ABSTRACT
Two major processes have impacted extensively on the labour markets in Asia, namely
globalization and industrialization. Whereas globalization refers to the integration of local
and national economies globally with serious developmental consequences, industrializa-
tion refers primarily to the emergence and expansion of manufacturing activity, but also
its appendages of construction and utilities (Kaldor, 1967). Advocates emphasizing the
need to promote industrialization as a necessary condition to stimulate rapid economic
growth have argued that its increasing returns characteristics is essential to evolve the
productive forces of economies so that the material conditions of populations can be
improved dramatically (Chang 2003; Reinert 2007).
