A new report by the Asia Business Council, featuring the Asia Manufacturing Diversification Index, assesses the preparedness of ten emerging Asian economies vis-à-vis China in a new world of global trade, as multinational businesses look to adopt “China-plus-one” or even “China-plus-many” strategies in export manufacturing, and intra-Asian trade continues to soar. It offers a strategic roadmap for countries aiming to increase their investment appeal by identifying new growth opportunities and overcoming obstacles in the face of global supply chain shifts and escalating trade tensions.
A collaborative article by the Asia Business Council and McKinsey delved into the perspectives of business leaders in Asia as they navigate an emerging and potentially more turbulent era, in terms of world order, technology, demographics, resource and energy systems, and financial capitalization. Overall, they believe the region can sustain its growth but will need strategic adjustments to address disruptions and volatility in a multipolar world.
Asian cities are significant contributors to climate change. Cities in the region are also hubs of economic activity, centers of financial capital and talent, and incubators of innovation and progress. The report offers frameworks, recommendations, and case studies to illustrate how cities could leverage their unique strengths and evolve their development models to concurrently pursue climate resilience, poverty reduction, and biodiversity protection goals.
Asia’s economic growth and development have been unparalleled over the past 75 years. Poverty has declined continuously and more rapidly than at any time in recorded history, and significant welfare gains have been achieved. These achievements have been driven by Asia’s growing participation in international trade and global value chains, which underpin the globalization process. More broadly, globalization refers to the integration of economies that has been achieved through growing levels of international trade, finance, and investment, and through the mounting exchanges of people, ideas, and data.
In Asia, as a more internet-savvy and health and environmentally conscious consumer takes center stage, emerging technologies are offering new opportunities and innovative solutions for people from diverse backgrounds and geographies.
In 2021, resilience is undoubtedly top-of-mind for business leaders as they face the COVID-19 pandemic and threat of climate change amidst a precarious geopolitical environment. While corporate resilience is the capacity of an individual company to transform nimbly, rebound quickly, and prepare effectively for dramatically changed circumstances, collective resilience refers to the capacity of multiple …
Technology and COVID-19 have led to increasing adoption of cashless transactions. More and more, consumers are buying online, and vendors are rushing to adjust their business models to accommodate remote buying and touchless payments. In the face of this change, what does going cashless mean for different economies?
Blunting the impact of climate change is our time’s greatest challenge. The landmark 2015 Paris Agreement on climate pledged to keep the rise in global temperatures to less than 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. The overall Paris pledge is the sum of individual country pledges, known as Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), to drive decarbonization. But, …
By almost any measure, the response to COVID-19 in much of Asia, East Asia in particular, has been among the world’s most effective. Measured by the absolute number of COVID-19 cases and deaths, or cases and deaths per 100,000 people, Asia has been more successful than the United States and most countries in Europe in …
The world is growing older, and demographic decline will change the fabric of societies across Asia, presenting challenges but also opportunities to remake society for the better. Medicine and health care are among the most important of these challenges and opportunities. Health and medical issues are coming to the fore not only in Japan but, …
