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As significant listed property investment vehicles, industrial and logistics REITs (I&L REITs) have recently enhanced their property portfolios, often replacing the traditional industrial properties with logistic properties to gain strategic exposure to recent e-commerce trends. This paper aims to assess the investment performance of I&L REITs by assessing the significance, risk-adjusted performance and portfolio diversification benefits of I&L REITs in the Pacific Rim region from July 2011 to December 2018. The strategic property investment implications for I&L REITs are also identified.

Monthly total returns from July 2011 to December 2018 were used to analyse the risk-adjusted performance and portfolio diversification benefits for I&L REITs in the United States, Japan, Australia and Singapore. An asset allocation diagram was employed to assess the strategic role of I&L REITs in a mixed-asset portfolio in each case.

I&L REITs generally possessed superior average annual returns compared with the other sub-sector REITs, stocks and bonds in the United States, Japan, Australia and Singapore between July 2011 and December 2018, with desirable portfolio diversification benefits. Importantly, a more significant role for I&L REITs was generally observed in the mixed-asset portfolio compared to the other sub-sector REITs in each of these four markets across the broad portfolio risk spectrum. This reflects I&L REITs delivering enhanced portfolio returns and offering portfolio diversification benefits in a mixed-asset portfolio in the United States, Japan, Australia and Singapore.

Property investors, particularly property securities funds (PSFs) and income-oriented investors, should consider including I&L REITs in their mixed-asset portfolios, as Pacific Rim–based I&L REITs provided an attractive REIT investment sub-sector, co-existing alongside the other sub-sector REITs and major asset classes in a mixed-asset portfolio in a Pacific Rim context, as well as being a portfolio diversifier. These results confirm the added-value and strategic role of I&L REITs in a mixed-asset portfolio, seeing I&L REITs as an effective investment pathway for I&L property exposure in the Pacific Rim region.

This is the first study to assess the investment performance of I&L REITs in the Pacific Rim region, evaluating their significance, risk-adjusted performance and portfolio diversification benefits, and the role of I&L REITs in a mixed-asset portfolio in the United States, Japan, Australia and Singapore. More importantly, this research is the first paper to provide empirical evidence on I&L REITs, which have often transformed their traditional industrial property portfolios with increased levels of logistics property to gain exposure to recent e-commerce trends. This research enables more informed and practical property investment decision-making regarding I&L REITs and their added-value and strategic role in a mixed-asset portfolio, as well as delivering effective I&L property exposure in the Pacific Rim region, with the added benefits of liquidity, transparency and fiscal efficiency.

The main purpose of this research is to investigate the supply chain performance through collaborative effectiveness, from the organisations of Asia–Pacific region perspective, compared with that of global organisations based on collaborative supply chain practices.

The survey research methodology was adopted, involving the collection of survey data from 223 participants across 10 different industries and 6 geographic regions. Data included 103 organisations in the Asia–Pacific region including Australia, India, China, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and Thailand.

From a collaborative effectiveness perspective, the supply chain performance of Asia–Pacific organisations is different when compared with that of global organisations. It was also found that global organisations are driven by sales performance, while Asia–Pacific organisations are focussing mainly on the cost in terms of the number of employees, and therefore productivity. The metal industry stands out to be the best performing industry from a collaborative effectiveness perspective in the Asia–Pacific region and globally.

The research findings can be used as a guide by industry practitioners to develop benchmarks for collaborative supply chain practices by industry and region of operations. This research has been limited to a few industries such as manufacturing, logistics, service and retail industries.

This research generates new knowledge on the relationship between the collaborative effectiveness and supply chain performance, from the perspectives of both Asia–Pacific and global organisations, based on a collaborative effectiveness framework. The study proposes an innovative approach of assessing supply chain performance through collaborative effectiveness from the perspectives of geographical boundaries and industry types.

Through the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), China has built bilateral relations with Latin American states. The purpose of this article is to explore the potential for using the Pacific Alliance (PA) as a negotiating frame as regards the Belt and Road Initiative.

We use a descriptive and analytical methodology to recapitulate and analyze the factual and normative background of Latin American economic integration during the last three decades, a process that so far has culminated in the Pacific Alliance (PA) and an emphasis on the Asia–Pacific region.

We contend that the PA has been a learning process in terms of economic cooperation. In addition, it is a Latin American economic integration project that emphasizes its focus on the Asia–Pacific region. Considering the nature of BRI projects, as well as Latin American states’ and China’s interests, we contend that it would be beneficial if Chile, Colombia, Mexico, and Peru, the members of the PA, and China channeled their BRI relations through the PA. Thus, the PA should be China’s negotiating partner.

So far, the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in Latin America has been built upon bilateral relations. This article explores the possibility of developing the BRI through the Pacific Alliance (PA).

This paper aims to examine the contributions of hybrid organisations to wellbeing in small Pacific island countries.

The concept and different forms of hybrid organisations are examined, and then the operation and contributions to wellbeing of three Fijian hybrid organisations are considered.

Hybrid organisations in this region operate with a commitment to the common good and an ethic of care. Fijian hybrid organisations improve social and economic wellbeing for individuals, families and communities by providing employment, schools and training facilities, financial and support services, sustainable agriculture projects and facilitating networking. These services improve individual and community social and economic wellbeing, build resilience, add to personal and family security, offer opportunities for the future, advance leadership skills and sustain the environment. Commercial activities that support these organisations in their wellbeing endeavours include product sales, service fees, project levies and investment income.

Generalisability beyond the Pacific region is not assured, as this review only examines hybrid organisations in small Pacific island countries.

Hybrid organisations offer an alternative pathway to achieve a sustainable enterprise economy, an approach that is more culturally relevant for the Pacific region. Policies to nurture the development of these organisations, and research into the startup, operation, impact and effectiveness of different hybrid organisation models would help to improve wellbeing in this region. International charities and aid agencies could advance the wellbeing of people living in this region by supporting the development of hybrid organisations. External agencies seeking to support hybrid organisation development are advised to consider providing funding through a regional agency rather than engaging directly with national governments.

Developing a robust hybrid organisation sector will improve social and economic wellbeing for people living in small island nations.

As one of the first studies to examine wellbeing and hybrid organisations, this review adds to hybrid business theory by its consideration of small Pacific island countries. The authors add to existing understandings of how hybrid organisations contribute to social and economic wellbeing for individuals, families and communities. The review identifies each form hybrid organisational form adopts. Each has a central commitment to generating social and economic value but different revenue sources. The review adds valuable new knowledge to the limited scholarship of this region by identifying the philosophical foundations and contributions to wellbeing of these hybrid organisations. A future research agenda and policy development process is proposed to improve wellbeing and advance hybrid organisations in the region.

This study aims to examine the uptake of corporate social responsibility (CSR) in the Asia Pacific region and to explore the extent to which countries in the region are transitioning towards a sustainable enterprise economy (SEE) and the links between the two, thereby connecting the uptake of CSR at the organisational level to the configuration and transformation of societies.

In order to examine the uptake of CSR in the Asia Pacific region and assess the extent to which countries are transitioning towards the SEE, this study compiles data from a selection of CSR‐related indicators that are globally harmonised and globally recognised as well as national performance indicators that not only set the operational context for organisations but also help to measure the ultimate impacts of policies, practices and activities by organisations on national conditions.

Based on the preliminary study undertaken into global national indicators in the Asia Pacific region, there is a need for more comprehensive indicators that capture key elements of a SEE. The study envisages the creation of a “Global SEE dashboard” of actual, real‐time key performance indicators that can help facilitate stewardship by societies towards the Global SEE.

By underscoring the needs, opportunities and challenges for CSR capacity‐building in the Asia Pacific region and for countries to transition effectively towards the SEE, this study adds value to the efforts of public and private policy makers concerned with CSR, sustainability and governance as well as practitioners and members of civil society interested in responsible global citizenship.

The purpose of this paper is twofold in examining the international transmission of REIT returns volatility. The first purpose is to add to the literature on whether the real estate securities market and the broader equity market are integrated. The second objective of the study is to determine whether geographic risk factors can be transmitted beyond their region of influence.

The study uses the GARCH(1, 1), EGARCH, and GARCH‐M models.

The results show that there are significant international spillovers of REIT returns volatility within the Pacific region. The results also show that there are significant volatility transmissions between the Pacific and the Atlantic regions.

The results are consistent with the implication that the real estate sector and the general equity market are integrated such that geographic risk can be transmitted across national borders. The result will have major implications for international investment strategies.

To date, there has been no published study on the international transmission of REIT returns volatility. This study therefore examines whether the conditional variance of REIT returns of a country is affected by volatility transmission across markets in the same region using four Pacific markets.

Large multinational companies (MNCs) are strongly formalized, often standardized and complex with multiple hierarchical levels. Over the past few decades, MNCs have strengthened their coordination and control systems by creating regional headquarters (RHQs). This study aims to investigate how MNCs rearticulate control dimensions at RHQs, to coordinate and exert control over subsidiaries in the Asia-Pacific region.

Based on a survey of 86 French MNCs in the Asia-Pacific region, this study applies a structural equation model to determine RHQs’ roles in the field of regional decision-making, coordination and control.

Large MNCs, with a significant presence in Asia, transfer coordination and control to RHQs, in a way that leads us to propose the use of the expression “regio-centralization.” RHQs become socialization hubs, where most regional decisions are taken and where international managers meet. MNCs mobilize at the same time expatriates, short-term assignees and local managers who intensively interact at RHQs. Thus, informal control at RHQs increases, partly substituting formal control by HQs. Smaller MNCs, without RHQs, on the contrary, base their control and coordination on the formalization of HQs-subsidiary relations, especially through strong reporting, in combination with centralized decision-making at HQs.

This study is based on MNCs from one specific country, France, and focuses only on the dynamic Asia-Pacific host region. Coordination and control in less dynamic regions may reveal different results.

This study leads to a better understanding of how large MNCs reorganize dispersed activities in the Asia-Pacific region by creating RHQs, where important control and coordination functions are relocated.

The purpose of this paper is to econometrically investigate the level of financial co-integration of the least developed countries (LDCs) of Asia and Pacific region. In addition, the paper also tested the co-integration of LDCs with the world’s second largest economy “China.” For this, the paper employed the foreign exchange data sets of respective LDCs. It also aimed to assess the dynamic conditional correlation (DCC) between the foreign exchange rates of LDCs and China, and further, examined the past and current level of their co-relational dependence.

The authors created data sets namely LDCs of Asia and Pacific, LDCs of SAARC, LDCs of ASEAN, LDCs of Pacific, LDCs of SAARC and ASEAN, LDCs of ASEAN and Pacific, and LDCs of SAARC and Pacific. In addition, the authors tested the co-integration of these seven groups with China, and thus, making a total of 14 data sets. The analysis was carried out using the Johansen and Gregory-Hansen multivariate co-integration econometric techniques. To assess the DCC, multivariate DCC GARCH model was employed.

It was found that at the intra-regional level, exchange rates of LDCs of SAARC, ASEAN and Pacific were co-integrated and showed the existence of 1-3 co-integrating equations. At inter-regional level SAARC-ASEAN, ASEAN-Pacific and SAARC-Pacific were also co-integrated and showed 1-3 co-integrated equations. However, on the inclusion of China in the study, the degree of co-integration of exchange rate of China with LDCs of SAARC and ASEAN increased, while with Pacific, the result was mixed. Conditional correlation estimated of multivariate DCC GARCH model suggested that except for Afghanistan, there was an upward shift in the correlation dynamics of exchange rates of LDCs with China, post global financial crisis.

Asia and Pacific region constituted of 53 countries, of which 13 were LDCs. Enhanced financial integration among LDCs of Asia-Pacific region and also between LDCs and major economies of the region like China will strengthen economic and financial integration efforts in the region.

The present paper attempted a comparative assessment of the co-movements of the foreign exchange markets of LDCs, the countries which have remained largely neglected in academic discourses on financial integration.

The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of the contributions of the Asia‐Pacific region to leading practice in sustainability in higher education (HE), as prelude and orientation to this special issue collection from different countries and regions.

This is a critical review that includes international and regional policy contexts in sustainability and “education for sustainable development” (ESD), whilst exploring the trajectories of key initiatives across the region and considering the broader context of sustainability innovation within the HE sector.

The Asia‐Pacific region offers many creative initiatives and shows considerable progress in ESD and in understanding the learning dimensions of sustainability. At the same time, it mirrors global trends in that further work is needed to promote systemic change in educational arenas, particularly in terms of strategic integration within HE institutions. The Asia‐Pacific contributions to this collection demonstrate the need to harness national policy, to develop local and regional initiatives and to work effectively towards more profound change in HE curricula and through collaboration with external communities and stakeholders.

This is a distinctive collection of new initiatives from the Asia‐Pacific, which compensates for the comparative lack of dissemination in this area. There is considerable sustainability innovation emerging in this region which shows leading‐edge responses from within the HE sector on a number of key challenges and issues.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the long-run equilibrium relationship between developed, emerging and frontier markets of the Asia-Pacific region during January 2000 to June 2016.

Zivot and Andrews’ unit root test is used to examine the existence of unit root in index series in the presence of a structural break. Gregory and Hansen’s test of cointegration is employed to examine the stable long-run relationship between the indices under study.

The results suggest that the emerging markets of China and Thailand and the frontier markets of Sri Lanka and Pakistan are fairly segmented from most of the markets in the Asia-Pacific region. Hence, these markets provide good diversification opportunities to global investors. Bidirectional cointegration analysis indicates that emerging and frontier markets influence developed markets. Hence, it can be inferred that the de facto position that only bigger markets influence small markets no longer holds true in the current environment.

The findings of this study will provide valuable inputs to global investors for creating an optimal investment portfolio.

This study does a comprehensive examination of market integration in the Asia-Pacific region. It also contributes to the thin body of work done on frontier markets. Unlike past studies, this paper analyzes the bidirectional cointegration relationship to examine if the notion that only bigger markets influence smaller markets holds true or not. Finally, this study employs advanced techniques of unit root test and cointegration test that consider structural breaks in the models.