approach. Mechanism analyses indicate that lower pension contributions reduce employees’ total compensation, which in turn affects firm productivity through three channels: declining workforce quality, a lower capital–labor ratio, and weakened innovation capacity. Heterogeneity analyses show that the adverse effects are more pronounced among firms operating in regions with higher unemployment, greater capital intensity, more educated employees, and lower profitability. Overall, our findings provide empirical support for both Efficiency Wage Theory and Capital-Labor Substitution Theory, highlighting the unintended incentive distortions that may arise from cost-reduction-oriented social security policies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":47583,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Asian Economics","volume":"102 ","pages":"Article 102098"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145840065","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Can pilot free trade zones promote the agglomeration of talent in cities: Evidence from China 自由贸易试验区能否促进城市人才集聚：来自中国的证据

IF 3.4 3区经济学

Journal of Asian Economics Pub Date : 2026-01-01 Epub Date: 2025-12-29 DOI: 10.1016/j.asieco.2025.102107

Zhui Liu, Kuiran Yuan , Huiru Wei

{"title":"Can pilot free trade zones promote the agglomeration of talent in cities: Evidence from China","authors":"Zhui Liu, Kuiran Yuan , Huiru Wei","doi":"10.1016/j.asieco.2025.102107","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.asieco.2025.102107","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>As a pivotal platform for institutional openness, Pilot Free Trade Zones (PFTZs) are increasingly serving as key policy instruments for promoting regional economic agglomeration and cross-border talent mobility worldwide. Grounded in agglomeration economics theory, this study employs panel data from 284 prefecture-level cities in China and adopts a staggered difference-in-differences (DID) model to empirically assess the effect of PFTZ establishment on urban talent agglomeration. The findings indicate that the establishment of PFTZs significantly enhances regional talent agglomeration. Mechanism analysis reveals that PFTZs promote talent agglomeration primarily through enhancing entrepreneurial vitality, optimizing the innovation environment, and attracting foreign investment inflows. Spatial effect analysis reveals a shadow suppression zone within 50 kilometers of the PFTZs, while a notable positive spillover effect exists in the 50–150 kilometers range. However, these effects diminish significantly beyond 200 kilometers. Moreover, the impact of PFTZs on talent agglomeration exhibits significant heterogeneity across pilot batches, geographic locations, and educational levels. These findings enrich the theoretical understanding of how institutional policies influence talent flows and provide practical insights for local governments aiming to optimize talent allocation through PFTZ initiatives.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":47583,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Asian Economics","volume":"102 ","pages":"Article 102107"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145884279","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Unravelling the factors behind Indonesia's international exchange reserves 揭开印尼国际外汇储备背后的因素

IF 3.4 3区经济学

Journal of Asian Economics Pub Date : 2026-01-01 Epub Date: 2025-12-28 DOI: 10.1016/j.asieco.2025.102105

Sanjiv Kumar , K.P. Prabheesh , Iman Gunadi

{"title":"Unravelling the factors behind Indonesia's international exchange reserves","authors":"Sanjiv Kumar , K.P. Prabheesh , Iman Gunadi","doi":"10.1016/j.asieco.2025.102105","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.asieco.2025.102105","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This paper investigates the motives underlying Indonesia’s demand for international reserves. Using quarterly data for 2001Q1–2024Q4, we estimate a regression model for reserves-to-GDP and complement it with long-run cointegration techniques and quantile regressions. The baseline and cointegration results show that variables capturing precautionary and capital-account motives, most notably short-term external debt, the interest rate differential, and exchange-rate volatility, are the most robust determinants of reserve holdings. By contrast, current-account variables play a limited role. The undervaluation indicator is generally insignificant across specifications, providing little support for a strong mercantilist motive in Indonesia’s reserve accumulation strategy. Quantile regressions reveal important heterogeneity: the impact of short-term external debt is strongest in low-reserve regimes, while exchange-rate volatility becomes more relevant at the median and upper quantiles of the reserves distribution. Overall, the evidence suggests that Indonesia’s reserve policy has been guided primarily by precautionary and capital-account risk management rather than by persistent undervaluation aimed at export-led growth.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":47583,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Asian Economics","volume":"102 ","pages":"Article 102105"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145884280","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

The long-run effect of light manufacturing expansion on human capital: Evidence from South Korea 轻工制造业扩张对人力资本的长期影响：来自韩国的证据

IF 3.4 3区经济学

Journal of Asian Economics Pub Date : 2026-01-01 Epub Date: 2025-12-22 DOI: 10.1016/j.asieco.2025.102102

Jisu Yu

引用次数: 0

Climate policy uncertainty, environmental risk aversion, and import structure adjustment 气候政策不确定性、环境风险规避与进口结构调整

IF 3.4 3区经济学

Journal of Asian Economics Pub Date : 2026-01-01 Epub Date: 2025-12-04 DOI: 10.1016/j.asieco.2025.102096

Xiaosong Wang , Siyuan Tian , Yuding Zhou , Le Li

{"title":"Climate policy uncertainty, environmental risk aversion, and import structure adjustment","authors":"Xiaosong Wang , Siyuan Tian , Yuding Zhou , Le Li","doi":"10.1016/j.asieco.2025.102096","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.asieco.2025.102096","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Against the backdrop of an increasingly severe global climate crisis, climate change and climate governance have emerged as critical factors shaping the global economic landscape. As nations increasingly adopt climate policies to address climate change, the uncertainty surrounding policy formulation, implementation, and potential adjustments poses new challenges to firm’s production and trade practices. This study investigates the impact of uncertainty stemming from climate policy volatility on regional import structures. Utilizing a climate policy uncertainty index constructed through deep learning models, our mathematical modeling and empirical analysis reveal that increases in climate policy uncertainty significantly raise intermediate goods imports in high-pollution industries, as reflected in both extensive and intensive margins. Multiple robustness checks confirm the reliability of the findings. Heterogeneity analysis indicates more pronounced effects in samples with higher contract intensity and more concentrated import markets. Mechanism test suggests that climate policy uncertainty drives firms toward import substitution strategies to mitigate environmental risks by increasing local production costs and reducing investment incentives. Further analysis shows that climate policy uncertainty also significantly reduces export competitiveness in high-pollution industries. Amid growing global concerns over environmental protection and climate issues, this research not only provides insights into the complex interactions between climate policies and international trade, but also offers policy implications for climate and trade policy.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":47583,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Asian Economics","volume":"102 ","pages":"Article 102096"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145737301","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Bridging the gap: How cultural interventions boost rural educational expenditure 弥合差距：文化干预如何促进农村教育支出

IF 3.4 3区经济学

Journal of Asian Economics Pub Date : 2026-01-01 Epub Date: 2025-11-27 DOI: 10.1016/j.asieco.2025.102085

Jing Li , Huilin Mao , Zhongyu Sun , YunZhong Li

引用次数: 0

The Commuter’s dividend: Dockless bike sharing and wage premium in urban labor market 通勤者的红利：无桩共享单车与城市劳动力市场的工资溢价

IF 3.4 3区经济学

Journal of Asian Economics Pub Date : 2026-01-01 DOI: 10.1016/j.asieco.2025.102112

Chenyu Zeng, Xiahai Wei, Lingzheng Yu

{"title":"The Commuter’s dividend: Dockless bike sharing and wage premium in urban labor market","authors":"Chenyu Zeng, Xiahai Wei, Lingzheng Yu","doi":"10.1016/j.asieco.2025.102112","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.asieco.2025.102112","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>As a new form of urban transportation, dockless bike sharing effectively improves connectivity between work and residence through its spatial penetration capabilities, reshaping commuting patterns and travel efficiency for workers. Whether the widespread adoption of dockless bike sharing has a positive impact on the labor market warrants further investigation. This paper uses the entry of the dockless bike sharing platform as a quasi-natural experiment, examining its impact on wages for short-distance commuters and the underlying mechanisms through micro-level individual data. This paper finds that the widespread adoption of bike sharing significantly increases workers’ wage levels, a conclusion that remains valid after a series of robustness tests. The mechanism behind this lies in the fact that bike sharing reduces commuting time and frees up additional working hours, thereby promoting wage growth by improving workers’ time allocation. Heterogeneity analysis indicates that bike sharing has a greater wage premium effect on urban vulnerable groups, outdoor mobile office workers, and short-distance workers, and the effect is more pronounced in cities with high levels of urban sprawl. This paper deepens the understanding of how dockless bike sharing enhances the welfare of urban workers, providing empirical evidence and decision-making references for governments to improve the new form of urban transportation and labor market development.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":47583,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Asian Economics","volume":"102 ","pages":"Article 102112"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145925165","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Unlocking green capital: Financial constraints and environmental investments in China 释放绿色资本：中国的金融约束与环境投资

IF 3.4 3区经济学

Journal of Asian Economics Pub Date : 2026-01-01 Epub Date: 2025-11-22 DOI: 10.1016/j.asieco.2025.102075

Liang Chang , Bingyan Zheng , Na Tan , Haobin Zheng

引用次数: 0