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Abstract

I've spent most of the day studying... with an abstract due tomorrow and a microeconomics test on Thursday, time is sparse. hence, today's post will consist of my abstract... a 499 word summary of what will be my year's work... an 11000-15000 (probably closer to the 11000 word mark).

enjoy reading fellas... and spare a thought for who's going to have to look up all that export data. although to be honest, there are probably worse things to research than one's own country. I'm actually quite interested in economics, and in Malaysia in general, so this thesis is probably going to be the point where that interest ends... =P

oh btw, honourable mentions go to Olivia and Annabelle for helping me proofread this at a late hour. Your comments were appreciated (i'll append Olivia's revamp of my abstract one day =P)
thanks girls!

A Revealed Comparative Advantage Analysis of the Export Competitiveness of Malaysia and Singapore

The ASEAN economies have generally experienced large economic growth and industrialisation in the past two decades. Export-led strategies have been at the heart of the region’s economic growth. However, the region’s vulnerability to the 1997 financial crisis and intensifying competitive pressure brings the risk that the ASEAN economies will be marginalised in terms of exports, with an adverse effect on growth. Export competitiveness is thus a key issue for ASEAN’s future economic prospects.

The dissertation will focus on Malaysia and Singapore for several reasons. Firstly, both economies are highly interdependent in terms of trade and capital flows. Also, in comparison to the other ASEAN members, there is a greater and pronouncedly increasing competition in bilateral trade between both countries. Finally, both countries are also especially open to international trade and capital flows and possess the most competitive economies in ASEAN.

Malaysia’s export sector, dominated by electronics and petroleum-based products has contributed significantly to its past economic growth, and its export competitiveness will be crucial to its future growth. However, a changing global environment marked by growing trade liberalisation, increasing competition and the emergence of other low-cost producers in the region requires an analysis of Malaysia’s export competitiveness.

Singapore’s export sector, dominated by the electronics sector has experienced slowing growth, partially due to increasing competition. Thus, there needs to be an assessment of its export sector to determine whether this decline reflects an erosion in competitiveness, or a natural process of shifting comparative advantage and market diversification.

The principal aim of the dissertation will be to determine the structure of comparative advantage during the period 1995-2005 enjoyed by Malaysia and Singapore in the global market. Firstly, the export structures of both countries will be analysed at a general level. The Balassa index (1965) will then be used to analyse trends in the pattern of comparative advantage in exports in both countries during the 1995-2005 period at a broad and disaggregated level. The leading manufacturing industries in terms of comparative advantage will be identified.

The degree of trade competition between the two countries will then be analysed using the index of trade competition. General trends in trade competition over the 1995-2005 period will be analysed, with a focus on 2005 where analysis will be done at a disaggregated level.

Linnemann’s (1996) COS index will be used to assess the potential for expanding trade between the two nations across different sectors. The extent to which the pattern of specialisation as observed in Malaysia and Singapore is competitive or complementary in the world market will thus be analysed.

Finally, the dissertation will focus in detail on the electronics industry of both countries. A revealed comparative advantage analysis of the different products within the industry over the period 1995-2005 will be undertaken. An in-depth analysis of this sector is relevant as it is a key component of the exports of both countries, being the leading export for both countries in 2005.

Just for fun, i've attached the original (pre-proof-reading) manuscript. The red marks indicate Olivia's comments (Thanks again =D)

The ASEAN economies have generally experienced large economic growth and industrialisation in the past two decades (rephrase?). Export-led strategies have been at the heart of the region’s economic growth. However, the region’s vulnerability to the 1997 financial crisis and intensifying competitive pressure brings the risk that the ASEAN economies will be marginalised in terms of exports, with (leading to?) an adverse effect on growth. Export competitiveness is thus a key issue for ASEAN’s future economic prospects.

The dissertation will focus on Malaysia and Singapore for several reasons. Firstly, both economies are highly interdependent in terms of trade and capital flows. Also (delete?), in comparison to the other ASEAN members, there is a greater and pronouncedly increasing competition in bilateral trade between both countries. Finally (additionally), both countries are also (delete) especially open to international trade and capital flows and possess the most competitive economies in ASEAN.

Malaysia’s export sector is dominated by electronics and petroleum-based products, which have contributed significantly to its past economic growth. Should try and link sentences somehow? Its export competitiveness will be crucial to its future growth. However (delete), a changing global environment marked by growing trade liberalisation, increasing competition and the emergence of other low-cost producers in the region requires an analysis of Malaysia’s export competitiveness.

(On the other hand…. On the contary? In contrast? Hmm.. ) Singapore’s export sector, which is dominated by the (delete) electronics sector (delete? I don’t like repetition =P. the term ‘electronics’ makes sense by itself anyway.) has experienced slowing growth, partially due to increasing competition. Thus, there needs to be (delete…is need for) an assessment of its export sector to determine whether this decline reflects an erosion in competitiveness, or a natural process of shifting comparative advantage and market diversification.

The principal aim of the dissertation will be to determine the structure of comparative advantage during the period 1995-2005 enjoyed by Malaysia and Singapore in the global market. Firstly, the export structures of both countries will be analysed at a general level. The Balassa index (1965) will then be used to analyse trends in the pattern of comparative advantage in exports in both countries during the 1995-2005 period at a broad and disaggregated level. (this will allow for… to be identified?) The leading manufacturing industries in terms of comparative advantage will be identified.

The degree of trade competition between the two countries will then be analysed using the index of trade competition. General trends in trade competition over the 1995-2005 period will be analysed, with a focus on 2005 where analysis will be done at a disaggregated level.

Linnemann’s (1996) COS index will be used to assess the potential for expanding trade between the two nations across different sectors. The extent to which the pattern of specialisation as observed in Malaysia and Singapore is competitive or complementary in the world market will thus be analysed.

Finally, the dissertation will focus in detail on the electronics industry of both countries. A revealed comparative advantage analysis of the different products within the industry over the period 1995-2005 will be undertaken. An in-depth analysis of this sector is relevant as it is a key component of the exports of both countries, being the leading export for both countries in 2005. Maybe refine it a little here… it’s a bit clumsy.

Yay! all done =)

a long break

wow its been ages since i last blogged... but i was surfing the other day and came across dave's blog... and he made mention of my blog preceding his... so yes... i feel compelled to keep the chain going.

well currently i'm in the middle of my Economics honours year, which entails 2 coursework units, and a nice, long thesis (11000-15000 words)... i've spent this semester going btw meetings with my supervisor, attending lectures (only have 7 contact hours, so its a bit... slack if i don't attend), and coping with the usual workload of assignments. honours assignments, btw are significantly different to undergrad ones. here's my assignment question for Topics in International Finance:
"...make a class presentation. the topic must be discussed with the course controller and it must be trade-related"
nice and clear there... i ended up talking about the flying geese model of economic development. But only after i had spent hours looking for research topics that were ... well worth discussing...

moving along from the academic side of life... i had the opportunity to go to Sabah on a missions trip last December. for the sake of brevity (and so i have something to write about in later posts), i'll just say that it was a life-changing trip. i learnt so much about myself, about life, about what is truly important in life, and about God. the trip was probably one of the most vivid experiences I've had in my life. no regrets (except that the trip wasn't longer =P).

so yeah ... what's happened in my life recently?

1. J-life Camp - Crossfire 07... sleep-depriving, personally challenging, competitiveness-inducing (ok that's not a word), inspiring - awesome camp. more on it in future posts. for now, here's the video (in 2 parts)
   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJuV8qBZ_Og
   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xj5NRKPsH5Y
   
   
2. major personal screw-up at work. Just shows that even Christian's lives aren't perfect (even after the 'high' of a youth camp). but I've learnt much from it, and that's what matters at the end (though the monetary cost will be high... ouch!)
   
   
3. a lot of sport... having reached the peaks of a "triple blister" upon successive games of tennis and baddy, I've decided to take it easy for a while (for 3 days at least - soccer on Thursday)
   
   
4. much procrastination in my work... as evidenced by this post. i shouldn't be doing this now. thus, i'll end it here... cyas guys!
   

and here i come again

alright, maybe the best time to blog ISNT a couple of days before an exam... especially if one hasn't blogged for a while... but hang on, it does admittedly give me a minor thrill to see my words on the internet, free for all to see (well "all" meaning those ppl who mistakenly stumble upon this blog)

so what's there to talk about... its been 6 months since i last blogged. but it has been 6 very lifechanging months. i've grown (put on 3kgs =P) inside and out... i've learnt about life (sometimes, through my own bloody mindedness the hard way)... ive stumbled and fallen (physically and spiritually)... i've had to pick myself up and keep running... i've failed a driving test without getting into the car... i've been living....

you see, i could talk about all these things, but then this post would definitely be too long... especially before an exam. and besides... i'll save the truly funny occurrences(and yes there have been many) for one day when i'm chatting up someone at a bar =P... or failing that a future blog.

but the one thing i have truly realised in this last 6 months is what matters in life. to love God, and to trust Him. to obey Him when He prompts. to seek His presence... and to live life realising who he made me to be, and living the way he made me and wants me to live. that is a life i pray i'll live.

has been a while since i blogged...
yeah many many different things have happened since i last blogged. some good, some bad... some just funny, and some, i dont know.
ive just realised im on the halfway point of my uni studies. what am i doing? =) am i going anywhere? is this what i want to do?
yeah... i realised this year that i really do love studying law. i wouldnt study anything else in the world. i guess i do get caught up in just the issues, the conflicts between different ideas, i get caught up in the personal stories (some legal cases read like a script from the bold and the beautiful, others read like...hansard hahaha)
im just getting to grips with the fact that im going to have to work in 3 yrs time... find a job (that normally comes first)... then do all the adult things like bills and tax returns... adoiiii
so freaky, yet so exhilirating. i think thats prob why im just working better in general this year (not perfect yet)... i realised why im doing it. i love it. i know im meant to be here.
Nic