Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between urbanization and economic growth in ASEAN countries for the period 1993-2014.Design/methodology/approach: The Granger causality test and the regression estimation method with static and dynamic panel data (FE, RE, Driscoll and Kraay, D-GMM and PMG) were used. The sample includes seven ASEAN countries: Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam.Findings: The results show that at least a causal relationship exists between urbanization and economic growth and urbanization positively impacts economic growth. However, the relationship between urbanization and economic growth is non-linear. The urbanization reaches a threshold after which it may impede the economic growth. The estimated threshold is 69.99 percent for the static model and 67.94 percent for the dynamic model.Research limitations/implications: The evidence from this study suggests that there is a non-linear relationship between urbanization and the economic growth. Urbanization has the potential to accelerate the economic growth, and this potential will depend on the establishment of favorable institutions and investments in appropriate public infrastructure.Practical implications: The decision on the model of urbanization needs to be based on social and environmental considerations as well as market-based economic efficiency. The quality of urbanization manifests in the way that people and businesses perceive when they come to cities and their position in the labor market, urban housing, niche commodity markets, supply chain, collaborative network and physical space for the operation of the business. Most ASEAN countries have not yet reached a high level of urbanization, despite having a number of policies for promoting urbanization to contribute to the economic growth. However, policymakers should find ways to facilitate the development of urbanization that contributes to economic growth, employment growth, environmental sustainability, rather than the pursuit of speeding up the process of urbanization.Originality/value: Between urbanization and economic growth at least a causal relationship exists. Urbanization positively impacts economic growth. However, the relationship between urbanization and economic growth is non-linear. The urbanization reaches a threshold after which it may impede the economic growth. The estimated threshold is 69.99 percent for the static model and 67.94 percent for the dynamic model.

This study is conducted to examine the concerns of the foreign direct investment (FDI) causing environment degradation and also to test the validity of the traditional Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) in the context of emerging markets in the Asian region. Data of these countries from 1980–2016 are utilised. This study employs panel cointegration Fully Modified Ordinary Least Squares (FMOLS), which treats the endogeneity problem, and its estimators are adjusted for serial correlation. Moreover, this study also uses panel Dynamic Ordinary Least Squares (DOLS), which includes contemporaneous value, leads and, lags of the first difference of the regressors to correct endogeneity problems and serial correlations. Findings from this study indicate that the pollution heaven hypothesis and the EKC curve are generally valid in the region. In addition, FDI has a strong impact on the environment.

Celebrity endorsement has become a popular choice in advertising due to the its originality and the celebrity’s attractiveness that make a big impact on brand awareness and customer behavior. This study analyzes the effect of celebrity endorsement on customer’s attitude toward brand as well as the effect of customer’s attitude toward brand on customer’s purchase intention in Vietnam. A survey was conducted with 306 individuals in Vietnam. After conducting the explanatory factor analysis (EFA), and multi-variable regression analysis, results indicate that customer’s attitude toward brand is positively affected by 03 factors: celebrity match-up congruence with the brand/product, celebrity trustworthiness, and celebrity expertise. Attitude toward brand also has a positive impact on customer’s purchase intention.

This study identifies the determinants of tax revenue in Southeast Asia based on a balanced dataset of eight countries. By employing static (pooled Ordinary Least Squares (OLS), fixed effects (FE) model, random effects (RE) model and Driscoll-Kraay standard error) as well as dynamic panel data (system–generalized method of moments) regression techniques, we show that the openness of the economy, foreign direct investment (FDI), the ratio of foreign debt to the gross domestic product (GDP), the share of value added in industry to GDP have positive impacts on tax revenue, and official development assistance has a negative impact. We suggest that Southeast Asian countries design better policies in international trade as well as attract FDI, speed up the process of economic restructuring, and enhance the capacity to mobilize, manage, and use foreign debt and assistance in order to collect more taxes.

This paper explores the impact of urbanization on income inequality in Vietnam, using the regression estimation method with panel data including Driscoll and Kraay, and Pooled Mean Group. The research data cover 63 provinces in Vietnam from 2006 to 2016. The results show that in the long term, urbanization has an impact on reducing income inequality. In the short term, urbanization has a negligible impact on income inequality. The hypothesis of an inverted-U-shaped relationship between urbanization and income inequality is confirmed. The high school enrollment rate and the proportion of agriculture have an effect on reducing income inequality.