A biannual peer-reviewed journal, the International Journal of Economic and Political Integration (IJEPI) ISSN 0974-3510 is a forum for the exchange of ideas across the social science disciplines, e.g. political scientists debate with economists, sociologists read what political scientists have to say, historians study what economists have to say regarding political integration and economics.

A biannual peer-reviewed journal, the International Journal of Economic and Political Integration (IJEPI) ISSN 0974-3510 is a forum for the exchange of ideas across the social science disciplines, e.g. political scientists debate with economists, sociologists read what political scientists have to say, historians study what economists have to say regarding political integration and economics.

CONTENTS 1. Economic Impact of Malaria on Crop Production in Kenya by Urbanus M. Kioko 2. How does Financing in Informal Sector Affect Economic Growth in Nigeria? by Atanda Fatai Abiodun 3. An Econometric Analysis of COMESA Exports and Economic Growth Performance (1980-2010) by Henry Tumwebaze Karamuriro 4. Postcolonial African Political Leadership: Triumph and Tragedy by Paul McDonald et al.

Published in 1999, this text investigates whether FDI caused spill over effects which have led to the economic growth of the ASEAN-5 economies, and if that it so, whether the ASEAN Preferential Trade Agreement (APTA) had a significant effect in attracting FDI to the region. It takes into account the different levels of economic development of the countries under analysis. The results from the structural (static) model suggest that FDI has stimulated economic growth through the human factors followed by technology transfer, international trade, and learning by doing, and that the formation of APTA had a lagged influence on FDI inflows into the advantage of the more developed member countries and the disadvantage of the less developed countries. Those from the multiplier (dynamic) effects analysis demonstrate that whereas the impact is immediate in the more developed, politically stable and foreign investment friendly economies, there is a time lag in those economies which are less developed and more hostile to FDI. The analysis presents an empirical comparison of how the level of economic development affects the interaction of FDI, regionalism and economic growth.

Volume I considers the history of the European Union from an outside-in perspective, evaluating which outside forces shaped and guided the process of European integration. Taking an innovative, thematic approach, this volume will be of interest to students and researchers of European integration.

The Saudi Arabian economy has changed almost beyond recognition since the oil boom days of the 1980s, and the Kingdom itself has changed too economically, socially, and demographically. In the second edition of The Saudi Arabian Economy, Mohamed Ramady uses several overlapping themes to establish and develop a framework for studying the fundamental challenges to the Saudi economy. Particular attention is paid to the benefits of short-term planning and long-term diversification intended to shield the economy from potentially de-stabilizing oil price fluctuations and the pace and diversity of domestic reforms. The author examines the core strengths and evolution of various financial institutions and the Saudi stock market in the face of globalization, before analyzing the private sector in detail. Topics discussed include: • The hydrocarbon and minerals sector, including the emergence of the competitive petrochemical sector • The impact of small and medium sized businesses and the evolving role of “family” businesses • The growing role of women in the Saudi economy • The role of privatization and FDI as engines of change and the position of public-private-partnerships • The establishment of a foundation for a knowledge-based economy Finally, the author offers an analysis of the key challenges facing the Saudi economy, paying particular attention to the potential costs and benefits of globalization, and membership in the WTO. Employment, education, economic and social stability, and Saudi Arabia’s place in the Gulf Cooperation Council, as well as Saudi Arabia’s evolving strategic economic relations with China and other countries are offered as keys to the consensus building needed to ensure the Kingdom’s healthy economic future.

This Companion provides a review of global value chains (GVCs) and the megatrends that are shaping them and will continue to reshape them in deep-set trajectories of change over the next few decades. Megatrends herald both challenges and opportunities. With the growing interest among business leaders and researchers in GVCs, this is a reference work which fills a gap in current literature by focusing on the new features of GVCs, including the shift of global purchasing power towards developing economies, the significance of emerging technologies and data analytics, the increasing tensions between globalisation and de-globalisation, and the role of micro-multinationals, start-up entrepreneurs, the public sector and middle markets in a fast-changing global economy. The early chapters are essentially intradisciplinary in character, with the first seeking to explore some historical aspects of GVCs. Subsequent chapters cover the theory and practice of operations and supply chain management, emerging supply chain technologies, and the impact of inter-firm collaboration across sectors and economies. The final chapters take a more interdisciplinary approach and examine topics at the interface of GVCs with the economy, society, culture and politics. This comprehensive handbook provides a timely analysis of leading-edge global megatrends and practices in one volume.