K. Thirumaran

Jacob Wood

Haejin Jang

Nurhafihz Noor

Tan Kim Lim

It has been reported that those who live in the Tropics find themselves on the wrong side of the digital divide and lack access to basic technological infrastructure including internet connectivity. However, a closer look at the state of digital and technology innovation in this region reveals a more fragmented picture. Against a backdrop of needing to grow businesses and seek new opportunities to unleash the potential of the Tropics, the existing tensions and opportunities that technology brings to this region, and the evolutionary change in business proposition and value chain, there is much to still be done to better understand these issues.With a Tropical region focus, this book explores the extent to which emerging technologies impact business development at nation-specific and regional levels. It unravels the diverse factors and practices that emerge through technological innovation and its role in driving business development in the Tropics. The topics covered in the book include diffusing innovations in the Tropics, designing digital customer touchpoints in the Tropics, synergizing operations and connectivity in the Tropics and securing the future of Smart Tropics.Targeted primarily at academics, business practitioners and public policy experts operating in the product and service economies, this book provides theoretical and practical insights for anyone interested in the role that emerging technologies may play in business development in the Tropics.

A Roadmap for Transformation

Emerging Technologies and Business Development in the Tropics

Sook Rei Tan

The living standards and scale of development around the world are vastly unequal. One notable observation is that much of the poverty-stricken area is located between the tropics of Cancer and Capricorn. By contrast, affluent nations are situated in more temperate zones. Such a phenomenon gives weight to the geography hypothesis that seeks to explain the occurrence of global economic inequality, by placing an emphasis on the importance of natural elements such as location and climate in determining the economic conditions of a nation. This book concentrates exclusively and in depth on the key economic phenomena and factors which shape tropical economies today. It examines contemporary economic problems confronting the tropical countries and provides policy recommendations that align with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals set in the 2030 Agenda. It contains research works and case studies of tropical economies that are related to the area of development and environment economics. The book’s themes range from economic growth, poverty reduction, income inequality, economic globalization, international trade, capital flow, financial development, and institutional development to environmental sustainability within the Tropics. Recognizing the dynamism and diversity of the tropics, the book encompasses empirical and policy analyses that address the key economic issues and challenges in the region so as to provide an important platform from which new policymaking initiatives can flourish. This book will draw readership primarily from the fields of economics and public policy, particularly under the subject areas of development and environment economics, as well as discussions in the sustainability policy space.

Economic Growth and Development in the Tropics

Stella Kostopoulou

Kheir Al-Kodmany

Gricelda Herrera-Franco

This book discusses how cities’ identities are formed and developed over time and portrays architecture and the arts as the embodiment of the historical, cultural, and economic characteristics of cities. Furthermore, it explores strategies and solutions to preserve the cultural heritage along the Silk Road, representing a compilation of research addressing the economic and social opportunities and challenges related to the development of a more sustainable and responsible approach to tourism development and the preservation of heritage. As such, it covers a wide range of audiences including economists, architects, planners, tourism experts, and decision-makers interested in making use of cities' available resources and features, offering strategies to explore development opportunities through sustainable and responsible tourism along the Silk Road. This book is a culmination of selected research papers from the first version of the International Conference on "Silk Road Sustainable Tourism Development and Cultural Heritage (SRSTDCH)" which was held in 2021 in collaboration with Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, the European Interdisciplinary Silk Road Tourism Centre, Greece and the 5th Edition of the International Conference on “Cities’ Identity Through Architecture and Arts (CITAA)” which was held in 2021 in collaboration with University of Pisa, Italy.

Cities’ Vocabularies and the Sustainable Development of the Silkroads

Taha Chaiechi

This edited volume presents the conference papers from the 1st International Conference on Business, Economics, Management, and Sustainability (BEMAS), organized by the Centre for International Trade and Business in Asia (CITBA) at James Cook University. This book argues that the orthodox methods of external risks, climate change adaptation plans, and sustainable economic growth in cities are no longer adequate. These methods, so far, have not only ignored the ongoing structural changes associated with economic development but also failed to account for evolving industries’ composition and the emergence of new comparative advantages and skills. Specifically, this book looks at the vulnerable communities and exposed areas, particularly in urban areas, that tend to experience higher susceptibility to external risks (such as climate change, natural disasters, and public health emergencies) have been largely ignored in incremental adaptation plans. Vulnerable communities and areas not only require different adaptive responses to climate risk but also possess unlocked adaptive capacity that can motivate different patterns of sustainable development to achieve the goals of the 2030 Agenda. It is essential, therefore, to view transformative growth and fundamental reorientation of economic resources as integral parts of the solution. Social disorganisation and vulnerability are other undesired outcomes of the unpredictable and widespread external economic shocks. This is due to a sudden and tough competition between members of society to acquire precious resources, most of which may be depleted during unprecedented events such as natural disasters or pandemics resulting in an even more chaotic and disorganised conditions.

Jacob Wood

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