Since the old time, Vietnam and Mainland China have maintained a commercial relationship in the border area, due to their similarities in long-standing culture, custom, geographical location, trade and economy. Following this, the first purpose of this thesis is to look into the policies that the governments of both Vietnam and Mainland China have for the border trade and to understand the characteristics of the development in the border trade between these two countries. However, since the official statistic of international trade differs significantly between Vietnam and China, I have, therefore, encountered tremendous difficulty in data collection, filtering, and analysis. The second purpose of this thesis is to explain how the border trade influences the development of the frontier region. The influence resulted from the border trade brings both advantages and disadvantages to the two countries. The advantages lie in advancing the development, which stabilizes the lives of the border residents as well as the local government, in such fields as the infrastructure, government, inhabitants, industry, etc. As to the disadvantages, their existence prevents border trade from expanding. These disadvantages originate from such factors as smuggling, mimicry, trade deficit and so on. These unfavorable factors will have significant negative influence on policy makers¡¦ decisions about trading issues over the boarder. The issue of whether the participation in WTO of Mainland China now and the participation in NAFTA of Vietnam in the near future give an impetus to the development of the border trade or not is also included in the discussion of this thesis.

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Cette thèse porte sur l'impact du commerce (transfrontalier) sur les relations, les perceptions entre la Turquie et l'Irak, plus précisément entre deux région kurdes : le Kurdistan de Turquie d'un côté, le Kurdistan d'Irak de l'autre. Ce travail va nous permettre de comprendre et d'analyser les relations économiques, sociales et culturelles de part et d'autre de la frontière. En tant que séparatrice des deux régions kurdes, la frontière turco-irakienne tient une position qui joue un rôle significatif ; c'est une séparation mais aussi une zone de contact. Plusieurs acteurs jouent un rôle dans le commerce frontalier de cette région. Les principaux sont les États (ou « quasi-État » si l'on considère le gouvernement autonome du Kurdistan d'Irak comme un État dans l'État fédéral d'Irak), ainsi que les entrepreneurs des deux côtés de la frontière.Après la guerre du golfe en 2003, la région du nord de l'Irak est devenue davantage liée à la Turquie qu'à l'Irak. Ce phénomène s'étant accentué de nos jours. Des milliers de camions franchissent quotidiennement les frontières qui séparent le Kurdistan d'Irak et la Turquie, les entreprises et les ouvriers travaillant au Kurdistan irakien sont pour l'essentiel des Kurdes de Turquie.Dans ce contexte le commerce est important par son rôle de communication. Il est également significatif en tant que lien symbolique entre les deux régions frontalières. En outre, ce commerce confirme à nouveau le rôle du Kurdistan irakien comme référence de la mouvance kurde dans son ensemble. / This thesis deals with the impacts of the cross-border trade on the perceptions, on the relations between Turkey and Iraq, more precisely between two Kurdish regions: Turkish Kurdistan on one side, Iraqi Kurdistan on the other. This study allows us to understand and analyse political, economic and cultural relations by means of border trade between two border regions on either side of the border. By acting as a divide between the two Kurdish regions, the Turkish-Iraqi border plays a significant role as a barrier but also a zone of contact. Several actors play a role in the border trade of this region. The main ones are the States (or quasi-State if we consider the autonomous region of Iraqi Kurdistan as a State within the federal state of Iraq), as well as the entrepreneurs on both sides of the border.After the Gulf War in 2003, the north of Iraq (Iraqi Kurdistan) became more linked to Turkey than to the rest of the country. This phenomenon has become more and more present. Every day, thousands of trucks cross the border separating Iraqi Kurdistan and Turkey, the firms and workers working in Iraqi Kurdistan are mostly Turkish Kurds.In this context, trade is important through its role of communication. It is also significant as a symbolic link attaching both sides. Furthermore, this trade again confirms the role of Iraqi Kurdistan as a reference for the whole Kurdish region.

In this thesis, I take Yunnan and Heilongjiang as a sample to discuss the border trade in China. I find that there are obvious difference between southern and northern border trade because of the demand and supply of natural resource, the industrial structure, the structure of import and export, the step of economic growth of the neighbor countries, as well as the open policy and the foreign relationship among those countries.

Purpose - The purpose of this thesis work is to explore how the fully implemented AEC affects cross-border trade in the ASEAN, and based on the findings determine how multinational companies should adapt their logistics strategy to the change. To achieve this purpose the following research questions will be answered: How will the AEC affect the distribution of goods in the ASEAN? How should a multinational company adapt their logistics strategy to the new conditions? Methodology - To explore the opportunities and threats regarding the fully implementation of AEC, the authors had to complete 4 phases including a pre-study, literature study, case study, and data analysis. The pre-study was about the basics of ASEAN. The Literature study was mainly about Logistics Management, Strategic Management, Contingency Theory, and AEC, and its aim was to find out the key factors affecting logistics strategy and how the AEC affects them. In order to locate what opportunities and threats that arise along the affected factors, a case study was conducted by studying a real-life example on a case company, through interviews and tariff tables. Additionally, data analysis was done throughout the thesis work by structured methods and a PEST analysis. Findings - Literature study showed that the affected factors where tariffs, NTBs, ROO, trade facilitation, customs integration, standards, and TBTs. After analysing how the affected factors will change the business environment by a PEST analysis, the authors found that the most crucial threat is increased competition and the greatest opportunity is in the ease of moving goods and the size of the market. Hence, for a multinational company, the best strategy in this case is a Strategic choice strategy, which is both proactive to the change and somewhat able to influence the business environment. The case study showed that in the current situation, the best economic logistics strategy is through Malaysia, no matter end destination. After the fully implemented AEC, the Free Trade Agreements for each country will be the deciding factor. Implications - This thesis is made in ASEAN for multinational companies who is considering in which ASEAN member country to use as an assembly point for the ASEAN market after the implementation of AEC. For these companies, this study can be a fundamental part of their decision. Research limitations - In this thesis, the affected factors known by literature has been considered when evaluating the consequences of a fully implemented AEC. The case study is including half of the ASEAN members and in a given order. In addition only the external business environment, and more specific the general environment, was taken into consideration. In further studies, a benchmark could be performed in order to find literature unknown factors, all ASEAN members should be included in various combinations of orders, and considering the whole business environment.

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / O presente trabalho parte da necessidade de investigar a dinâmica de comércio formiga fronteiriço em uma análise geral entre as cidades-gêmeas em toda a faixa de fronteira do Brasil e afunilando-se ao estudo do comércio formiga entre a Venezuela e o Brasil, através das cidades-gêmeas Santa Elena e Pacaraima. Assenta-se a pesquisa a análise dos aspectos dos difusores e contentores do comércio formiga. O estudo tem como objetivo investigar se o fluxo de comercio formiga na fronteira gerando transbordamento com efeitos de integração ou fragmentação no desenvolvimento regional e na integração entre Brasil e Venezuela, estruturando-se metodologicamente como pesquisa de revisão bibliográfica, revisão integrativa e estudo de caso. As cidades de Santa Elena de Uairén e Pacaraima identificam-se como um natural receptor de renda e repulsor de rendas e mercadorias. No estudo das tipologias qualitativas utilizou-se a análise weberiana dos tipos ideais do Comércio Formiga. A movimentação das rendas nesses municípios traz problemas para a economia desses dois países, como a evasão de rendas, pois o comércio local deixa de fomentar a economia, diminuindo a oferta de empregos e aumentando ainda mais a informalidade. / This work begins with the need to investigate the dynamics of border ant trade in an overall analysis of the twin cities across the border region of Brazil and tapering to the study of ant trade between Venezuela and Brazil, through the twin cities Santa Elena and Pacaraima. Founded to research the analysis of aspects of ant trade diffusers and containers. The study aims to investigate the ant trade flow bordering generating overflowing with integration effects or fragmentation in regional development and integration between Brazil and Venezuela, and is structured methodologically as literature review of research, integrative review and case study. The towns of Santa Elena de Uairen and Pacaraima identify themselves as a natural income recipient and repulsor rents and goods. In the study of qualitative typologies we used the Weberian analysis of ideal ant trade types. The balance of income in these municipalities causes problems for the economy of these two countries, such as evasion of income, for the local market fails to stimulate the economy, reducing the supply of jobs and further increasing informality.

國界不只是兩個主權國家的分界線，還交織各種政治、文化、經濟等複雜內涵，國界的意義和周邊地理位置的劃定會隨著時空不斷轉移。國界在主權的作用下，對於周邊地帶的發展以及毗鄰國家的互動，兼具有「阻礙」與「促進」的效果。學者向來關注不同邊境地區的特徵，並探討國界對當地發展的影響。 研究中國和越南國界意涵的轉變，並分析兩國邊境的貿易狀況與邊境地區的發展結果，將有助於邊界效應理論的擴展。中國和越南邊境地區的歷史淵源、經濟水準和制度環境均具有獨特性，不同於目前學界主流的美加、美墨、歐盟等地的邊界研究個案。兩國交界地區的互動頻率在亞洲國家之中也是最高的，這些背景讓學者將中越邊境視作研究邊境領域的「最佳個案」。然而，目前學者對於不同國界與邊境的特質為何、國界對邊境地區發展所造成的阻礙與促進效果為何，皆尚未產生共識，因此本文深入中越邊境的特殊背景探查實際情況。 本論文延伸邊界效應理論的應用，先從理論中歸納出國界阻礙或促進邊境地區發展的三項因素：國界的地理與政治隔絕、國界兩側的人文差異、區域整合對國界的衝擊。接著從環境背景、歷史沿革、當代設置等不同角度，檢視這三項因素在中越邊境所呈現的狀況。然後，使用中國和越南的歷史文獻、官方統計數據、西方調查研究報告、田野調查資料等，評估中越邊境邊貿的互動情況與長期經濟發展的趨勢。根據邊境地區的實際狀況，論證國界對於中越邊境的發展所造成的實質正面或負面效果。最後，納入中國和俄羅斯的例子作為比較個案，以建立適度的普遍化解釋。 / This research examines the “border effect” through analyzing the evidence from the China-Vietnam border area. China and Vietnam share a border with strong ties and similarities in culture and ethnicity inasmuch as historically the northern and central parts of Vietnam were ruled by the Chinese ancient empires for over 1,000 years. The close ties are further strengthened by the recent regional economic integration between the two countries. With regard to its particular historical background, the China-Vietnam border is essentially different from other border area However, existing research of border effect focuses mostly on cases such as the borders between Canada and United States, Mexico and United States or within the European Union but fails to incorporate the China-Vietnam border—a critical case in studying the border effect in Asian context. How do we understand the development of border areas in terms of the specificities in the China-Vietnam border? In this research, I test and reexamine the border effect theory using the China-Vietnam border trade case in three dimensions— (1) geographical and political isolation, (2) racial and cultural difference, and (3) regional integration. Focusing on the three dimensions, I firstly discuss the effects of border on either enhancement or hindrance of border regions’ development. I then conduct an empirical analysis on the China-Vietnam border trade, by which I will rethink the complexity of borders and border effects conceptually as well as theoretically. The empirical evidence shows strong effects of the border on the development of the China-Vietnam border area. At last, in order to generalize my argument, I compare the China-Vietnam border trade with the Sino-Russian case. The comparison helps assess the impact of the border transitions model on China border zone.

Most people agree that the internationalization of RMB follows a three-step strategy, i.e. turn RMB into a settlement currency, investment currency, and reserve currency. The promulgation of the ¡§Administrative Rules on Pilot Program of RMB Settlement of Cross-border Trade Transactions¡¨ on July 2, 2009 demonstrated that China has officially begun to facilitate the use of currency in trade settlement. The start of RMB cross-border trade settlement not only stands for new function of RMB but also brings new opportunities. Therefore, a fundamental motivation for this research is to explore how will it influence correspondent banking business and what business opportunities it offer to correspondent banking business? This thesis takes the case of W Bank, a world leading correspondent banking service provider for example. By discussing value chain of the correspondent banking business and studying the business model of W Bank, we depict how W Bank can exploit the new business opportunity and conclude that W Bank, a U.S.-based bank, remains in a good position to offer RMB-denominated services.

The Border Trade between border provinces of Mainland China and their neighboring countries is a unique form of economy and trade. Before the reform and opening up in 1978, due to political, diplomatic, secure and planned economic considerations, the border trade had been rather limited. After the reform and opening, PRC began to reform foreign trade regime and to execute decentralization. Provinces scrambled developing foreign trade to prosper local economy. Border provinces, geographically in disadvantage, relied on border trade as a means of boosting economy, which has been featured in the model of foreign trade. Meanwhile, in order to take care of the ethnic minority in border provinces, the government has applied preferential rules successively to help promote border trade. Since the 1980¡¦s, accompanied with the improvements of relation between the PRC and its neighboring countries, Mainland China began to pay attention to the development of border trade. The Guangxi¡¦s ethnic minority lives in a gathered community. Owing to poor natural circumstances and long-term fighting, it has become one of the economically laggard provinces of border. Guangxi borders on Vietnam. Bilateral border trade has a long history, though it had been interrupted for a certain time due to strategic status and deterioration of China-Vietnam relationship. Until the relationship was normalized in the end of 1991, the border trade between both sides reached a new stage. While the PRC carries out an open-door system for border and has endowed with border trade preferential policies since 1992, Vietnam also executes opening the market and reforming economic policies. In consequence, the amount of Guangxi-Vietnam¡¦s border trade has been growing fast; border trade carries a heavy weight in foreign trade. Border trades make effects on promoting the living standard, increasing the income of frontiers, escalating local government¡¦s revenue, improving local construction, adjusting industrial structure, attracting foreign investment, strengthening local economic capability, benefiting the frontier steadiness and people united, as well as expanding good relationship with neighboring-countries. Obviously, border trades have made a significant meaning and contribution in economic development. Recently, it became a trend for countries and regions all over the world to carry out a closer economic cooperation on free trade, and form a regional economic group. Appropriate method to develop Guangxi¡¦s border trade is to furthermore become involved in the framework of economic regionalization of the neighboring-countries, to enlarge the magnitude of foreign-trade and to strengthen economic and trade cooperation with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

Yes / The establishment of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) has opened new avenues of research interest in International Business and International Management. However, scholarly work in this fledgling area of research has been disparate and often lacking in the assessment of core international business implications of the emergence of the AfCFTA on member states as well as non-member states. This is because, as yet, no systematic attempt has been made to explore the AfCFTA in the context of IB research, or project future IB research directions. Hence, in this paper, using the PRISMA method we have systematically identified the current published research and scholarly work on the AfCFTA and provided a robust picture of the current state of knowledge and available literature on the AfCFTA while at the same time outlining potential areas for future international business research