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This article explores two questions. First, do preferential trade agreements (PTAs) affect manufactured goods exports of developing countries? Second, does it matter for developing countries whom they sign the PTAs with? We find that the answer to both questions is yes. Using bilateral manufactured goods exports data from 28 developing countries during 1978–2005; we find that South–South PTAs have a significantly positive effect on manufactured goods exports. In contrast, no such effect is detected in the case of South–North PTAs. We confirmed the robustness of these findings to estimation methodology, sample selection, time period, zero trade flows and multilateral trade resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

`This paper examines the export performance of the four Asian newly industrialized economies (NIEs) by modelling their bilateral export flows to three main OECD blocks: the USA, Japan, and the European Community. Our estimated export demand models reveal interesting asymmetries between these three areas of destination which do not emerge from previous aggregate empirical studies of NIE export performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the prima facie causal relationship between the exports and output growth in 30 developing countries over the period from 1960 to 1988 in a multivariate framework. The information set considered for the output and exports models are Ω=(domestic output, exports, labor and capital), and Ω=(exports, domestic output, exchange rate and foreign output) respectively. This study identities a feedback prima facie causal relationship between exports and output growth in five countries, export growth prima facie causes output growth in another six countries; output growth prima facie causes export growth in a further eight countries; and no causal relationship was observed between export growth and output growth in the remaining 11 countries. We also found that in 15 countries the foreign exchange rate prima facie caused export growth, and that in 12 countries world output caused export growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New growth theory has emphasized the role of human capital and economies of scale in promoting sustained growth. This paper discusses the sources of rapid growth in Asian newly industrializing countries (NICs) in recent times by applying some econometric tests of new growth theory. The Korean economy is considered as an example of the successful NICs in Asia, where three types of empirical tests are applied based on the modern theory of cointegration, the dominal role of demand and the existence of significant scale economies due to human capital. The empirical growth profile of Korea in recent times seems to vindicate the broad tenets of the new growth theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drawing on the relevant literature on the link between economic growth and external debt accumulation of less developed countries (LDCs), this study seeks to identify the variables leading countries to experience debt servicing difficulties. Discriminant analysis was used to distinguish between the rescheduling and non-rescheduling countries. The available data are the values of financial ratios for 75 LDCs in 1988. The common log and sin transformation were applied to the ratios, resulting in variables that satisfied the discriminant function model. Ten variables representing debt burden, foreign exchange position and domestic economy situation were found significant in exploring the rescheduling decision. The model can be useful for both the financial institutions and the borrowing countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]