Allocation of regional industrial projects: some relevent considerations

Abstract

Introduction While the recent push for greater economic cooperation among ASEAN countries has emphasized ethnic similarities, regional proximities and other commonalities, for this workshop, it is more important to emphasize the existence of inter-country differences in factor endowments, technology, distribution network, etc., in order to be able to specify guidelines (if not determinants) in the choices of location of certain identified industrial project within member countries. The common racial stock of Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines which are predominantly Malay has been repeatedly adduced as a solid basis for closer economic, social and political inter-relationship among ASEAN nations. While Singapore and Thailand are not peopled by Malays, racial similarities are apparent such that a citizen from any of the ASEAN countries can easily be mistaken as a citizen of any other.