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Japan: Why it works, why it doesn't (economics in everyday life)
374
JOURNAL OF ASIAN ECONOMICS(9)2, 1998
Brockman, Royston A.C. and Allen Williams (eds.) Urban Infrastructure Finance Asian Development Bank, Manila, 1996 Despite the Asian financial crisis which has dampened economic growth in the region, the demand for infrastructure considers to be enormous in most countries. How to finance urban projects is an essential question that has not been sufficiently addressed in the literature. Urban Infrastructure Finance is based on proceedings from a major seminar organized by the Asian Development Bank in April 1996. The bulk of the publication is divided into three parts dealing with various dimensions of urban infrastructural fmance: themes (three chapters), case studies (four chapters), and country reports (ten countries in South and Southeast Asia). It is an exhaustive and timely survey (though somewhat dated, due to the Asian crisis of 1997) of a complicated topic.
Kher, Manik Coping with Technological Change Response Books, New Delhi, 1997 Technological change and its effects on labor-related issues have become highly topical in the 1990s, especially in developing countries. This book considers the issue of "coping with technological change" from the perspective of its implications for industrial relations. In addition to an extensive review of related literature, the author develops an empirical study based on her fieldwork covering 22 organizations in three core industries. In doing so, she examines industry-specific and region-specific variations with respect to technological change and industrial relations.
Mak, James, Shyam Sunder, Shigeyuki Abe, and Kazuhiro Igawa (eds.) Japan: Why It Works, Why It Doesn't (Economics in Everyday Life) University of Hawaii Press, Honolulu, 1998 Japan is an enigma to many, including scholars, businesspeople, and visitors. There are scores of books that have been written on comparative Japanese culture. However, this book endeavors to explain from an economic perspective (to the extent this is possible) everyday peculiarities in Japan. Each chapter addresses one particular question and is written by a prominent Japanese economist(s) or scholar(s) interested in Japan. Some of the more intriguing questions relate directly to economics (e.g., do the Japanese live better than Americans?, why do the Japanese save so much?, why is rice so expensive in Japan?), institutional considerations and questions (e.g., why do
Books in Brief
375
Japanese companies hire only spring graduates?, how can the Japanese manage without personal checking accounts?, why go to school after school?), and special curiosities (why is pachinko so popular?, why avoid the altar?, why is Japan a paradise of vending machines?, why do Japanese students take it easy at the university?). An intriguing survey for any economist, businessperson, or even tourist travelling to Japan.
Maunsell Pty Ltd Congestion Points Study Phase II1: Volume 1 Air Transport and Volume 2 Sea Transport APEC Secretariat, Singapore, 1997 The Asia Pacific region is characterized by vast distances between land masses and varying stages of development for regional economies. The economies of APEC share a common need for an efficient regional intermodal transportation system. These volumes are part of a multiphase study under taken by APEC to identify and promote beneficial transportation improvements for APEC regional development. The focus of these volumes is to prioritize congestion issues by identifying specific airports and seaports experiencing existing and developing congestion problems. The aim of these studies is to offer solutions to alleviate congestion problems.
Rutten, Mario and Carol Upadhya, eds. Small Business Entrepreneurs in Asia and Europe Sage Publications, New Delhi, 1997 The rapid economic growth witnessed in several Asian countries in the recent past has been accompanied by the emergence of new capitalist classes. Least well studied of these are small-scale entrepreneurs who operate rural and provincial enterprises in these countries. This volume brings together original and in-depth sociological case studies of rural or local-level entrepreneurs operating in six Asian countries: India, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Korea and China. In order to provide a broader comparative perspective, three case studies from Europe have also been included. Sarma, Atul, Gerrit Faber, and Pradeep Kumar Mehta Meeting the Challenges of the European Union: Prospects of lndian Exports Sage Publications India, New Delhi, 1997 Economic integration in Europe from the Single Market Programme of the 19871993 period to current movement towards Monetary Union---continues to be watched
JOURNAL OF ASIAN ECONOMICS(9)2, 1998
Brockman, Royston A.C. and Allen Williams (eds.) Urban Infrastructure Finance Asian Development Bank, Manila, 1996 Despite the Asian financial crisis which has dampened economic growth in the region, the demand for infrastructure considers to be enormous in most countries. How to finance urban projects is an essential question that has not been sufficiently addressed in the literature. Urban Infrastructure Finance is based on proceedings from a major seminar organized by the Asian Development Bank in April 1996. The bulk of the publication is divided into three parts dealing with various dimensions of urban infrastructural fmance: themes (three chapters), case studies (four chapters), and country reports (ten countries in South and Southeast Asia). It is an exhaustive and timely survey (though somewhat dated, due to the Asian crisis of 1997) of a complicated topic.
Kher, Manik Coping with Technological Change Response Books, New Delhi, 1997 Technological change and its effects on labor-related issues have become highly topical in the 1990s, especially in developing countries. This book considers the issue of "coping with technological change" from the perspective of its implications for industrial relations. In addition to an extensive review of related literature, the author develops an empirical study based on her fieldwork covering 22 organizations in three core industries. In doing so, she examines industry-specific and region-specific variations with respect to technological change and industrial relations.
Mak, James, Shyam Sunder, Shigeyuki Abe, and Kazuhiro Igawa (eds.) Japan: Why It Works, Why It Doesn't (Economics in Everyday Life) University of Hawaii Press, Honolulu, 1998 Japan is an enigma to many, including scholars, businesspeople, and visitors. There are scores of books that have been written on comparative Japanese culture. However, this book endeavors to explain from an economic perspective (to the extent this is possible) everyday peculiarities in Japan. Each chapter addresses one particular question and is written by a prominent Japanese economist(s) or scholar(s) interested in Japan. Some of the more intriguing questions relate directly to economics (e.g., do the Japanese live better than Americans?, why do the Japanese save so much?, why is rice so expensive in Japan?), institutional considerations and questions (e.g., why do
Books in Brief
375
Japanese companies hire only spring graduates?, how can the Japanese manage without personal checking accounts?, why go to school after school?), and special curiosities (why is pachinko so popular?, why avoid the altar?, why is Japan a paradise of vending machines?, why do Japanese students take it easy at the university?). An intriguing survey for any economist, businessperson, or even tourist travelling to Japan.
Maunsell Pty Ltd Congestion Points Study Phase II1: Volume 1 Air Transport and Volume 2 Sea Transport APEC Secretariat, Singapore, 1997 The Asia Pacific region is characterized by vast distances between land masses and varying stages of development for regional economies. The economies of APEC share a common need for an efficient regional intermodal transportation system. These volumes are part of a multiphase study under taken by APEC to identify and promote beneficial transportation improvements for APEC regional development. The focus of these volumes is to prioritize congestion issues by identifying specific airports and seaports experiencing existing and developing congestion problems. The aim of these studies is to offer solutions to alleviate congestion problems.
Rutten, Mario and Carol Upadhya, eds. Small Business Entrepreneurs in Asia and Europe Sage Publications, New Delhi, 1997 The rapid economic growth witnessed in several Asian countries in the recent past has been accompanied by the emergence of new capitalist classes. Least well studied of these are small-scale entrepreneurs who operate rural and provincial enterprises in these countries. This volume brings together original and in-depth sociological case studies of rural or local-level entrepreneurs operating in six Asian countries: India, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Korea and China. In order to provide a broader comparative perspective, three case studies from Europe have also been included. Sarma, Atul, Gerrit Faber, and Pradeep Kumar Mehta Meeting the Challenges of the European Union: Prospects of lndian Exports Sage Publications India, New Delhi, 1997 Economic integration in Europe from the Single Market Programme of the 19871993 period to current movement towards Monetary Union---continues to be watched