Lesson 5 A World of Regions
Lesson 5 A World of Regions
Lesson 5 A World of Regions
Magel (2011) said that the most important trends in contemporary world
development are on the one hand, the process of globalization and on the other – the
increasing activity of regional integration. Globalization and regionalization – are some
of the most controversial concepts. Globalization and regionalization are contradictory
unity as their goal in some cases may be the same, and in some can be quite divergent.
Both of these processes form new institutions in the global economic space.
Regional integration has been defined as the process through which independent
national states "voluntarily mingle, merge and mix with their neighbors so as to lose the
factual attributes of sovereignty while acquiring new techniques for resolving conflicts
among themselves” (Haas, 1971). De Lombaerde and Van Langenhove (2007), describe
it as a worldwide phenomenon of territorial systems that increases the interactions
between their components and creates new forms of organization, co-existing with
traditional forms of state-led organization at the national level. Some scholars see
regional integration simply as the process by which states within a particular region
increase their level of interaction with regard to economic, security, political, or social
and cultural issues (Ginkle and Langenhove, 2003).
Regional integration helps countries overcome divisions that impede the flow of
goods, services, capital, people and ideas. These divisions are a constraint to economic
growth, especially in developing countries. Divisions between countries created by
geography, poor infrastructure and inefficient policies are an impediment to economic
growth. Regional integration allows countries to overcome these costly divisions
integrating goods, services and factors’ markets, thus facilitating the flow of trade,
capital, energy, people and ideas according to the World Bank (2018).
Statement of the Problem
The study was about the world of regions, specifically, the South eastern Asian
countries. The study sought answers to the following questions:
To the Students. Being the primary subject of this study, the bona fide students of
Remedios Trinidad Romualdez Medical Foundation and Don Vicente Orestes Romualdez
Educational Foundation are of foremost concern to interpret and draw benefits from this
research.
To the Future Researchers. This study can also be beneficial to future researchers as
they might derive important findings from this and undertake further studies that will
focus on the regionalization of the world.
The following terms are defined for further understanding of the major
concepts used in this study. These words were defined conceptually and
operationally:
Regions. Wikipedia (2019) defined regions as areas that are broadly divided by physical
characteristics, human impact characteristics, and the interaction of humanity and the
environment.
CHAPTER II
This chapter contains the synthesis of the literature and studies viewed similar to
the current study.
Related Literature
According to a study conducted by Asian Development Bank (2008), Asia and its
regions are more than just a continent or a group of countries which breed economic and
technological development, poverty reduction, and an ever-expanding middle class. Its
capability to produce extensive goods and labor-intensive workforce goes beyond an easy
reach globally. The trend toward integration is gaining momentum through enhanced
dialogue between countries and people—from the simple contact brought about by
intraregional tourism to formal meetings of government officials, ministers, and political
leaders. Intraregional trade and investment are expanding rapidly, financial markets are
becoming closer and more efficient, and economies are becoming more interdependent.
Regionalism is a relatively new aspect of Asia’s rise. Asia’s economies are increasingly
connected through trade, financial transactions, direct investment, technology, labor and
tourist flows, and other economic relationships.
Other than that, Ernst &Young Global Management (2015) stated that “the world
has a shared history and a rich, diverse cultural heritage. This heritage is cherished
globally as an asset that belongs to us all, yet gives our societies their identity and binds
them together, nurturing a rich cultural and creative present and future. That is why
stakeholders of the creative and cultural world must do everything in their power to
preserve this heritage and the diversity of actual cultural content, amid a political and
economic climate that is subject to major upheavals.”
Related Studies
However, in a study conducted by Axinte, et. al, (2019), their paper argues that
city-regions are not mere socioeconomic units through which competitiveness can be
achieved, but also rich, socioecological spaces. Although the progressive regionalist
literature has taken significant steps in this direction, concerns remain that critical
contemporary issues such as environmental sustainability, cultural viability, social
exclusion or political (dis)empowerment have not been addressed in a holistic way. The
researchers claimed that “they attempt to advance the debate and overcome some of the
shortcomings by connecting progressive regionalism with two other literature strands:
collaborative governance and regenerative development.”
Moreover, Harrison (2015) stated that policy elites mobilized with speed in the
knowledge that not only did they need to intervene to create the conditions necessary for
capital accumulation, they needed to make their region(s) more attractive to transnational
capital than their national and international competitors to be competitive in today's
quicksilver global economy.
Venables (2015) made emphasis on the investment of time and effort in
regionalism which reduces the capacity of governments to invest in multilateral
negotiation. On the other side, he believed that it is argued that regionalism can help, by
reducing the number of separate negotiators (since members of a customs union
negotiate as a single body) – an argument that begs the question of how members
formulate their common position.
Soderbaum (2015) concluded then that regions need to be closely related to the
changing historical political context, especially those concerning political organization
and world order, and consequently, new forms of regions may occur in different times.
However, throughout history there have also been important continuities between various
types of regionalism, which obviates rigid temporal distinctions.
In Soderbaum’s conclusion, to quote his statement, he claimed that “over the last
decade, regionalism has become an academic growth industry in a number of social
science disciplines and sub-disciplines: European studies, comparative politics,
international economics, geography international relations, security studies, and
international political economy. The approach of these different academic specialisations
varies considerably, which means that regionalism means different things to different
people. At the same time, there are an increasing number of theories of regionalism. Yet,
there is fragmentation and still a lack of communication between scholars from various
theoretical standpoints as well as from different regional specialisations (even within the
more specific sub-field of Asian regionalism). The tensions and differences in the field
illustrate the fact that the regional phenomenon is multidimensional, which seems to
imply that there is need for a certain degree of analytical and theoretical eclecticism but
also greater conceptual clarity (deLombaerde, et al., 2010).
CHAPTER III
METHODOLOGY
Research Design
The qualitative - descriptive documentary was used in this research. This is a type
of social science research that collects works through non- numerical data and that it
seeks to interpret meaning from these data which aids in the understanding of social life
through the study of targeted population or community (Crossman, A., 2019). Also, the
descriptive analysis method that was used is a systematic procedure for reviewing
documents whether it is computer-based or internet-based. This is often used in
combination with other qualitative research methods as a means of the combination of
methodologies in the study of the same phenomenon (Denzin, 1970). Qualitative -
descriptive analysis is the best method we used in order to gather data about regionalism
and its relation to globalization.
Research Locale
Research Instrument
The researchers used different sources from the website relating to the world of
regions.
https://www.adb.org/sites/default/files/publication/159353/adbi-emerging-asian-
regionalism.pdf
https://www.degruyter.com/view/product/526474
https://www.un.org/development/desa/dpad/wp-
content/uploads/sites/45/WESP2019_BOOK-web.pdf
https://en.unesco.org/creativity/sites/creativity/files/cultural_times._the_first_glob
al_map_of_cultural_and_creative_industries.pdf
https://www.polsoz.fu-
berlin.de/en/v/transformeurope/publications/working_paper/wp/wp64/WP-64-
Soederbaum.pdf
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/330253178_Introduction_Comparative_
Regionalism_Why_Bother_Again_Perspectives_for_a_Comparison
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/21681376.2019.1584542
https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/economics-econometrics-and-
finance/regional-economic-integration
https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/social-sciences/regionalism
https://blog.stcloudstate.edu/ims/2017/04/11/document-analysis-
methodology/?fbclid=IwAR3lsb1A_Flqk7Pv2nqy_iPr8ccxtcB_VakdluypTm6IKj
MV8U7YU9KaRjk
https://www.thoughtco.com/qualitative-research-methods-3026555
https://www.investopedia.com/terms/o/opec.asp
https://www.academia.edu/561127/GLOBALIZATION_and_REGIONALIZATI
ON_IN_INTERNATIONAL_TRADE?fbclid=IwAR3PQHJ-
5ndxKhCvlHSW4aLof1zt2MzxjGfamxLl_njWa6s0N4Pq41wIDVI
http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/regionalization.html?fbclid=IwAR
3IrE5UwanPPLftYL6OrwQ4dROHWuakQDdz2m_orhVbi8Xtq0Sh9oahErw
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regionalism_(international_relations)?fbclid=Iw
AR22aM6YkNwx_9Fo6mY2ZutMBTsRlEMifT3UYV4noRhhwWRHSNdonQQ
fE2I
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Region?fbclid=IwAR3IrJ8gDxeB2maTWdujY6
MDdtqzmOiU1ab-MmaGkasZLMJ0SICAs50ap5c
https://sarpn.org/documents/d0001249/P1416-RI-concepts_May2005.pdf
https://www.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/region/?fbclid=IwAR1JdYyu6
1cmT-WnG0yIcF_Fuq8q0IVnnXDkn-8NZ10QjjrmK-VZb_zv_l0
https://www.nap.edu/read/4766/chapter/9#189
PRESENTATION OF DATA
The study was about the world of regions, specifically, the South eastern Asian
countries. Following are obtained results and discussion of the data:
Kritzinger (1996) enumerated the pros and cons of regionalism. The advantages
include trade gain, increased returns and increased competition, and investment. On the
other hand, the disadvantages include overlapping membership issues, institutional
issues, and policy design issues.
The author claimed that [in trade gain], trade agreements among regions will demand
for third party goods to decrease. In addition, more acute competition in the trade zone
may induce outside firms to cut prices to maintain exports to the region. This will
somehow create a positive result in terms of trade effect in member countries.
In increased returns and increased competition, Kritzinger (21996) stated that market
enlargement increase trade off among larger firms. Countries with the best and newest
technology and infrastructure are most likely the ‘beneficiaries.’
Kritzinger (1996) added investment in which market trade off will bring direct foreign
investment thus bringing forth an increase in the economic sector.
Despite these, it is inevitable not to view regionalism on the other perspective.
Regionalism also has lapses and Kritzinger (1996) mentioned overlapping membership
issues and she claimed that, “Countries that are members of more than one arrangement
will be required to choose between them as it is impractical to claim membership of
different customs unions.”
Adding to that, institutional issues play a role in regionalism in which countries may
have limited regional institutional capacities that may hinder them from fully contributing
to other countries.
Lastly, Kritzinger (1996) made emphasis on policy design issues. To quote her, she
stated that “Exogenous influences such as adverse changes in climatic conditions,
political instability and deteriorating risk perceptions as well as the global economic
environment and commodity markets have been driving a wedge between domestic
economic policies and outcomes.” This clearly points out strengthening of what is she so-
called macroeconomic stability.
4. What are the factors leading to a greater integration of the Southeast Asian
region?
Trade in the world economy is intertwined with each other whether we like it or
not. We all want or need something from another part of the world, and global trade
facilitates that.
The cultures of Asia is diverse but they do share many things (Similar Cultures).
This makes it an easier fit during times of negotiations.
The following are the conclusion and recommendation from this study:
Conclusion
Recommendations
Online References
Axinte, L., et. al. (2019). Regenerative city-regions: a new conceptual framework.
Retrieved from https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/21681376.2019.1584542
Ernst & Young Global Management. (2019). Cultural times: The first global map of
cultural and creative industries. Retrieved from
https://en.unesco.org/creativity/sites/creativity/files/cultural_times._the_first_global_map
_of_cultural_and_creative_industries.pdf
Katzenstein P. (2015). A World of Regions (Asia and Europe in the American Imperium).
Corner University Press. Retrieved from
https://www.degruyter.com/view/product/526474
Soderbaum, F. (2015). Early, Old, New and Comparative Regionalism: The Scholarly
Development of the Field. KFG Working Paper Series, no. 64, Kolleg-Forschergruppe
(KFG) “The Transformative Power of Europe,” Freie Universität Berlin.
https://www.polsoz.fuberlin.de/en/v/transformeurope/publications/working_paper/wp/wp
64/WP-64-Soederbaum.pdf
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CURRICULUM VITAE
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CURRICULUM VITAE
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ACHIEVEMENTS
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