Environmental technology and trade; the Asian newly industrializing economies' pathway to sustainable development and competitiveness in the international economy

The dissertation analyzes and merges two fundamental goals of developing countries, and more specifically, of Asian Newly Industrializing Economies to wit, the pursuit of sustainable development and competitiveness in the international economy; catpub99; geudbu/11.1999; Three underlying assumptions are postulated. First, there is a demand for environmental technology. Developing countries believe that development and environment are compatible. Second, the Western dominated environmental industry's interest in these countries is expanding. Third, Asian NIEs (South Korea, Thailand and Indonesia) have or are on the road to rapidly acquiring the capabilities to absorb new technology as they progress in their structural change. On that account, they will eventually be competitive in the environmental sector on a world-wide basis. The theoretical approach to this dimension entails Vernon's product-cycle theory and Porter's competitive advantage theory. Consequently, the environmental industry can be a source of "green competitiveness"; catpub99; geudbu/11.1999