The export competitiveness of dynamic Asian economies 1983-1995

Compares changes in the competitive position of six Dynamic Asian Economies (DAEs) – Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Korea, Taiwan and Hong Kong – exporting to the USA, Japan and the European Union (EU) between 1983 and 1995. Dynamic shift-share methods are applied to two digit data for the top five manufactured exports to the USA and the EU, and the top four in the case of Japan. Findings emphasise the magnitude of the structural transformation which occurred over this period as the emerging DAEs such as Malaysia and Thailand became more competitive across a broad range of manufactured goods relative to the older DAEs, while the latter endeavoured to switch into higher value-added manufacturing and services or new markets, or to establish manufacturing facilities overseas as a substitute for exports.