Research Publications

Academic theses and dissertations are regularly published and widely disseminated in YUOE Journal, Monographs, Universities Research Journal (URJ), Myanmar Academy of Arts and Science (MAAS) Journal, AsTEN Research Journal and International online Journals for sharing knowledge and contributing to the development of our education.

Myanmar Academy of Art & Science List of Research

No. Researcher Title Abstract Year
941 Moe Moe Khaing CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY PRACTICES AND PERFORMANCE OF LARGE MANUFACTURING FIRMS This study aims to analyze the internal and external CSR practices of large manufacturing firms at Mandalay Industrial Zone and to explore the effects of CSR practices on performance of the firms. Descriptive and exploratory research methods were used and 35 owners or managers, 175 employees, 175 customers and 175 residents were selected randomly from the scope of 35 large manufacturing firms. The results demonstrate that large manufacturing firms at Mandalay Industrial Zone are familiar with the CSR concept. They conduct the internal CSR practices medium to large scale in which working condition and safety factors are the largest measure undertaken. External CSR practices conducted also ranging from medium to large scale except for environmental practices which are exercised only to the medium level. Findings from this study point out that current practices of large manufacturing firms in the Mandalay Industrial Zone are more related to economic and legal responsibilities than ethical and philanthropic matters. Regarding the effect of CSR practices on the performance, internal CSR practices have larger effect on the non-financial performance than external CSR practices. Internal CSR practices largely effect employee satisfaction. External CSR practices largely effect on customer satisfaction and resident perception. Total CSR practices have no effect on financial performance. External CSR practices have larger effect than internal CSR practices on sales growth. Besides, internal and external CSR practices effect inversely on net profit growth. The findings of this study provide important contributions for business owners for focusing on the CSR practices to improve performance of the firm and for getting the best interests of stakeholders and society. 2020
942 Thiha Tun INTER-FIRM COOPERATION OF LACQUERWARE FIRMS IN NYAUNG-U TOWNSHIP Inter-firm cooperation among industrial organizations shows an impressive landscape for the development of manufacturing firms in the industrialized nations. Inter-firm cooperation takes the forms of informal linkages in many industrial districts such as market linkages, forming joint ventures, membership of professional and trade associations and movement of skilled staff from one firm to others. Interfirm cooperation among lacquerware firms comprises the forms of cooperation with suppliers, cooperation with customers, cooperation with other firms, and cooperation with institutions. This study attempts to explore the forms of inter-firm cooperation of lacquerware firms, and to analyse the relationship between the inter-firm cooperation and the growth of lacquerware firms in Nyaung-U township. This study utilizes primary data from 55 owners of lacquerware firms from Nyaung-U township in 2018. Multiple regression analysis is applied to analyze the variables from this empirical study. In exploring the relationship between inter-firm cooperation and the growth of lacquerware firms in Nyaung-U township, it is found that cooperation with customers is an effective linkage to grow lacquerware firms in this region. However, cooperation with other firms leads to slow down the growth of lacquerware firms in the study area. Based on the findings of the study, recommendations and implications for lacquerware firms are presented. 2020
943 Yan Yan Myo Naing ANALYSIS ON RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MARKETING MIX AND PERFORMANCE OF PURIFIED DRINKING WATER MANUFACTURING BUSINESSES IN YANGON This study aims to analyse the effect of marketing mix on performance of purified drinking water manufacturing businesses in Yangon. The specific objectives are to investigate the marketing mix practices dominating in those businesses, to examine the relationship between characteristics of businesses and their marketing mix practices, and to analyse the effect of their marketing mix on performance. Business characteristics considered in this study are age, size and ownership form of businesses. Only four elements of marketing mix (product, price, place, and promotion) are accounted for this study. Performance is measured with four criteria such as sales revenue, sales volume, profit and number of employees. In this research, the simple random sampling method is applied by doing survey on 84 businesses which are located in Yangon. To collect primary data from those businesses, personal interview method is applied by using structured questionnaire. Data are collected during 2016 and 2017. To reach research objectives, the hypotheses are tested by applying multiple linear regression analysis. From the analysis, it is found that the firms’ marketing-mix practices are related to characteristics of businesses such as age and size. Large and old businesses are emphasizing more on product quality and promotion tools while small and young manufacturers are more committed in practicing delivery function tactfully. However, the large and old businesses invested more in building distribution networks and for delivery human resources. The study found that performance measures in terms of sales revenue, sales volume, profit and number of employees is largely related to distribution practices, and performance measured by sales revenue is also related to pricing practices. Thus, for market share and for staying only at the above survival level in market, purified drinking water manufacturing businesses should compete with the use of pricing strategy. However, for long-term success with good sales revenue, profit and business growth by recruiting more employees, they should pay attention to establishment of effective and efficient distribution structure. 2020
944 Khin MarThet HOW CAN EVALUATE THE MYANMAR’S CURRENT TRADE STRUCTURE AND FLOW?* The improvement of bilateral trade between countries is useful for economic growth and to fulfil people’s needs at the same time. Bilateral trade raises income levels and benefits for both countries. This paper examines the trade structure between Myanmar and some trade partner countries by applying the standard gravity model using panel data. Using the gravity model of international trade theory intends to explain the bilateral trade flows and patterns between two economies. The gravity model can explain Myanmar’s trade structure and flow completely with the outcomes in the model. GDP is active factor in evaluating Myanmar’s trade structure. The positive and significant coefficient of the TCI implies that a Heckscher–Ohlin presumption could be appropriate in explaining trade patterns. Trade flows are significantly dependent on the interindustry trade that comes from factor endowment difference. Foreign exchange rate instability might be serious effects on trade sector development and the nation’s trade value. In the past, bilateral trade between Myanmar and Western countries was quite weak, although neighboring countries are the most important trade partners for Myanmar. ASEAN countries trade far less with Myanmar and ASEAN dummy shows that Myanmar still needs to tie itself closer to ASEAN for trade improvement. The random effects model (REM) and Hausman test results show the verification of the empirical model. 2020
945 Pwint Phyu Aung THE EFFECTS OF RURAL, URBAN POPULATION AND HIGHER EDUCATION ON EMPLOYMENT BY GENDER IN MYANMAR This study investigates the effects of rural population, urban population, and higher education on employment by gender in Myanmar. It draws upon a panel database of 20 observations collected from CSO, Myanmar and World Bank Indicators (1996 to 2015). The study offers findings on employment by gender in Myanmar. Whenever increase in rural population by one million leads to increase both male and female employments to population ratios. An increase in a thousand number of total enrollments in higher education reduces both male and female employments to population ratios. There is also positive and significant effect of total number of graduates in higher education on both male and female employments to population ratios in Myanmar. However, the total number of graduates in higher education is inversely related to both male and female self-employed in Myanmar. Total number of graduates in higher education is much less than that of enrollments in higher education therefore the percentage share of graduates should be increased to the desire level. There is not too much high gender disparity with respect to employment to population ratio and self-employed in Myanmar. If women are university graduates and post-graduate qualifications, opportunities for women to obtain employment in line with their high qualifications must be ensured. 2020
946 Su Su Myat INCOME INEQUALITY AMONG URBAN HOUSEHOLDS IN MANDALAY, MYANMAR This paper studies income inequality among urban households in Mandalay which is the largest city in upper Myanmar. From the development perspective, poverty and inequality is one of the socioeconomic issues in Myanmar. In case of Myanmar, although only 30 percent of the population lives in urban areas, inequality levels in urban areas are higher than those in rural areas. Therefore, this study attempts to measure income inequality among urban households in Mandalay. The study is based on primary data obtained by surveying sample households in Mandalay. In measuring inequality, the study uses Gini coefficient and also it analyzes expenditure pattern of households, and debt burden of low-income households. The study found that in measuring income inequality in Mandalay, Gini coefficient is moderately low but households in bottom quintile are spending more than or almost all of their income on consumption expenditure and vulnerable to be in debt. One-fourth of households are in debt, having burden at shark rates. 2020
947 Naw Htee Mue Loe Htoo ANALYSIS ON THE EFFECTS OF ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL EXPENDITURE ON ECONOMIC GROWTH IN MYANMAR (1980-2014)* This study analyzes the effects of economic and social expenditure on economic growth in Myanmar and formulates an appropriate policy implication for improving the limited financial resources in order to achieve economic growth in Myanmar. Using secondary data covering the period 1980 to 2014, the study applies the Economic Analysis of Time Series and the Dynamic Model of ARDL (Auto Regressive Distributed Lag Model) as the main analytical tools to investigate the effect of public expenditure on economic growth. Several notable findings are obtained from this study. Firstly, the result reveals that all expenditure components and economic growth are co-integrated and they establish a long run equilibrium relationship. Secondly, this study finds that, the economic expenditure such as spending on agriculture, infrastructure, and spending on processing and manufacturing sectors properly achieved the outcomes of economic growth in the short run thereby boosting the larger impact on the long run economic growth. In the third, this study discovers that social spending such as spending on health sector significantly contributes to promoting on economic growth not only in the short run but also in the long- run. On the other hand, spending on education does not capable to generate the direct effect on improving productivity and more than that, it does not contribute to the long run effect on economic growth. Based on these findings, the study provides for the policy implications that spending allocation should be more concentrated on the direct productive activities than indirect productive activities. Besides, spending allocation should be based on efficiency and effectiveness in allocation process. Moreover, a well-defined expenditure policy that pursued effective management of resources in the development process is needed to consider. Finally, it should be ensured budgeting in term of the coordination between the development plan objectives and the budgetary process. 2020
948 Ei Ei Phyoe AN ANALYSIS ON NATURAL RUBBER PRODUCTION AND EXPORT IN MYANMAR Aims of this study are to find out the status of production and export of natural rubber in Myanmar and to explore the factors which influence on its export and production. To analyze the factors affecting on the production and export, multiple regression model (OLS) has employed and two models were constructed to examine. Status of Myanmar’s rubber export and production and influencing determinants were analyzed for 35 years ranging from 1983 to 2018. The production and export of natural rubber grew significantly after the adoption of market-oriented economic policy in late 1988.Major locations of natural rubber resources are from Mon state and Taninthayi division, Karen and Rakhine state accounting for 17%, 19.5%, 27% and 19.7% of rubber supplied respectively. Determining the variables affecting natural rubber production and export in Myanmar, the overall results revealed that production of natural rubber is significantly influenced by the export, import and land acres of rubber with the significant level of probability value 5%, 1% and 0% respectively. Moreover, findings showed that natural rubber export is positively influenced by control variable such as exchange rate while the import is negatively associated with the export. 2020
949 Aye Thida ON SOME SOCIOECONOMIC AND DEMOGRAPHIC DETERMINANTS OF ANTENATAL CARE UTILIZATION DAGON MYOTHIT (EAST) TOWNSHIP, YANGON REGION* This study aimed at determining the factors influencing the utilization of Antenatal Care (ANC) among ever-married women aged 15-49 years who were asked to give information on the utilization of ANC for their latest live birth preceding the survey. A community-based cross sectional analytical study was conducted from October to November, 2016 among 515 mothers residing in urban and rural areas of Dagon Myothit (East) township. Binary logistic regression model was used to investigate the socioeconomic and demographic characteristics on the basis of having and not having ANC. The results indicate that higher educated woman exerts a stronger positive influence on the use of ANC service. With respect to husbands’ education, women with higher educated husbands were found to be significantly more likely to use antenatal care. It has been found that woman’s working status plays a critical role in using ANC. It has been observed that husband’s occupation group was related to the use of ANC services. Women from the first quintile and second quintile of the wealth index have negative relation to ANC utilization. Women aged 15-19 have negative effect on the ANC usage. It has been found that women who resided in urban area have more chance to use ANC service. With respect to household head, women with husbands head are more likely to use ANC service. 2020
950 Maw Maw Khin THE EFFECT OF WOMEN’S DECISION-MAKING POWER ON INFANT MORTALITY IN MYANMAR Women’s autonomy and empowerment has generally been recognized as one of most important factors of development. A lack of autonomy and empowerment may lead to negative outcomes on child health and mortality. This study tried to investigate the effect of women’s empowerment on infant mortality in Myanmar. Sample of 4815 ever married women whose age are 15 to 49 years were drawn from 2015/16 Myanmar Demographic and Health Survey. Furthermore, the binary logistic model had been specified and estimated to investigate the effect of women’s empowerment on infant mortality. Results showed that women who were more empowered were significantly less likely to experience infant mortality. This highlights the importance of women’s empowerment in efforts to reduce infant mortality. 2020