The phenomenal success of the East Asian Newly Industrializing Economies (NIEs) of Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Singapore is now well-known and documented. Their success has been discussed to such an extent that it has become entrenched as part of the folklore of development economics. The Newly Industrializing Economies of East Asia takes a fresh look at the relevant literature and sifts the rhetoric from the reality. In the course of surveying the vast range of writing two competing paradigms become clear: the neo-classical approach which interprets the East Asian economic miracle as the predictable outcome of `good' policies; and the statist perspective which draws attention to the central role of the government in guiding East Asian economic development. Throughout the book the authors mix country-specific experiences with broader trends.

Where development is concerned, our language and perhaps our way of thinking often ap pear somewhat distorted. If anything, the Asian economies with their most impressive and dynamic growth should logically be called developing countries. Instead, we call them threshold countries, newly industrializing countries (NICs) or newly industrializing eco nomies (NIEs), the latter term taking into account the Chinese argument that Hong Kong and Taiwan should not be considered countries. During the eighties, when Latin American NICs became the main victims of the debt crisis, the NIEs of East Asia (EANIEs), the little tigers or dragons, presented most impres sive examples of growth through orientation to world trade, fitting well into the Japanese 'flying-geese' concept. Naturally, questions were raised as to the reasons for this success, the lessons other countries could draw from it, and the outlook for the future. At the same time, the establis hed industrial countries wanted to know what NIE competition might mean for them. In 1988, the OECD published a study entitled "The NIEs -Challenge and Opportunity for OECD Industries". The NIBs had become a fashionable object of research and debate. In Western Europe, where countries are preparing for a period offurtherintegration and East-West cooperation, it seems worth-while to also consider the role ofthe EANIEs and the options for cooperation they represent. Moreover, the NIEs themselves are following development in Europe with some concern and are trying to adjust to the new situation as it emerges.

In surveying the vast range of writing on the East Asian NIEs and their development paths, this book evaluates the competing roles of neo-classical approaches and central government intervention in guiding economic development.

East Asia's rapid economic growth and the crisis of 1997 have caught the world's attention. As the Asian miracle has turned to meltdown, the critical question has become whether growth will resume. Based on research and conferences at ICSEAD in Kitakyushu, Japan, this book brings together the work of Asian economic development experts. It considers the forces behind the East Asian growth miracle, the process of growth, the effect of saving, and the effect of foreign direct investment and multinationals. Taking an optimistic view, the authors conclude that rapid growth may resume in East Asia once the crisis has been resolved. The authors argue that a growth process links East Asian countries to each other and to the industrial world, and that growth reflects a process that combines capital formation and technical and institutional change. The 1997 crisis grew out of excessively rapid boom and must be handled before growth will resume. But, the authors conclude, once the crisis has been resolved, the linked process of growth supported by appropriate policies, high levels of savings and investment, and foreign investment will allow growth to resume, although perhaps with a different geographic center of gravity.

First published in 2006. Over the past decades, the world has witnessed the profound transformation of China, Vietnam, Taiwan and Singapore from impoverished developing regions into strong and internationally competitive economies. Also dubbed Newly Industrializing Economies (NIEs), it has become obvious that their rapid development has come at a price. Contrary to their economic successes, these NIEs have been much less successful in terms of ecological sustainability and environmental protection. A critical question in this respect is: how can the state effect the greening of industries and business without inhibiting economic growth? Some scholars have argued that NIEs are situated at an unique juncture: they have an unparalleled opportunity to ?nd different development paths and in so doing to provide models that other countries could follow. With the right policy mix, they might achieve rapid economic development while avoiding environmental degradation on the scale of that created by the United States, Europe-a Union member countries, and other earlier industrialized nations. “Doing it right the ?rst time” – by installing clean technologies and developing the capacity and the governance style to enforce environmental regulations – could lead to “leapfrogging” the development process, and building industrial economies that are both competitive and more sustainable than those economies with an older industrial base. This edited volume examines these issues through case-studies from China, Vietnam, Taiwan and Singapore. It is argued that the NIEs – ?rst and second generations alike – are not truly situated in a more favourable position that allows leapfrogging in the greening of industries. This book brings together a team of leading experts in their ? eld, ranging from development studies, sociology, political studies, and economics. It will be of interest to a wide readership of students and professionals concerned with development in contemporary Asia, with particular reference to environmental studies, industrial pollution control, social movements, and developmental state theory.

This volume reflects the wide range of development issues and problems of the economies of East and Southeast Asia whose dynamic performances have caught the attention of many around the world. It also serves to honour Professor Shinichi Ichimura for his dedication and many contributions to creating a better understanding of the development issues faced by the countries in the region. Both the editors and all of the contributors in this book have worked with Professor Ichimura at one time or another.

Greening Industrialization in Asian Transitional Economies is an important collection of essays which examines environmental performance and the transition to market economies, particularly in China and Vietnam. A comprehensive assessment of the state of industrial environmental management, this informative volume looks at the movement for cleaner production from many perspectives, analyzing its historical roots, its political influences, its implementation, and its economic and technological feasability.