In January 2008, the Ronald Coase Institute conducted the First Asia Workshop on Institutional Analysis, in partnership with the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy and the Asia Competitiveness Institute of the National University of Singapore. This report highlights the general theme of the workshop: that well-functioning institutions are fundamental to development. This is shown by summarising two studies presented at the workshop and by contrasting two countries from Southeast Asia, i.e., the Philippines and Singapore.