Trade and development

Research on trade and development has long been a high priority for ANU Indonesia Project staff and PhD students. This includes detailed studies of the trade policy regime (including pioneering estimates of effective rates of protection), the political economy of protection, sector-specific trade policies, export performance, Indonesia in the regional and global economy, general overviews of the private sector, the structure and performance of the private sector, private sector and industrial dynamics before and after crisis episodes, and private sector and industry case studies.

The researches in this area have been facilitated by access to various datasets, including the excellent firm-level databases of the Biro Pusat Statistik, supplemented by international trade data and firm-level research. The training of doctoral students has been an integral component of this research. Since the 1990s, many PhD dissertations have been completed in this field, mostly by Indonesian researchers. Much of the past and current work involves collaboration with Indonesian researchers

Research themes

  • Trade, poverty, and inequality
  • Economic integration
  • Political economy of trade policy
  • Trade liberalisation and its socio-economic impacts
  • Export behaviour and firm productivity
  • Private sector development

Current research projects

“Unleashed: An experiment on releasing untapped labor market potential of women in Indonesia”. We design a pilot for a randomized control study to investigate the effects of interventions aimed at re-integrating formerly employed women back into paid work in Jakarta.

Firman Witoelar (ANU)

“Competition, Trust, and Price Transparency: Evidence from Branchless Banking Agents in Indonesia”. In a randomized control study, we investigate the strategic response of branchless banking agents in the face of changing competition.
Firman Witoelar (ANU)

Economics of tobacco farming. Multiple papers are being prepared, including: off-farm participation of tobacco farmers’ households, indebtedness among tobacco farmers.

Firman Witoelar (ANU)

Welfare effects of banking restriction: the case of Qanun implementation in Aceh. We study the effects of the implementation of Qanun (local law) introduced in 2021 in Aceh prohibiting non-Syariah bank on financial deepening and financial inclusion.

Firman Witoelar (ANU)

Political economy of local content requirements in Indonesia

Arianto Patunru (ANU) and Chatib Basri (UI)

The impact of foreign demand shocks on input demand and domestic sales: Evidence from Indonesia after the GFC (with Sulistiyo Ardiyono, R&R)

Arianto Patunru (ANU) and Sulistiyo Ardiyono (ANU)

Long-term Consequences of Childhood Exposure to ”External Shocks” in Indonesia

Budy Resosudarmo (ANU)

Trade liberalization, superstar firms, and labour share: Indonesian experience (with Riandy Laksono, in progress).

Arianto Patunru (ANU) and Riandy Laksono (ANU)

Projecting the long run impact of an economic reform: the case of Indonesian Omnibus Law and concurrent changes in trade policy

Arianto Patunru (ANU), Krisna Gupta (Politeknek APP Jakarta & CIPS) and Paul Gretton (ANU)

Trade and health: Evidence from Indonesia

Arianto Patunru (ANU) and Wisnu Harto (Prospera)

Survey of recent developments

Arianto Patunru

Restructuring and revitalizing Indonesian manufacturing: Downstreaming natural resources and basic industries development

Arianto Patunru (ANU), Masagus Ridhwan (BI), Yoga Affandi (BI) and Dionisius Narjoko (ERIA)

Socio-economic impact of COVID-19 in Southeast Asia

Budy Resosudarmo (ANU)

For published research on trade and development, see our online archive

Updated:  5 December 2024/Responsible Officer:  Crawford Engagement/Page Contact:  CAP Web Services Team