“A STARTUPS PROMOTION STRATEGIC STUDY FOR OVERCOMING LOWER-MIDDLE-INCOME TRAP IN SOUTHEAST ASIA”

Abstract

The middle-income trap (MIT) states that middle-income economies have found it challenging to upgrade to reach the high-income stage over an extended period. Overcoming MIT has long been discussed as an essential social issue related to fewer job opportunities and unstable income, notably in Southeast Asia. The Improvement in ease of doing business (EDB), primarily through startup promotion, is the most significant way to solve the economic development issue. Much less previous research on the relationship between EDB through startups and MIT, notably lower-middle income Trap (LMIT) and on the development strategy relevant to the EDB for LMIT were identified. Using natural data, EDB was found to be a significant predictor (F [1, 100] = 9.332 p = .003) and is thus a substantial factor in escaping LMIT. With the grounded theory model, a development framework for escaping LMIT through EDB was demonstrated by conceptually integrating into one strategic framework