Entrepreneurship and SMEs in Southeast Asia : [papers presented at the ASEAN roundtable 2002, Singapore, 7-8 Novermber 2002

Economic development in Southeast Asia was until recently largely driven by multinational corporations and by strategies that favoured foreign direct investment. However, the financial crisis of 1997-98 and the subsequent regional economic slowdown in 2001 forced policy-makers to re-evaluate their economic policies. This study looks at the increasingly important role of entrepreneurship and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) as agents of development. The book also focuses on the new policy initiatives by the different governments as they address the issues affecting the development of SMEs themselves.

From China to Facebookistan, the Internet has transformed global commerce. A cyber-law expert argues that we must free Internet trade while simultaneously protecting consumers.

On the ancient Silk Road, treasure-laden caravans made their arduous way through deserts and mountain passes, establishing trade between Asia and the civilizations of Europe and the Mediterranean. Today’s electronic Silk Roads ferry information across continents, enabling individuals and corporations anywhere to provide or receive services without obtaining a visa. But the legal infrastructure for such trade is yet rudimentary and uncertain. If an event in cyberspace occurs at once everywhere and nowhere, what law applies? How can consumers be protected when engaging with companies across the world?

In this accessible book, cyber-law expert Anupam Chander provides the first thorough discussion of the law that relates to global Internet commerce. Addressing up-to-the-minute examples, such as Google’s struggles with China, the Pirate Bay’s skirmishes with Hollywood, and the outsourcing of services to India, the author insightfully analyzes the difficulties of regulating Internet trade. Chander then lays out a framework for future policies, showing how countries can dismantle barriers while still protecting consumer interests.

Contents List of Tables List of Figures Acknowledgements Contributors Foreword 1. Introduction: Entrepreneurship and SMEs in Southeast Asia’s Economic Development 2. Entrepreneurial Development: The Necessary Conditions 3. SMEs in Southeast Asia since the Asian Financial Crisis 4. Financing SMEs in Southeast Asia During the Crisis Period: The Cases of Thailand and Malaysia 5. An Overview of Donors’ Role in SME Development in Southeast Asia after the Crisis 6. Strengthening SMEs in Southeast Asia’s Agricultural Sector 7. The Development of SME Clusters in Indonesia 8. Entrepreneurship in Malaysia’s Electronics Industry: The Role of SMEs 9. Government’s Role in Developing Entrepreneurship and SMEs in the Philippines 10. SME Policies and SME Linkage Development in Singapore 11. SME Development in Thailand’s Automotive Industry 12. Developing Entrepreneurship and SMEs in Southeast Asia’s Transitional Economies Papers presented at the ASEAN Roundtable 2002, Singapore, 7–8 November 2002, organized by the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies, Singapore and supported by Konrad Adenauer Stiftung.Small business—Asia, Southeastern—Congresses.Business enterprises—Asia, Southeastern—Congresses.Entrepreneurship—Asia, Southeastern—Congresses. Economic development in Southeast Asia was driven by multinational corporations and by strategies that favoured foreign direct investment until the financial crisis of 1997-98. This study looks at the increasingly important role of entrepreneurship and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) as agents of development.