• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.1-11
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• 2011

Korean ginseng is a medicinally important perennial herb from the family Araliaceae. It has been cultivated for its highly valued medicinal properties for over 1,000 years in east Asian countries such as China, Korea, and Japan. Due to its longtime cultivation in shady areas, ginseng is frequently exposed to pathogenic infections. Plants protect themselves from microbial pathogens using an array of defense mechanisms, some of which are constitutively active, while others are activated upon pathogen invasion. These induced defense responses, controlled by defense-related genes, require tradeoffs in terms of plant fitness. We hypothesize that ginseng, as with other plants, possesses regulatory mechanisms that coordinate the activation of attacker-specific defenses in order to minimize fitness costs while attaining optimal resistance. Several classes of defense-related genes are induced by infection, wounds, irradiation, and other abiotic stresses. Both salicylates and jasmonates have been shown to cause such responses, although their specific roles and interactions in signaling and development are not fully understood in ginseng. This review summarizes possible defense-related genes in ginseng based on their expression patterns against biotic and abiotic stresses and describes their functional roles.

• The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.269-275
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• 2019

This study intended to examine the relationship between inflation and unemployment rate in Indonesia during 1987 to 2018 period. The study applied a quantitative method using Vector Error Correction Model (VECM) in order to comprehensively understand the causality between inflation and unemployment rates. The data were collected from various main sources including the World Bank, Central Bank of Indonesia, and Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS). The findings showed that inflation has a one-way relationship toward unemployment in Indonesia and it occurs at the third lag. Impulse Response Function (IRF), shows that the inflation rate are fluctuating in response to the shock of unemployment. The unemployment rate responses to shocks from inflation initially increased until it is eventually diminished. It shows that the shocks caused by the impact of inflation were only in the short term. Further, inflation in the three previous lags will have consequences for the unemployment rate in the year. Lastly, both in the long run and short run, unemployment did not affect inflation rates. These findings suggest that high inflation in Indonesia is determined the rising price of basic commodities and fuel. In addition, most companies in Indonesia applying capital intensive so that employment growth in Indonesia is small.

• The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business
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• v.7 no.11
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• pp.127-135
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• 2020

This study aims to measure the effects of real interest rate (RIR), gross domestic savings (GDS), and net exports (EN) shocks on Indonesia's economic growth (EG). The focus on Indonesia is unique due to the abundant resources available in the nation, but they are unsuccessful in boosting economic growth. This study applied a quantitative method to comprehensively analyze the correlation between variables by employing Vector Autoregression Model (VAR) combined with Vector Error Correction Model (VECM). Various procedures are preformed: Augmented Dickey-Fuller test (ADF), Optimum Lag Test, Johansen Cointegration Test, Granger Causality Test, as well as Impulse Response Function (IRF) and Error Variance Decomposition Analysis (FEVD). The data were collected from the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank from 1986 to 2017. The findings of the study indicated that economic growth responded positively to real interest rate shocks, which implies that when the real interest rate experiences a shock (increase), the economy will be inclined to growth. While, economic growth responded negatively to gross domestic savings and net export shocks. Policymakers are expected to consider several matters, particularly the economic conditions at the time of formulating policy, so that the prediction effectiveness of a policy can be appropriately assessed.

• Asian Journal of Innovation and Policy
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.1-38
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• 2021

The paper examines the role of the informal sector on innovation activities of urban formal manufacturing enterprises in India. It provides empirical evidence on firm-level linkages between formal and informal sectors by using the World Bank Enterprise Survey, 2013-14 and the Innovation Follow-up survey, 2014. Primarily, the paper aims to examine the effect of informal sector competition on innovation in urban formal manufacturing enterprises in India. Secondly, the paper analyses the mediation effect of informal sector competition on innovations in the urban manufacturing enterprises. It determines the direct and indirect influence of business regulations and constraints on innovation outcomes through the mediation effect of informal sector competition by using the SEM "Structural Equation Modeling" guidelines. The econometric results show that informal sector competition has a negative effect on the introduction of product innovations while industry-level informal sector competition has a positive effect on product innovation through the local knowledge spillovers from the informal to the formal sector. However, the informal sector competition was found to have no significant effect on the probability of introducing process innovations. Further, the results show the inhibitive role of informal sector competition on innovation in urban formal manufacturing enterprises is more severe for firms with heavy regulatory burdens and is relatively weakened in firms with resource constraints. This suggests that the informal sector plays an important role in the NIS (National Innovation System) in India.

• East Asian Economic Review
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.233-272
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• 2021

The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement, signed in November 2020, comes shortly after the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) entered into force and the US-China Trade War escalated. We use a computable general equilibrium model to assess the long-term effects of these three developments on income, trade, economic structure, factor returns and employment across the world, and especially in Asia-Pacific countries. The results suggest that RCEP could generate income gains that will be almost twice as large as those of the CPTPP, and that the two agreements together will largely offset the substantial negative effects of the US-China Trade War for the world as a whole. All three policy developments, but especially RCEP, will deepen East Asian production networks and will raise productivity and increase wages and employment in much of East Asia. At the sectoral level, regional trade in non-durable and durable manufactures will experience the most growth.

• Asian Journal of Innovation and Policy
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.293-319
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• 2022

By analyzing the adaptive capacity, market formation and policy direction as functional areas of Technological Innovation System (TIS), the article evaluates the progress of renewable energy transition in the Maldives, with the inclusion of ideas from Mauritius and Cabo Verde. On the policy direction in the Maldives, technology roadmaps produced with assistance from International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) and Asian Development Bank (ADB) are evaluated. Although there are inducing factors such as the Solar Risk Management Initiative, the progress of energy transition is hindered by the lack of technical capacity and local value chain. The findings indicate the importance of facilitating and establishing industry and knowledge networks, incorporating innovation policies, greater involvement of the local private sector along with international investors, and taking water-energy nexus to achieve complementary targets. The study adds value to knowledge by offering a simplified TIS framework, with a current insight of the energy transition in Small Island Developing States with a focus on the Maldives.

• Asian Journal of Business Environment
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.31-38
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• 2017

Purpose - While microfinance institutions(MFIs) from Bangladesh, such as Grameen Bank, received worldwide recognition and the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006, however, there is a paucity of research that provided a comprehensive discussion on the characteristics of the microfinance industry. Hence, the aim of this paper is to discuss some important aspects of the microfinance sector in Bangladesh. Research design, data, and methodology - This study used secondary sources of data, such as annual reports of the Microcredit Regulatory Authority (MRA) and the World Bank database in its descriptive analysis. Results - This study found that Bangladesh has made remarkable progress in her socio-economic and economic development in the last few decades. It is also generally perceived that microfinance has placed significant contribution on such socio-economic development. While microfinance observed unprecedented growth domestically, however, the regulatory framework is still rather weak, and a majority of the MFIs are found to be concentrated in the well-off areas (e.g., Dhaka, Chittagong etc.). Conclusions - The findings are significantly important for the parties who are interested to know the microfinance sector in Bangladesh. To some extent, the findings of this study will provide policy implications that may benefit the industry.

• The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.741-750
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• 2021

The research aims to analyze the level of efficiency by grouping banks during the period 2017 - 2018 into category 1 and category 2 banks and then dividing them as Regional Development Banks (BPD) and Non-BPD Conventional Commercial Banks (BUK) within each category. The research objects are banks within the categories BPD and BUK comprised 18 BPDs and 35 BUKs. The research methodology uses 3 stages, first, using Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) we measure the level of bank efficiency; second, using the Tobit regression model we evaluate the effect of financial performance on DEA efficiency, and third, using the Mann-Whitney test we determine whether there is a difference in the efficiency of category 1 and 2 banks. The results showed that there was a decrease in the efficiency of category 1 and 2 banks but on average, the efficiency of category 1 banks is higher than category 2 banks. The estimation results of the Tobit regression model show that only the ROA variable affects the efficiency level of category 1 banks, while category 2 banks are influenced by NPL and ROA variables. In the Mann-Whitney test, it was proven that there were differences in efficiency between BUK and BPD in category 1 and 2 banks.

• The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.287-298
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• 2022

Indonesia is an agrarian country with the significant development of Shariah banking. This study aimed to estimate the effect of Third Party Funds (TPF), Non-Performing Financing (NPF), Exchange Rates (ER), and Bank Indonesia Shariah Certificates (SBIS) on the Sharia Agriculture Sector Financing in Indonesia during 2014-2020. This study used the Ordinary Least Square (OLS) technique to analyze the data. The coefficient of determination test showed that 99.19% of Sharia financing in the agricultural sector was influenced by TPF, NPF, Exchange Rate, and SBIS variables. The estimation results showed that the variables of TPF and ER significantly affected Sharia Financing for Agricultural Sector (PP). Meanwhile, the NPF and SBIS variables had no significant effect on PP. This research showed the resilience and accuracy of Islamic banking in selecting financing and can support the development of other Islamic financial instruments such as SBIS. Simultaneous test results demonstrated the existence of the estimating model. Because of the character of the Indonesian nation as an agricultural country, this study advised Sharia banking to prioritize the usage of third-party funds from the public for the agricultural industry. Sharia banking also needed to produce Islamic finance products that fit the agriculture business sector's needs.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.9
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• pp.4251-4257
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• 2016

Background: Testicular cancer is one of the most common cancers among young men between ages 20-34 in countries with high or very high levels of the Human Development Index (HDI). This study investigated the incidence and mortality of prostate cancer and the relationship with the HDI and its dimensions in Asia in 2012. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted based on data from the world data of cancer and the World Bank (including the HDI and its components). Standardized incidence and mortality rates of testicular cancer were calculated for Asian countries. Correlations between incidence and/ormortality rates, and the HDI and its components were assessed with the use of the correlation test, using SPSS software. Results: There was a total of 14902 incidences and 5832 death were recorded in Asian countries in 2012. Among the Asian countries, the five countries with the highest standardized incidence rates of testicular cancer were Israel, Georgia, Turkey, Lebanon and Kazakhstan and the five countries with the highest standardized mortality rates were Turkey, Georgia, Jordan, Cambodia and the Syrian Arab Republic. A positive correlation of 0.382 was observed between the standardized incidence rates of testicular cancer and the HDI (p=0.009). Also a negative correlation of 0.298 between the standardized mortality rate of testicular cancer and the Human Development Index was noted although this relation was statistically non-significant (p=0.052). Conclusions: There is a positive correlation between HDI and the standardized incidence rate of testicular cancer and negative correlation with standardized mortality rate.