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  • MPI Ethno. Forsch.  (334)
  • BVB  (121)
  • IWF
  • 1995-1999  (451)
  • Washington, D.C : The World Bank  (306)
  • New York : Oxford University Press  (145)
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Year
  • 1
    Journal/Serial
    Journal/Serial
    New York : Oxford University Press | Oxford : Clarendon Press ; [1.]1996 - [3.]1996; 4.1997 -
    Language: English
    Dates of Publication: [1.]1996 - [3.]1996; 4.1997 -
    DDC: 400
    Keywords: Monografische Reihe
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  • 2
    Journal/Serial
    Journal/Serial
    New York : Oxford University Press | Oxford : Clarendon Press ; [1.]1996 - [3.]1996; 4.1997 -
    Language: English
    Dates of Publication: [1.]1996 - [3.]1996; 4.1997 -
    DDC: 400
    Keywords: Monografische Reihe
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  • 3
    Book
    Book
    New York : Oxford University Press
    ISBN: 0198233884
    Language: English
    Pages: X, 196 S. , Ill., graph. Darst.
    Series Statement: The Linacre lectures 1998
    Series Statement: The Linacre lectures
    DDC: 304.2
    Keywords: Human ecology History ; Human geography History ; Landscape changes History ; Aufsatzsammlung ; Umweltveränderung ; Aufsatzsammlung ; Aufsatzsammlung
    Note: Includes bibliographical references
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  • 4
    Online Resource
    Online Resource
    Washington, D.C : The World Bank
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (21 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Gautam, Madhur Reconsidering the Evidence on Returns to T&V Extension in Kenya
    Keywords: Agencies ; Agricultural ; Agricultural Extension ; Agricultural Production ; Agriculture ; Agriculture ; Banks and Banking Reform ; Crops ; Crops and Crop Management Systems ; E-Business ; Econometrics ; Economic Theory and Research ; Education ; Education ; Extension ; Extension Services ; Family ; Farmers ; Farms ; Information ; Investment ; Labor Policies ; Land ; Livestock ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Management ; Private Sector Development ; Research ; Rural Development ; Rural Development Knowledge and Information Systems ; Science Education ; Science and Technology Development ; Scientific Research and Science Parks ; Social Protections and Labor ; Statistical and Mathematical Sciences ; Training ; Agencies ; Agricultural ; Agricultural Extension ; Agricultural Production ; Agriculture ; Agriculture ; Banks and Banking Reform ; Crops ; Crops and Crop Management Systems ; E-Business ; Econometrics ; Economic Theory and Research ; Education ; Education ; Extension ; Extension Services ; Family ; Farmers ; Farms ; Information ; Investment ; Labor Policies ; Land ; Livestock ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Management ; Private Sector Development ; Research ; Rural Development ; Rural Development Knowledge and Information Systems ; Science Education ; Science and Technology Development ; Scientific Research and Science Parks ; Social Protections and Labor ; Statistical and Mathematical Sciences ; Training
    Abstract: April 1999 - The sensitivity of empirical results to potential data errors and model misspecification can yield misleading policy implications and investment signals. A widely disseminated study of the impact of the training and visit (T&V) system of management for extension services in Kenya is a striking example of how innocuous data errors and alternative specifications lead to strikingly different results. Gautam and Anderson revisit the widely disseminated results of a study (Bindlish and Evenson 1993, 1997) of the impact of the training and visit (T&V) system of management for public extension services in Kenya. T&V was introduced in Kenya by the World Bank and has since been supported through two successive projects. The impact of the projects continues to be the subject of much debate. Gautam and Anderson's paper suggests the need for greater vigilance in empirical analysis, especially about the quality of data used to support Bank policy and the need to validate potentially influential findings. Using household data from 1990, Bindlish and Evenson found the returns from extension to be very high. But Gautam and Anderson find that the returns estimated by Bindlish and Evenson suffer from data errors, and limitations imposed by cross-sectional data. After correcting for several data processing and measurement errors, the authors show the results to be less robust than reported by Bindlish and Evenson and highly sensitive to regional effects. When region-specific effects are included, a positive return to extension cannot be established, using Bindlish and Evenson's data set and cross-sectional model specifications. After testing the robustness of results using a number of tests, Gautam and Anderson could not definitively establish the factors underlying strong regional effects, largely because of the limitations imposed by the cross-sectional framework. Household panel data methods would have allowed greater control for regional effects and would have yielded better insight into the impact of extension. The impact on agricultural productivity in Kenya expected from T&V extension services is not discernible from the available data, and the impact may vary across districts. The hypothesis that T&V had no impact in Kenya between 1982 and 1990 cannot be rejected. The sample data fail to support a positive rate of return on the investment in T&V. This paper-a product of the Sector and Thematic Evaluation Division, Operations Evaluation Department-is part of a larger exploration by the department of the effects of the investment in agricultural extension in Kenya. The authors may be contacted at mgautamworldbank.org or janderson@worldbank.org
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  • 5
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (78 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Barros, de Paes Ricardo The Slippery Slope
    Keywords: Economic Growth ; Economic Theory and Research ; Extreme Poverty ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Formal Safety Nets ; Health, Nutrition and Population ; Household Composition ; Household Income ; Household Per Capita Income ; Income ; Income Distribution ; Income Inequality ; Inequality ; Inequality ; Labor Markets ; Labor Policies ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Measures ; Poor ; Poor Households ; Population Policies ; Poverty Incidence ; Poverty Indices ; Poverty Line ; Poverty Lines ; Poverty Measures ; Poverty Reduction ; Pro-Poor Growth ; Rural ; Rural Development ; Rural Poverty Reduction ; Services and Transfers to Poor ; Social Protections and Labor ; Unemployment ; Economic Growth ; Economic Theory and Research ; Extreme Poverty ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Formal Safety Nets ; Health, Nutrition and Population ; Household Composition ; Household Income ; Household Per Capita Income ; Income ; Income Distribution ; Income Inequality ; Inequality ; Inequality ; Labor Markets ; Labor Policies ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Measures ; Poor ; Poor Households ; Population Policies ; Poverty Incidence ; Poverty Indices ; Poverty Line ; Poverty Lines ; Poverty Measures ; Poverty Reduction ; Pro-Poor Growth ; Rural ; Rural Development ; Rural Poverty Reduction ; Services and Transfers to Poor ; Social Protections and Labor ; Unemployment
    Abstract: October 1999 - During the turbulent years 1976-96, aggregate data for Brazil appear to show only small changes in mean income, inequality, and incidence of poverty - suggesting little change in the distribution of income. But a small group of urban households - excluded from formal labor markets and safety nets - was trapped in indigence. Based on welfare measured in terms of income alone, the poorest part of urban Brazil has experienced two lost decades. Despite tremendous macroeconomic instability in Brazil, the country's distributions of urban income in 1976 and 1996 appear, at first glance, deceptively similar. Mean household income per capita was stagnant, with minute accumulated growth (4.3 percent) over the two decades. The Gini coefficient hovered just above 0.59 in both years, and the incidence of poverty (relative to a poverty line of R
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  • 6
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (92 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Michalopoulos, Constantine Trade Policy and Market Access Issues for Developing Countries
    Keywords: Agricultural Trade ; Country Strategy and Performance ; Debt Markets ; Developed Countries ; Developing Countries ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Export Subsidies ; Export Subsidy ; Exports ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Free Trade ; Imports ; International Economics & Trade ; International Market ; International Trade ; International Trading ; International Trading System ; Law and Development ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Multilateral Trade Negotiations ; Private Sector Development ; Production ; Public Sector Development ; Tariff ; Tariffs ; Trade ; Trade Law ; Trade Policies ; Trade Policy ; Trade Policy ; Trade Remedies ; World Trade ; Agricultural Trade ; Country Strategy and Performance ; Debt Markets ; Developed Countries ; Developing Countries ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Export Subsidies ; Export Subsidy ; Exports ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Free Trade ; Imports ; International Economics & Trade ; International Market ; International Trade ; International Trading ; International Trading System ; Law and Development ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Multilateral Trade Negotiations ; Private Sector Development ; Production ; Public Sector Development ; Tariff ; Tariffs ; Trade ; Trade Law ; Trade Policies ; Trade Policy ; Trade Policy ; Trade Remedies ; World Trade
    Abstract: October 1999 - An analysis of developing countries' current trade policies and market access problems is used as a basis for recommending positions for these countries in the new round of multilateral negotiations under the World Trade Organization. Michalopoulos analyzes 61 trade policy reviews prepared for the World Trade Organization (WTO) and its predecessor, GATT - reviews that document the progress developing countries have made in integration with the world trading system over the past decade. Based on an analysis of post-Uruguay Round tariff and nontariff barriers worldwide, he then recommends developing country positions on major issues in the new round of WTO trade negotiations. His key conclusions and recommendations: · Agriculture. Developing countries should support the Cairns Group in its push for greater liberalization of industrial countries' agricultural trade policies; the revised Food Aid Convention is not a substitute for but a complement to worldwide liberalization of agriculture. · Manufactures. The existence of tariff peaks and escalation in industrial country markets and the limited bindings at relatively high levels of developing country tariffs on manufactures present opportunities for negotiations with good prospects for shared and balanced benefits. The remaining nontariff barriers in industrial countries that affect manufactures are concentrated in textiles and clothing. Developing countries should ensure that industrial countries implement their commitments to liberalize this sector and impose no new nontariff barriers in this or other sectors under the guise of other rules or arrangements. The remaining nontariff barriers in developing countries should be converted into tariffs and reduced over time as part of the negotiations. · Antidumping. The increased use of antidumping measures by high- and middle-income developing countries in recent periods offers an opportunity for balanced negotiations to restrict their use. Reduced use of antidumping measures would increase efficiency and benefit consumers in all countries. But it is unclear whether a supportive climate for such negotiations exists in either industrial or developing countries. This paper - a product of Trade, Development Research Group - is part of a larger effort in the group to identify opportunities for developing countries in the WTO 2000 negotiations. The author may be contacted at cmichalopoulosworldbank.org
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  • 7
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (60 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Okrasa, Wlodzimierz Who Avoids and Who Escapes from Poverty during the Transition?
    Keywords: Chronic Poverty ; Employment Income ; Farm Self-Employment ; Food Consumption ; Health, Nutrition and Population ; Household Budget ; Household Income ; Household Welfare ; Human Capital ; Human Development ; Idiosyncratic Shocks ; Income ; Income Inequality ; Measures ; Poor ; Population Policies ; Poverty ; Poverty Line ; Poverty Reduction ; Poverty Reduction ; Poverty Reduction Strategy ; Rural ; Rural Development ; Rural Poverty Reduction ; Services and Transfers to Poor ; Unemployment ; Chronic Poverty ; Employment Income ; Farm Self-Employment ; Food Consumption ; Health, Nutrition and Population ; Household Budget ; Household Income ; Household Welfare ; Human Capital ; Human Development ; Idiosyncratic Shocks ; Income ; Income Inequality ; Measures ; Poor ; Population Policies ; Poverty ; Poverty Line ; Poverty Reduction ; Poverty Reduction ; Poverty Reduction Strategy ; Rural ; Rural Development ; Rural Poverty Reduction ; Services and Transfers to Poor ; Unemployment
    Abstract: November 1999 - There is a tendency toward chronic, long-term poverty in Poland. Most at risk: larger households, farm households, and households dependent on social welfare. Least at risk: households of employees or the self-employed, educated households, households headed by pensioners, households that are part of kinship networks, and households with liquid assets, durables, or access to financial resources. Among those who missed out on the benefits of the first phase of economic prosperity, children are overrepresented. Okrasa uses four-year panel data from Poland's Household Budget Survey to explore the distinction between transitory and long-term poverty, a crucial distinction in designing and evaluating poverty reduction strategies. Okrasa analyzes household welfare trajectories during the period 1993-96, to identify the long-term poor and to determine how relevant household asset endowments are as determinants of household poverty and vulnerability over time. He concludes that the chronically poor constitute a distinct and separate segment of the population, with low turnover. Among specific observations about factors that affect Poland's long-term poverty: · Variables in human capital significantly affected the pattern of repeated poverty and vulnerability. Larger households tended to experience poverty and vulnerability, mostly because they contained more children or other dependents. Households with elderly members and those headed by older people, by women rather than men, and by educated people of either gender were least likely to be poor. Poverty was unaffected by the presence of a disabled person in the household. · Households with liquid assets or durables, or with access to financial resources, were less likely to be poor and vulnerable. Households appeared to take advantage of credit and loans to maintain their current level of consumption rather than to augment their stock of assets. · Households that were part of kinship networks were less at risk of falling into chronic poverty or vulnerability. · Households headed by pensioners were least in danger of impoverishment. Those most in danger were farm households (including mixed households headed by workers with an agricultural holding) and households heavily dependent on social welfare. · Households of employees were better off than self-employed households when income-based measures of poverty were used but not when consumption-based measures were used. Neither group was significantly vulnerable. This paper - a product of Poverty and Human Resources, Development Research Group - is part of a larger effort in the group to study the dynamics of poverty and the effectiveness of the safety net. The author may be contacted at wokrasaworldbank.org
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  • 8
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (46 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Jr., AdamsH. Richard Self-Targeted Subsidies
    Keywords: Agriculture ; Basic Foods ; Bread ; Cigarettes ; Eggs ; Food ; Food Aid ; Food Imports ; Food Rationing ; Food Riots ; Food Subsidies ; Food Subsidy ; Food Subsidy Programs ; Food and Beverage Industry ; Frozen Fish ; Frozen Me Rice ; Industry ; Sugar ; Tea ; Whe Wheat Flour ; Agriculture ; Basic Foods ; Bread ; Cigarettes ; Eggs ; Food ; Food Aid ; Food Imports ; Food Rationing ; Food Riots ; Food Subsidies ; Food Subsidy ; Food Subsidy Programs ; Food and Beverage Industry ; Frozen Fish ; Frozen Me Rice ; Industry ; Sugar ; Tea ; Whe Wheat Flour
    Abstract: April 2000 - By gradually reducing the number of subsidized foods, and by focusing subsidies on foods consumed more by the poor than by the rich - like coarse baladi bread - Egyptian policymakers have found a way to self-target food subsidies to the urban poor. Yet because the rural poor do not consume as much baladi bread, this system is not as well-targeted to the rural poor. The Egyptian food subsidy system is an untargeted system that is essentially open to all Egyptians. For this reason, the budgetary costs of this system have been high and the ability of this system to improve the welfare status of the poor has been questioned. Since the food riots of 1977, Egyptian policymakers have been reluctant to make large changes in their food subsidy system. Rather, their strategy has been to reduce the costs and coverage of this system gradually. For example, since 1980 policymakers have reduced the number of subsidized foods from 20 to just four. Despite these cutbacks, Adams uses new 1997 household survey data to show that the Egyptian food subsidy system is self-targeted to the poor, because it subsidizes inferior goods. In urban Egypt, for instance, the main subsidized food - coarse baladi bread - is consumed more by the poor (the lowest quintile group of the population) than by the rich (the highest quintile). So subsidizing baladi bread is a good way of improving the welfare status of the urban poor. But in rural Egypt where the poor do not consume so much baladi bread, the poor receive less in income transfers than the rich. In many countries, administrative targeting of food subsidies can do a better job of targeting the poor than self-targeting systems. In Jamaica, for example, poor people get food stamps at health clinics, so the Jamaican poor receive double the income transfers from food subsidies that the Egyptian poor receive. But starting a comparable system in Egypt would be costly both in financial and political terms, because many nonpoor households currently receiving food subsidies would have to be excluded. For these reasons, it is likely that the government will continue to refine the present food subsidy system, perhaps by eliminating current subsidies on sugar or edible oil. Neither of these foods is an inferior good, so eliminating these subsidies will have only a minimal impact on the welfare status of the poor. This paper - a product of the Poverty Division, Poverty Reduction and Economic Management Network - is part of a larger effort in the network to identify the impact of transfer programs on the urban and rural poor. The author may be contacted at radamsworldbank.org
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  • 9
    Online Resource
    Online Resource
    Washington, D.C : The World Bank
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (48 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Henderson, Vernon How Urban Concentration Affects Economic Growth
    Keywords: Capital ; Consumers ; Costs ; Development ; Economic Efficiency ; Economic Geography ; Economic Growth ; Economic Theory and Research ; Economies Of Scale ; Economy ; Emerging Markets ; Externalities ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; GDP ; GDP Per Capita ; Goods ; Growth Rate ; Health, Nutrition and Population ; Income ; Industrialization ; Inequality ; Labor Policies ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Marginal Benefits ; Markets ; Population Policies ; Poverty Reduction ; Private Sector Development ; Pro-Poor Growth ; Social Protections and Labor ; Telecommunications ; Transactions Costs ; Transport ; Transport Economics, Policy and Planning ; Urban Development Policies and Strategies ; Urban Housing and Land ; Capital ; Consumers ; Costs ; Development ; Economic Efficiency ; Economic Geography ; Economic Growth ; Economic Theory and Research ; Economies Of Scale ; Economy ; Emerging Markets ; Externalities ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; GDP ; GDP Per Capita ; Goods ; Growth Rate ; Health, Nutrition and Population ; Income ; Industrialization ; Inequality ; Labor Policies ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Marginal Benefits ; Markets ; Population Policies ; Poverty Reduction ; Private Sector Development ; Pro-Poor Growth ; Social Protections and Labor ; Telecommunications ; Transactions Costs ; Transport ; Transport Economics, Policy and Planning ; Urban Development Policies and Strategies ; Urban Housing and Land
    Abstract: April 2000 - If urban overconcentration really is an issue, it ought to affect economic growth rates in a robust, consistent fashion. And it does. Not only is there an optimal degree of urban concentration that varies with country income, but departures from optimal concentration result in substantial growth losses. Overconcentrated countries can reduce concentration by investing in interregional transport infrastructure - in particular, increasing the density of road networks. Henderson explores the issue of urban overconcentration econometrically, using data from a panel of 80 to 100 countries every 5 years from 1960 to 1995. He finds the following: · At any level of development there is indeed a best degree of national urban concentration. It increases sharply as income rises, up to a per capita income of about
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  • 10
    Online Resource
    Online Resource
    Washington, D.C : The World Bank
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (24 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Broadman, G. Harry Reducing Structural Dominance and Entry Barriers in Russian Industry
    Keywords: Banks and Banking Reform ; Barriers ; Barriers To Entry ; Business Environment ; Business Investment ; Competition ; Competition Policy ; Competitive Market ; Debt Markets ; Developing Countries ; E-Business ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; International Accounting Standards ; Liberalization ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Market Share ; Market Shares ; Markets and Market Access ; Microfinance ; Monopoly ; Output ; Price ; Prices ; Private Sector Development ; Privatization ; Public Sector Corruption and Anticorruption Measures ; Regional Trade ; Small Scale Enterprises ; Transparency ; Transport ; Transport Economics, Policy and Planning ; Vertical Integration ; Banks and Banking Reform ; Barriers ; Barriers To Entry ; Business Environment ; Business Investment ; Competition ; Competition Policy ; Competitive Market ; Debt Markets ; Developing Countries ; E-Business ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; International Accounting Standards ; Liberalization ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Market Share ; Market Shares ; Markets and Market Access ; Microfinance ; Monopoly ; Output ; Price ; Prices ; Private Sector Development ; Privatization ; Public Sector Corruption and Anticorruption Measures ; Regional Trade ; Small Scale Enterprises ; Transparency ; Transport ; Transport Economics, Policy and Planning ; Vertical Integration
    Abstract: May 2000 - The absence of new business in Russia is striking. Reforms to make Russia more competitive should start with eliminating regulatory and institutional barriers to the entry of new competitors. Many industrial firms in Russia have undergone changes in ownership, but relatively few have been competitively restructured. Using survey and other data, Broadman suggests that much of Russian industry is immune from robust competition because of heavy vertical integration, geographic segmentation, and the concentration of buyers and sellers in selected markets. Moreover, regulatory constraints protect incumbent firms from competition with new entrants, both domestic and foreign. Broadman sketches a reform agenda for Russia's post-privatization program, which emphasizes the restructuring of anticompetitive structures and the reduction of barriers to entry. Broadman's proposed reform agenda calls broadly for strengthening Russia's nascent rules-based framework for competition policy to reduce discretion, increase transparency, and improve accountability. This paper - a product of the Poverty Reduction and Economic Management Sector Unit, Europe and Central Asia Regional Office - is part of a larger effort in the region to assess structural reform in Russia. The author may be contacted at hbroadmanworldbank.org
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  • 11
    Online Resource
    Online Resource
    Washington, D.C : The World Bank
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (36 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Venables, Anthony Regional Integration Agreements
    Keywords: Agriculture ; Comparative Advantage ; Consumers ; Country Strategy and Performance ; Development Economics ; Economic Integration ; Economic Performance ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Free Trade ; Free Trade ; Human Capital ; Income ; Income ; Income Levels ; Inequality ; International Economics & Trade ; Law and Development ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Outcomes ; Per Capita Income ; Per Capita Incomes ; Poverty Reduction ; Private Sector Development ; Production ; Public Sector Development ; Real Income ; Social Protections and Labor ; Theory ; Trade Diversion ; Trade Law ; Trade Policy ; Trade and Regional Integration ; Value ; Value Added ; Welfare ; Agriculture ; Comparative Advantage ; Consumers ; Country Strategy and Performance ; Development Economics ; Economic Integration ; Economic Performance ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Free Trade ; Free Trade ; Human Capital ; Income ; Income ; Income Levels ; Inequality ; International Economics & Trade ; Law and Development ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Outcomes ; Per Capita Income ; Per Capita Incomes ; Poverty Reduction ; Private Sector Development ; Production ; Public Sector Development ; Real Income ; Social Protections and Labor ; Theory ; Trade Diversion ; Trade Law ; Trade Policy ; Trade and Regional Integration ; Value ; Value Added ; Welfare
    Abstract: December 1999 - Developing countries may be better served by north-south than by south-south free trade agreements. Free trade agreements between low-income countries tend to lead to divergence in member country incomes, while agreements between high-income countries tend to lead to convergence. Venables examines how benefits - and costs - of a free trade area are divided among member countries. Outcomes depend on the member countries' comparative advantage, relative to one another and to the rest of the world. Venables finds that free trade agreements between low-income countries tend to lead to divergence in member country incomes, while agreements between high-income countries tend to lead to convergence. Changes induced by comparative advantage may be amplified by the effects of agglomeration. The results suggest that developing countries may be better served by north-south than by south-south free trade agreements, because north-south agreements increase their prospects for convergence with high-income members of the free trade area. In north-south free trade agreements, additional forces are likely to operate. The agreement may be used, for example, as a commitment mechanism to lock in economic reforms (as happened in Mexico with the North American Free Trade Agreement and in Eastern European countries with the European Union). A free trade agreement may also - through its effect on trade and through foreign direct investment - promote technology transfer to lower-income members. This paper - a product of Trade, Development Research Group - is part of a larger effort in the group to study the effects of regional integration. The author may be contacted at avenablesworldbank.org
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  • 12
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (34 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Martin, Will The Effect of the United States' Granting Most Favored Nation Status to Vietnam
    Keywords: Agribusiness and Markets ; Agricultural Commodities ; Apparel ; Currencies and Exchange Rates ; Economic Theory and Research ; Export Competitiveness ; Exporters ; Exports ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Food and Beverage Industry ; Free Trade ; General Equilibrium Model ; High Tariffs ; Industry ; International Economics & Trade ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Market Access ; Metal Products ; Public Sector Development ; Rural Development ; Tariff ; Tariff Data ; Tariff Rates ; Tariff Schedule ; Tariffs ; Terms Of Trade ; Trade ; Trade Liberalization ; Trade Patterns ; Trade Policy ; Welfare Gains ; World Trade ; World Trade Organization ; Agribusiness and Markets ; Agricultural Commodities ; Apparel ; Currencies and Exchange Rates ; Economic Theory and Research ; Export Competitiveness ; Exporters ; Exports ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Food and Beverage Industry ; Free Trade ; General Equilibrium Model ; High Tariffs ; Industry ; International Economics & Trade ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Market Access ; Metal Products ; Public Sector Development ; Rural Development ; Tariff ; Tariff Data ; Tariff Rates ; Tariff Schedule ; Tariffs ; Terms Of Trade ; Trade ; Trade Liberalization ; Trade Patterns ; Trade Policy ; Welfare Gains ; World Trade ; World Trade Organization
    Abstract: November 1999 - If the United States grants Vietnam most favored nation status, both countries would benefit. Vietnamese exports to the United States would more than double, and Vietnam would gain substantial welfare benefits from improved market access and increased availability of imports. For the United States, lowering the current high tariffs against Vietnam would improve welfare by reducing costly diversion away from Vietnamese products. Since the U.S. embargo on trade with Vietnam was lifted in 1994, exports from Vietnam to the United States have risen dramatically. However, Vietnam remains one of the few countries to which the United States has not yet granted most favored nation (MFN) status. The general tariff rates that the United States imposes average 35 percent compared with 4.9 percent for the MFN rate. Granting MFN status to Vietnam would improve its terms of trade and help improve the efficiency of resource allocation in the country. Better access to the U.S. market would increase the volume of Vietnamese exports to the United States and the prices received for them while also reducing their costs to U.S. users. Fukase and Martin use a computable general equilibrium model to examine the effects of reducing U.S. tariffs on Vietnamese imports from general rates to MFN rates. They estimate tariff changes using the U.S. tariff schedule for 1997 weighted by Vietnam's exports to the United States. The results suggest that after a change to MFN status for Vietnam, its exports to the United States would more than double, from the 1996 baseline of
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  • 13
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (32 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Estache, Antonio Universal Service Obligations in Utility Concession Contracts and the Needs of the Poor in Argentina's Privatizations
    Keywords: Bank ; Communities & Human Settlements ; Consumer ; Consumers ; Customers ; Debt Markets ; Demand ; Disabilities ; E-Business ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Energy ; Energy Production and Transportation ; Expenses ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Housing and Human Habitats ; Income ; Income Level ; Industry ; Investment ; Lack Of Interest ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Markets and Market Access ; Pensioners ; Population ; Private Sector Development ; Profits ; Public Sector Economics and Finance ; Savings ; Subsidies ; Supply ; Technology Industry ; Valuable ; Valuation ; Worth ; Bank ; Communities & Human Settlements ; Consumer ; Consumers ; Customers ; Debt Markets ; Demand ; Disabilities ; E-Business ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Energy ; Energy Production and Transportation ; Expenses ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Housing and Human Habitats ; Income ; Income Level ; Industry ; Investment ; Lack Of Interest ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Markets and Market Access ; Pensioners ; Population ; Private Sector Development ; Profits ; Public Sector Economics and Finance ; Savings ; Subsidies ; Supply ; Technology Industry ; Valuable ; Valuation ; Worth
    Abstract: The structural changes that come with privatization may induce a reconsideration of the regulations defined during the early stages of privatization. - Chisari and Estache summarize the main lessons emerging from Argentina's experience, including universal service obligations in concession contracts. They discuss free-riding risks, moral hazard problems, and other issues that arise when social concerns are delegated to private operators. After reporting on Argentina's experience, Chisari and Estache suggest some guidelines: · Anticipate interjurisdictional externalities. Users' mobility makes targeting service obligations difficult. · Minimize the risks imposed by elusive demand. In providing new services, a gradual policy may work better than a shock. · Realize that unemployment leads to delinquency and lower expected tariffs. Elasticity of fixed and usage charges is important. · Deal with the fact that the poor have limited access to credit. Ultimately, plans that included credit for the payment of infrastructure charges were not that successful. · Coordinate regulatory, employment, and social policy. One successful plan to provide universal service involved employing workers from poor families in infrastructure extension works. · Beware of the latent opportunism of users who benefit from special programs. Special treatment of a sector may encourage free-riding (for example, pensioners overused the telephone until a limit was placed on the number of subsidized phone calls they could make). · Fixed allocations for payment of services do not ensure that universal service obligations will be met. How do you deal with the problem that many pensioners do not pay their bills? · Anticipate that operators will have more information than regulators do. If companies exaggerate supply costs in remote areas, direct interaction with poor users there may lead to the selection of more cost-effective technologies. · Tailored programs are often much more effective than standardized programs. They are clearly more expensive but, when demand-driven, are also more effective. This paper - a product of Governance, Regulation, and Finance, World Bank Institute - is part of a larger effort in the institute to increase understanding of infrastructure regulation. The authors may be contacted at ochisariuade.edu or aestache@worldbank.org
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  • 14
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (42 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Detragiache, Enrica Does Deposit Insurance Increase Banking System Stability?
    Keywords: Asset Portfolio ; Asset Quality ; Bank Asset ; Bank Depos Banking Crises ; Banking Market ; Banking Sector ; Banking System ; Banks and Banking Reform ; Central Bank ; Currencies and Exchange Rates ; Debt Markets ; Depos Deposit Insurance ; Depositor ; Depositors ; Deposits ; Developing Countries ; Emerging Markets ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Crisis Management and Restructuring ; Financial Intermediation ; Financial Literacy ; Insurance Law ; Insurance and Risk Mitigation ; Law and Development ; Liquidity ; Loan ; Monetary Fund ; Moral Hazard ; National Bank ; Private Sector Development ; Asset Portfolio ; Asset Quality ; Bank Asset ; Bank Depos Banking Crises ; Banking Market ; Banking Sector ; Banking System ; Banks and Banking Reform ; Central Bank ; Currencies and Exchange Rates ; Debt Markets ; Depos Deposit Insurance ; Depositor ; Depositors ; Deposits ; Developing Countries ; Emerging Markets ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Crisis Management and Restructuring ; Financial Intermediation ; Financial Literacy ; Insurance Law ; Insurance and Risk Mitigation ; Law and Development ; Liquidity ; Loan ; Monetary Fund ; Moral Hazard ; National Bank ; Private Sector Development
    Abstract: Explicit deposit insurance tends to be detrimental to bank stability - the more so where bank interest rates are deregulated and the institutional environment is weak. - Based on evidence for 61 countries in 1980-97, Demirgüç-Kunt and Detragiache find that explicit deposit insurance tends to be detrimental to bank stability, the more so where bank interest rates are deregulated and the institutional environment is weak. The adverse impact of deposit insurance on bank stability tends to be stronger the more extensive is the coverage offered to depositors, and where the scheme is funded and run by the government rather than the private sector. This paper - a product of Finance, Development Research Group - is part of a larger effort in the group to study deposit insurance. The study was funded by the Bank's Research Support Budget under the research project Deposit Insurance: Issues of Principle, Design, and Implementation (RPO 682-90). The authors may be contacted at ademirguckuntworldbank.org or edetragiache@imf.org
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  • 15
    Online Resource
    Online Resource
    Washington, D.C : The World Bank
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (38 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Dailami, Mansoor Financial Openness, Democracy, and Redistributive Policy
    Keywords: Banks and Banking Reform ; Bonds ; Capital Flows ; Capital Movements ; Currencies and Exchange Rates ; Debt Markets ; Developing Countries ; Economic Efficiency ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Financial Openness ; Free Capital ; Future ; Governance ; Governance Indicators ; Government Policies ; Information Technologies ; Insurance ; International Capital ; International Capital Mobility ; International Financial Markets ; International Financial System ; International Lending ; Labor Policies ; Macroeconomic Management ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Market ; Market Integration ; Moral Hazard ; Political Economy ; Political Economy ; Private Sector Development ; Social Protections and Labor ; Banks and Banking Reform ; Bonds ; Capital Flows ; Capital Movements ; Currencies and Exchange Rates ; Debt Markets ; Developing Countries ; Economic Efficiency ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Financial Openness ; Free Capital ; Future ; Governance ; Governance Indicators ; Government Policies ; Information Technologies ; Insurance ; International Capital ; International Capital Mobility ; International Financial Markets ; International Financial System ; International Lending ; Labor Policies ; Macroeconomic Management ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Market ; Market Integration ; Moral Hazard ; Political Economy ; Political Economy ; Private Sector Development ; Social Protections and Labor
    Abstract: June 2000 - What explains the spread of both democracy and financial openness at this time in history, given the constraining impact of financial market integration on national policy autonomy? International policy coordination is part of the answer, but not all. Also important is the presence of cost-effective redistributive schemes that provide insurance against the risk of financial instability. The debate about the relationship between democratic forms of government and the free movement of capital across borders dates to the 18th century. It has regained prominence as capital on a massive scale has become increasingly mobile and as free economies experience continuous pressure from rapidly changing technology, market integration, changing consumer preferences, and intensified competition. These changes imply greater uncertainty about citizens' future income positions, which could prompt them to seek insurance through the marketplace or through constitutionally arranged income redistribution. As more countries move toward democracy, the availability of such insurance mechanisms to citizens is key if political pressure for capital controls is to be averted and if public support for an open, liberal international financial order is to be maintained. Dailami briefly reviews how today's international financial system evolved from one of mostly closed capital accounts immediately after World War II to today's enormous, largely free-flowing market. Drawing on insights from the literature on public choice and constitutional political economy, Dailami develops an analytical framework for a welfare cost-benefit analysis of financial openness to international capital flows. The main welfare benefits of financial openness derive from greater economic efficiency and increased opportunities for risk diversification. The welfare costs relate to the cost of insurance used as a mechanism for coping with the risks of financial volatility. These insurance costs are the economic losses associated with redistribution, including moral hazard, rent-seeking, and rent-avoidance. A cross-sectional analysis of a large sample of developed and developing countries shows the positive correlation between democracy (as defined by political and civil liberty) and financial openness. More rigorous econometric investigation using logit analysis and controlling for level of income also shows that redistributive social policies are key in determining the likelihood that countries can successfully combine an openness to international capital mobility with democratic forms of government. This paper - a product of Governance, Regulation, and Finance, World Bank Institute- is part of a broader research effort on The Quality of Growth. The author may be contacted at mdailamiworldbank.org
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  • 16
    Online Resource
    Online Resource
    Washington, D.C : The World Bank
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (38 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Bishai, David Algorithms for Purchasing AIDS Vaccines
    Keywords: AIDS HIV ; Bereavement ; Children ; Disease Control and Prevention ; Drug Users ; Epidemiology ; Families ; Health Care ; Health Monitoring and Evaluation ; Health, Nutrition and Population ; Hepatitis B ; Hygiene ; Influenza ; Morbidity ; Patient ; Patients ; People ; Public Health ; Risk Groups ; Sex Workers ; Strategy ; Vaccination ; Victims ; Workers ; AIDS HIV ; Bereavement ; Children ; Disease Control and Prevention ; Drug Users ; Epidemiology ; Families ; Health Care ; Health Monitoring and Evaluation ; Health, Nutrition and Population ; Hepatitis B ; Hygiene ; Influenza ; Morbidity ; Patient ; Patients ; People ; Public Health ; Risk Groups ; Sex Workers ; Strategy ; Vaccination ; Victims ; Workers
    Abstract: April 2000 - Demand for AIDS vaccines varies by level of risk and by national wealth. At-risk individuals in poor countries suffer on both counts. Providing funds to develop and distribute AIDS vaccines should be a global concern. Bishai, Lin, and Kiyonga delineate two different algorithms for the purchase of AIDS vaccines, to show how differences in policy objectives can greatly affect projections of the number of courses of vaccine that will be needed. They consider a hypothetical vaccine costing
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  • 17
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (32 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Pinto, Brian Give Growth and Macroeconomic Stability in Russia a Chance
    Keywords: Arrears ; Banks and Banking Reform ; Budget ; Budgets ; Corporate Governance ; Credibility ; Debt Markets ; Devaluation ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Foreign Direct Investment ; Government Spending ; Inflation ; Investment ; Investment Climate ; Macroeconomic Environment ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Nonpayment ; Nonpayments ; Oil Prices ; Private Sector Development ; Promissory Notes ; Public Debt ; Public Sector Economics and Finance ; Settlement ; Soft Budget Constraints ; Tax ; Taxation and Subsidies ; Arrears ; Banks and Banking Reform ; Budget ; Budgets ; Corporate Governance ; Credibility ; Debt Markets ; Devaluation ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Foreign Direct Investment ; Government Spending ; Inflation ; Investment ; Investment Climate ; Macroeconomic Environment ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Nonpayment ; Nonpayments ; Oil Prices ; Private Sector Development ; Promissory Notes ; Public Debt ; Public Sector Economics and Finance ; Settlement ; Soft Budget Constraints ; Tax ; Taxation and Subsidies
    Abstract: April 2000 - In Russia, implicit subsidies amounting to 10 percent of GDP per year in the form of nonpayments have stifled growth, contributed to the August 1998 macroeconomic crisis through their impact on public debt, and made at best a questionable contribution to equity. Hardening budgets requires that these nonpayments - or mutual arrears and noncash settlements among the government, the energy monopolies, and manufacturing firms - be eliminated with energy bills, taxes and budgetary spending settled on time and in cash. Pinto, Drebentsov, and Morozov analyze the links between Russia's disappointing growth performance in the second half of the 1990s, its costly and unsuccessful stabilization, the macroeconomic meltdown of 1998, and the spectacular rise of nonpayments. Nonpayments flourished in an environment of fundamental inconsistency between a macroeconomic policy geared at sharp disinflation and a microeconomic policy of bailing enterprises out through soft budget constraints. Heavy untargeted implicit subsidies flowing through the nonpayments system (amounting to 10 percent of GDP annually) have stifled growth, contributed to the August 1998 meltdown through their impact on public debt, and have made at best a questionable contribution to equity. Dismantling this system must be a top priority, along with promoting enterprise restructuring and growth (by hardening budget constraints) and medium-term macroeconomic stability (by reducing the size of subsidies). Getting the government out of the nonpayments system means settling all appropriately controlled budgetary expenditures on time and in cash, and eschewing spending arrears, thereby setting an example for enterprises and laying the groundwork for eliminating tax offsets at all levels of government, and insisting on cash tax payments. To stop energy-related subsidies would require not only that the government pay its own energy bills on time and in cash, but also that the energy monopolies be empowered to disconnect nonpaying clients. This will enable the government to insist that the energy monopolies in turn pay their own taxes in full and on time. This paper - a product of the Economics Unit, World Bank Office, Moscow - was produced as part of the Economic and Sector Work Program, Poverty Reduction and Economic Management Sector Unit, Europe and Central Asia Region
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  • 18
    Online Resource
    Online Resource
    Washington, D.C : The World Bank
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (36 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Ravallion, Martin How Did the World's Poorest Fare in the 1990s?
    Keywords: Absolute Poverty ; Aggregate Poverty ; Consumer Price Index ; Consumption ; Consumption Basket ; Consumption Expenditure ; Consumption Expenditures ; Consumption Per Capita ; Consumption Poverty ; Debt Markets ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Health Systems Development and Reform ; Health, Nutrition and Population ; Higher Inequality ; Household Living Standards ; Household Size ; Incidence Of Poverty ; Income Distribution ; Inequality ; Poor Countries ; Population Policies ; Poverty Diagnostics ; Poverty Line ; Poverty Lines ; Poverty Measures ; Poverty Monitoring and Analysis ; Poverty Rate ; Poverty Reduction ; Poverty Reduction ; Poverty Reduction Strategies ; Pro-Poor Growth ; Rural Development ; Rural Poverty Reduction ; Services and Transfers to Poor ; Absolute Poverty ; Aggregate Poverty ; Consumer Price Index ; Consumption ; Consumption Basket ; Consumption Expenditure ; Consumption Expenditures ; Consumption Per Capita ; Consumption Poverty ; Debt Markets ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Health Systems Development and Reform ; Health, Nutrition and Population ; Higher Inequality ; Household Living Standards ; Household Size ; Incidence Of Poverty ; Income Distribution ; Inequality ; Poor Countries ; Population Policies ; Poverty Diagnostics ; Poverty Line ; Poverty Lines ; Poverty Measures ; Poverty Monitoring and Analysis ; Poverty Rate ; Poverty Reduction ; Poverty Reduction ; Poverty Reduction Strategies ; Pro-Poor Growth ; Rural Development ; Rural Poverty Reduction ; Services and Transfers to Poor
    Abstract: August 2000 - Between 1987 and 1998, the incidence of poverty fell in Asia and the Middle East and North Africa, changed little in Latin America and Sub-Saharan Africa, and rose in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. Too little economic growth in the poorest countries and persistent inequalities (in income and other measures) are the main reasons for the disappointing rate of poverty reduction. Drawing on data from 265 national sample surveys spanning 83 countries, Chen and Ravallion find that there was a net decrease in the total incidence of consumption poverty between 1987 and 1998. But it was not enough to reduce the total number of poor people, by various definitions. The incidence of poverty fell in Asia and the Middle East and North Africa, changed little in Latin America and Sub-Saharan Africa, and rose in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. The two main proximate causes of the disappointing rate of poverty reduction: too little economic growth in many of the poorest countries, and persistent inequalities (in both income and other essential measures) that kept the poor from participating in the growth that did occur. This paper-a product of Poverty and Human Resources, Development Research Group-is part of a larger effort in the group to monitor progress against poverty in the developing world. The authors may be contacted at schenworldbank.org or mravallion@worldbank.org
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  • 19
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (28 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Broadman, G. Harry Competition, Corporate Governance, and Regulation in Central Asia
    Keywords: Business Performance ; Competition ; Competition Policy ; Corporate Governance ; Corporate Law ; Corporate Performance ; Debt Markets ; E-Business ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Enforcement ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Governance ; Investment ; Labor Policies ; Law and Development ; Legal Frameworks ; Macroeconomic Policy ; Macroeconomic Stability ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Market Economy ; Market Share ; Market Structure ; Markets and Market Access ; Microfinance ; Monopoly ; National Governance ; Output ; Price ; Prices ; Private Sector Development ; Public Sector Corruption and Anticorruption Measures ; Reform Program ; Social Protections and Labor ; Trade ; Trade Associations ; Business Performance ; Competition ; Competition Policy ; Corporate Governance ; Corporate Law ; Corporate Performance ; Debt Markets ; E-Business ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Enforcement ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Governance ; Investment ; Labor Policies ; Law and Development ; Legal Frameworks ; Macroeconomic Policy ; Macroeconomic Stability ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Market Economy ; Market Share ; Market Structure ; Markets and Market Access ; Microfinance ; Monopoly ; National Governance ; Output ; Price ; Prices ; Private Sector Development ; Public Sector Corruption and Anticorruption Measures ; Reform Program ; Social Protections and Labor ; Trade ; Trade Associations
    Abstract: May 2000 - Like many Central Asian republics, Uzbekistan has adopted a gradual, cautious approach in its transition to a market economy. It has had some success attaining macroeconomic stability, but microeconomic reforms have lagged behind. It is time to accelerate structural reform. In Uzbekistan state enterprises are being changed into shareholding companies, and private enterprises account for 45 percent of all registered firms. But business decisions to set prices, output, and investment are often not market-based, nor wholly within the purview of businesses, especially those in commercial manufacturing and services. Lines of authority for corporate governance - from state enterprises to private enterprises - are ill-defined, so there is little discipline on corporate performance and little separation between government and business. Nascent frameworks have been created for competition policy (for firms in the commercial sector) and regulatory policy (governing utilities in the infrastructure monopoly sector). But implementation and enforcement have been hampered by old-style instruments (such as price controls) rooted in central planning, by lack of a strong independent regulatory rule-making authority, by the limited understanding of the basic concepts of competition and regulatory reform, and by weak institutional capabilities for analyzing market structure and business performance. Based on fieldwork in Uzbekistan, Broadman recommends: · Deepening senior policy officials' understanding of, and appreciation of the benefits from, enterprise competition and how it affects economic growth. · Reforming competition policy institutions and legal frameworks in line with the country's goal of strengthening structural reforms and improving macroeconomic policy. · Improving the ability of government and associated institutions to assess Uzbekistan's industrial market structure and the determinants of enterprise conduct and performance. · Making the authority responsible for competition and regulatory policymaking into an independent agency - a champion of competition - answerable directly to the prime minister. · Strengthening incentives and institutions for corporate governance and bringing them in line with international practice. · Subjecting infrastructure monopolies to systemic competitive restructuring and unbundling, where appropriate. For other utilities, depoliticize tariff setting and implementation of regulations; ensure that price, output, and investment decisions by service suppliers are procompetitive (creating a level playing field among users); and increase transparency and accountability to the public. This paper - a product of the Poverty Reduction and Economic Management Sector Unit, Europe and Central Asia Regional Office - is part of a larger effort in the region to assess structural reform in Central Asia. The author may be contacted at hbroadmanworldbank.org
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  • 20
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (32 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Wang, Hua Endogenous Enforcement and Effectiveness of China's Pollution Levy System
    Keywords: Abatement ; Air Pollution ; Economic Development ; Economists ; Emissions ; Environment ; Environmental ; Environmental Economics and Policies ; Environmental Performance ; Environmental Protection ; Environmental Quality ; Green Issues ; Income ; Industry ; Labor ; Labor Force ; Pollution ; Pollution Charges ; Poverty ; Production ; Public Sector Development ; Standards ; Sulfur Dioxide ; Water ; Water Pollution ; Water Resources ; Water and Industry ; Abatement ; Air Pollution ; Economic Development ; Economists ; Emissions ; Environment ; Environmental ; Environmental Economics and Policies ; Environmental Performance ; Environmental Protection ; Environmental Quality ; Green Issues ; Income ; Industry ; Labor ; Labor Force ; Pollution ; Pollution Charges ; Poverty ; Production ; Public Sector Development ; Standards ; Sulfur Dioxide ; Water ; Water Pollution ; Water Resources ; Water and Industry
    Abstract: May 2000 - How well air and water pollution regulation is implemented depends very much on both the level of economic development and actual environmental quality. Pollution pricing is closer to the dictates of environmental economics than China's formal regulatory statutes would suggest - and there is considerable scope for using economic instruments to reduce China's industrial pollution problems. Wang and Wheeler investigate two aspects of China's pollution levy system, which was first implemented about 20 years ago. First, they analyze what determines differences in enforcement of the pollution levy in various urban areas. They find that collection of the otherwise uniform pollution levy is sensitive to differences in economic development and environmental quality. Air and water pollution levies are higher in areas that are heavily polluted. Second, they analyze the impact of pollution charges on industry's environmental performance, in terms of the pollution intensity of process production and the degree of end-of-pipe abatement for both water pollution and air pollution. Econometric analysis shows that plants respond strongly to the levy by either abating air pollution in the production process or providing end-of-pipe treatment for water pollution. This paper - a product of Infrastructure and Environment, Development Research Group - is part of a larger effort in the group to study environmental regulation in developing countries. The authors may be contacted at hwang1worldbank.org or dwheeler1@worldbank.org
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  • 21
    Online Resource
    Online Resource
    Washington, D.C : The World Bank
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (38 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Walle, devan Dominique Sources of Ethnic Inequality in Vietnam
    Keywords: Agricultural Knowledge and Information Systems ; Agriculture ; Basic Infrastructure ; Cash Crops ; Communities & Human Settlements ; Debt Markets ; Development Policies ; Disability ; Discrimination ; Ethnic Groups ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Health Care ; Health, Nutrition and Population ; Housing and Human Habitats ; Ill-Health ; Income Inequality ; Indigenous Practices ; Knowledge ; Land Tenure ; Large Population ; Living Standards ; Minority ; Policies ; Policy ; Population Policies ; Poverty ; Poverty Reduction ; Public Services ; Rural Areas ; Rural Development ; Rural Development ; Rural Development Knowledge and Information Systems ; Rural Poverty Reduction ; Social Protections and Labor ; Urban Development ; Urban Housing ; Agricultural Knowledge and Information Systems ; Agriculture ; Basic Infrastructure ; Cash Crops ; Communities & Human Settlements ; Debt Markets ; Development Policies ; Disability ; Discrimination ; Ethnic Groups ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Health Care ; Health, Nutrition and Population ; Housing and Human Habitats ; Ill-Health ; Income Inequality ; Indigenous Practices ; Knowledge ; Land Tenure ; Large Population ; Living Standards ; Minority ; Policies ; Policy ; Population Policies ; Poverty ; Poverty Reduction ; Public Services ; Rural Areas ; Rural Development ; Rural Development ; Rural Development Knowledge and Information Systems ; Rural Poverty Reduction ; Social Protections and Labor ; Urban Development ; Urban Housing
    Abstract: March 2000 - To redress ethnic inequality in Vietnam, it is not enough to target poor areas. Policies must be designed to reach minority households in poor areas, to open up options by ensuring that minority groups are not disadvantaged (in labor markets, for example), to change the conditions that have caused their isolation and social exclusion, and to explicitly recognize behavior patterns (including compensating behavior) that have served the minorities well but intensify ethnic inequalities in the longer term. Vietnam's ethnic minorities, who tend to live mostly in remote rural areas, typically have lower living standards than the ethnic majority. How much is this because of differences in economic characteristics (such as education levels and land) rather than low returns to characteristics? Is there a self-reinforcing culture of poverty in the minority groups, reflecting patterns of past discrimination? Van de Walle and Gunewardena find that differences in levels of living are due in part to the fact that the minorities live in less productive areas characterized by difficult terrain, poor infrastructure, less access to off-farm work and the market economy, and inferior access to education. Geographic disparities tend to persist because of immobility and regional differences in living standards. But the authors also find large differences within geographical areas even after controlling for household characteristics. They find differences in returns to productive characteristics to be the most important explanation for ethnic inequality. But the minorities do not obtain lower returns to all characteristics. There is evidence of compensating behavior. For example, pure returns to location - even in remote, inhospitable areas - tend to be higher for minorities, though not high enough to overcome the large consumption difference with the majority. The majority ethnic group's model of income generation is a poor guide on how to fight poverty among ethnic minority groups. Nor is it enough to target poor areas to redress ethnic inequality. Policies must be designed to reach minority households in poor areas and to explicitly recognize behavior patterns (including compensating behavior) that have served the minorities well in the short term but intensify ethnic inequalities in the longer term. It will be important to open up options for minority groups both by ensuring that they are not disadvantaged (in labor markets, for example), and by changing the conditions that have caused their isolation and social exclusion. This paper - a product of Public Economics and Rural Development, Development Research Group - is part of a larger effort in the group to understand the determinants of poverty and the policy implications. Dominique van de Walle may be contacted at dvandewalleworldbank.org
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  • 22
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (36 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Jadresic, Alejandro Investment in Natural Gas Pipelines in the Southern Cone of Latin America
    Keywords: Coal ; Coal Mines ; Electricity ; Electricity Demand ; Electricity System ; Energy ; Energy ; Energy Consumption ; Energy Markets ; Energy Needs ; Energy Production and Transportation ; Energy and Environment ; Environment ; Environment and Energy Efficiency ; Industry ; Infrastructure Economics and Finance ; Infrastructure Regulation ; Investment ; Investments ; Natural Gas ; Natural Gas Infrastructure ; Natural Gas Pipelines ; Oil ; Oil and Gas Industry ; Pipeline ; Pipeline Projects ; Power ; Power Generation ; Power Generators ; Water Resources ; Water and Industry ; Coal ; Coal Mines ; Electricity ; Electricity Demand ; Electricity System ; Energy ; Energy ; Energy Consumption ; Energy Markets ; Energy Needs ; Energy Production and Transportation ; Energy and Environment ; Environment ; Environment and Energy Efficiency ; Industry ; Infrastructure Economics and Finance ; Infrastructure Regulation ; Investment ; Investments ; Natural Gas ; Natural Gas Infrastructure ; Natural Gas Pipelines ; Oil ; Oil and Gas Industry ; Pipeline ; Pipeline Projects ; Power ; Power Generation ; Power Generators ; Water Resources ; Water and Industry
    Abstract: April 2000 - The natural gas pipelines between Argentina and Chile are large-scale investments in competitive environments. Jadresic, a former minister of energy in Chile, argues that a competitive energy sector and free entry were important policy initiatives to spur the cross-border investments that have benefited Chile's energy sector and environment. Increasing demand for clean energy sources is expanding investment in natural gas infrastructure around the world. Many international projects involve pipelines connecting energy markets in two or more countries. A key feature of investment taking place in Latin America is the convergence of gas and electricity markets. Many projects are being developed to supply gas to new power generation plants needed to meet electricity demand. Construction of a pipeline over the Andes mountains to supply gas from Argentina to energy markets in central Chile was an idea long unfulfilled for political, economic, and technical reasons. Great changes have now taken place in a very short time. Jadresic discusses both the achievements and the challenges to be faced by pipeline developers and Chile's energy sector. He details the benefits of the cooperative effort to consumers in terms of lower energy prices, higher environmental standards, and a more reliable energy system. The experience in Latin America's Southern Cone shows how technological innovation, economic deregulation, and regional integration make it possible to build major international gas pipeline projects within a competitive framework and without direct state involvement. This paper - a product of Private Participation in Infrastructure, Private Sector Advisory Services Department - is part of a larger effort in the department to analyze and disseminate the principles of, and good practice for, promoting competition in infrastructure. The author may be contacted at jadresiccreuna.cl
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  • 23
    Online Resource
    Online Resource
    Washington, D.C : The World Bank
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (38 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Pizzati, Lodovico Disinflation and the Supply Side
    Keywords: Aggregate Demand ; Assets ; Capital ; Capital Markets ; Consumption ; Currencies and Exchange Rates ; Debt Markets ; Devaluation ; Economic Theory and Research ; Elasticity ; Elasticity Of Substitution ; Emerging Markets ; Exchange ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Goods ; Interest ; Investment ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Money ; Open Economy ; Private Sector Development ; Production ; Recession ; Stock ; Supply ; Wages ; Wealth ; Aggregate Demand ; Assets ; Capital ; Capital Markets ; Consumption ; Currencies and Exchange Rates ; Debt Markets ; Devaluation ; Economic Theory and Research ; Elasticity ; Elasticity Of Substitution ; Emerging Markets ; Exchange ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Goods ; Interest ; Investment ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Money ; Open Economy ; Private Sector Development ; Production ; Recession ; Stock ; Supply ; Wages ; Wealth
    Abstract: March 2000 - What role do supply-side factors play in the dynamics of output and absorption in exchange rate-based stabilization programs? Agénor and Pizzati study the dynamics of output, consumption, and real wages induced by a disinflation program based on permanent and temporary reductions in the nominal devaluation rate. They use an intertemporal optimizing model of a small open economy in which domestic households face imperfect world capital markets, the labor supply is endogenous, and wages are flexible. The model predicts that, with a constant capital stock and no investment, there is an initial reduction in real wages and output expands. Consumption falls on impact but increases afterward. In addition, with a temporary shock, a current account deficit emerges and, later, a recession sets in, as documented in various studies. With endogenous capital accumulation, numerical simulations show that the model can also predict a boom in investment. This paper is a product of the Economic Policy and Poverty Reduction Division, World Bank Institute. The authors may be contacted at pagenorworldbank.org and lpizzati@worldbank.org
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  • 24
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (74 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Schmukler, Sergio Globalization and Firms' Financing Choices
    Keywords: Banks and Banking Reform ; Bond ; Bond Markets ; Debt ; Debt Markets ; Debt Maturity ; Debt-Equity ; Economic Development ; Emerging Economies ; Emerging Markets ; Emerging Markets ; Equity ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Liberalization ; Financial Markets ; Financial Structure ; Financial Systems ; Globalization ; International Bond ; International Financial Markets ; International Markets ; Maturity Structure ; Private Sector Development ; Share ; World Financial Markets ; Banks and Banking Reform ; Bond ; Bond Markets ; Debt ; Debt Markets ; Debt Maturity ; Debt-Equity ; Economic Development ; Emerging Economies ; Emerging Markets ; Emerging Markets ; Equity ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Liberalization ; Financial Markets ; Financial Structure ; Financial Systems ; Globalization ; International Bond ; International Financial Markets ; International Markets ; Maturity Structure ; Private Sector Development ; Share ; World Financial Markets
    Abstract: April 2000 - Debt-equity ratios do not tend to increase after financial liberalization, but there is a shift from long-term to short-term debt. Globalization has uneven effects for firms with and without access to international capital markets. Countries with deeper domestic financial markets are less affected by financial liberalization. Schmukler and Vesperoni investigate whether integration with global markets affects the financing choices of firms from East Asia and Latin America. Using firm-level data for the 1980s and 1990s, they study how leverage ratios, the structure of debt maturity, and sources of financing change when economies are liberalized and when firms gain access to international equity and bond markets. The evidence shows that integration with world financial markets has uneven effects. On the one hand, debt maturity for the average firm shortens when countries undertake financial liberalization. On the other hand, domestic firms that actually participate in international markets get better financing opportunities and extend their debt maturity. Moreover, firms in economies with deeper domestic financial systems are affected less by financial liberalization. Finally, they show that leverage ratios increase during times of crisis. In an appendix, they analyze the previously unstudied case of Argentina, which experienced sharp financial liberalization and was hit hard by all recent global crises. This paper - a product of Macroeconomics and Growth, Development Reseach Group - is part of a larger effort in the group to understand financial development and financial integration. The authors may be contacted at sschmuklerworldbank.org or vesperon@wam.umd.edu
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  • 25
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (40 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Min, G. Hong How the Republic of Korea's Financial Structure Affects the Volatility of Four Asset Prices
    Keywords: Asset Prices ; Banking Sector ; Banks and Banking Reform ; Capital Flows ; Currencies and Exchange Rates ; Currency ; Currency Crises ; Debt Markets ; Emerging Markets ; Exchange ; Exchange Rate ; Finance ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Crisis ; Financial Institutions ; Financial Literacy ; Financial Structure ; Financial System ; Government Bond ; Government Bond Yield ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Market ; Markets and Market Access ; Monetary Authority ; Monetary Policies ; Money Market ; Money Market Rate ; Private Sector Development ; Stock ; Asset Prices ; Banking Sector ; Banks and Banking Reform ; Capital Flows ; Currencies and Exchange Rates ; Currency ; Currency Crises ; Debt Markets ; Emerging Markets ; Exchange ; Exchange Rate ; Finance ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Crisis ; Financial Institutions ; Financial Literacy ; Financial Structure ; Financial System ; Government Bond ; Government Bond Yield ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Market ; Markets and Market Access ; Monetary Authority ; Monetary Policies ; Money Market ; Money Market Rate ; Private Sector Development ; Stock
    Abstract: April 2000 - How Korea's financial structure affects the volatility of Korea's real effective exchange rate, money market rate, government bond yields, and stock prices. Min and Park explore how Korea's financial structure affects the volatility of asset prices. Documented empirical evidence of the relationship between financial structure and financial crisis sheds light on the relationship between asset price volatility - extreme variations in prices - and financial structure. And the volatility of financial and nonfinancial asset prices provides an indirect link between an economy's financial structure and the likelihood of financial crisis. Using time-series data and a set of indicators measuring financial structure, Min and Park examine how Korea's financial structure affects the volatility of the real effective exchange rate, the money market rate, government bond yields, and stock prices. They find: · There is a stable long-term relationship between financial structure and volatility in the real effective exchange rate, the money market rate, stock prices, and the yield on government housing bonds. · Financial structure affects asset price variables asymmetrically. Some variables' volatility increases and others' diminish, suggesting that monetary policies should target different asset markets to achieve different goals. If the goal of the monetary authority is to stabilize the money market rate, for example, intervening in the banking sector is more efficient than intervening in other financial subsectors. · The higher volatility of stock prices reflects the thin stock market in Korea. · The stability of the yield on government housing bonds reflects the Korean government's policy of stabilizing the nation's housing supply by isolating the housing market from the impact of Korea's financial structure. · Restrictions on foreigners' ownership of domestic stock in Korea during the period analyzed, and the fact that most capital flows through commercial banks, affect the exchange rate, which is determined (at least in the short run) by capital flows in the foreign exchange market. This paper - a product of the Macroeconomic Data Team, Development Data Group - is part of a larger effort in the group to understand the financial structure of developing countries based on empirical data. The authors may be contacted at hmin56aol.com or jpark@worldbank.org
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  • 26
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (42 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Ferri, Giovanni Financial Intermediary Distress in the Republic of Korea
    Keywords: Bank ; Bank Examinations ; Bank Of Korea ; Banking Systems ; Banks and Banking Reform ; Capital Adequacy ; Commercial Banks ; Cred Deposits ; Debt Markets ; Emerging Markets ; Finance ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Crises ; Financial Institutions ; Financial Intermediation ; Financial Literacy ; Financial Ratios ; Loans ; Merchant Banking ; Private Sector Development ; Risk ; Risk Management ; Savings ; Services ; Small Banks ; Supervisory Agencies ; Bank ; Bank Examinations ; Bank Of Korea ; Banking Systems ; Banks and Banking Reform ; Capital Adequacy ; Commercial Banks ; Cred Deposits ; Debt Markets ; Emerging Markets ; Finance ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Crises ; Financial Institutions ; Financial Intermediation ; Financial Literacy ; Financial Ratios ; Loans ; Merchant Banking ; Private Sector Development ; Risk ; Risk Management ; Savings ; Services ; Small Banks ; Supervisory Agencies
    Abstract: May 2000 - During a systemic financial crisis in Korea, the probability of financial distress was greater for large financial intermediaries (such as commercial banks and merchant banking corporations) than it was for tiny mutual savings and finance companies. Taking the Korean experience as a laboratory experiment in systemic financial crisis, Bongini, Ferri, and Kang analyze distress in individual institutions among two groups of financial intermediaries. They pool together a group of large financial intermediaries (commercial banks, merchant banking corporations) and another group of tiny mutual savings and finance companies. Both the too-big-to-fail doctrine and the credit channel approach suggest that the probability of distress would be greater for small intermediaries. But Bongini, Ferri, and Kang find that proportionately fewer small intermediaries were distressed than were large intermediaries. They offer two hypothetical explanations for this unexpected result: · Exchange rate exposure - a major shock to Korean intermediaries - was presumably negligible for the small financial intermediaries. · Small financial intermediaries allocated loans better, because of the peer monitoring natural to their mutual nature and deep local roots. Available data did not allow the authors to test the first hypothesis, but they did find support for the second one. Estimating a logit model, they find that the probability of distress was systematically smaller for the mutual savings and finance companies that stayed closer to their origins (for example, collecting many deposits as credit mutual installment savings) and for those with a longer history of doing business in their local community. This paper - a product of Finance, Development Research Group - is part of a larger effort in the group to study the financial crises in East Asia. The authors may be contacted at pbonginimi.unicatt.it, gferri@worldbank.orgor tkang@worldbank.org
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  • 27
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (36 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Majnoni, Giovanni How the Proposed Basel Guidelines on Rating-Agency Assessments Would Affect Developing Countries
    Keywords: Bank ; Bank Capital ; Bank Ratings ; Banking ; Banking Sector ; Banks ; Banks and Banking Reform ; Capital Adequacy ; Capital Regulation ; Capital Requirements ; Cost Of Capital ; Cred Credit Risk ; Economies ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Financial Markets ; Financial Systems ; Fixed Costs ; Loans ; Markets ; Rating Agencies ; Risk ; Bank ; Bank Capital ; Bank Ratings ; Banking ; Banking Sector ; Banks ; Banks and Banking Reform ; Capital Adequacy ; Capital Regulation ; Capital Requirements ; Cost Of Capital ; Cred Credit Risk ; Economies ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Financial Markets ; Financial Systems ; Fixed Costs ; Loans ; Markets ; Rating Agencies ; Risk
    Abstract: June 2000 - The Basel Committee has proposed linking capital asset requirements for banks to the banks' private sector ratings. Doing so would reduce the capital requirements for banks that lend prudently in high-income countries; the same incentives would not apply in developing countries. Using historical data on sovereign and individual borrowers, Ferri, Liu, and Majnoni assess the potential impact on non-high-income countries of linking capital asset requirements for banks to private sector ratings, as the Basel Committee has proposed. They show that linking banks' capital asset requirements to external ratings would have undesirable effects for developing countries. First, ratings of banks and corporations in developing countries are less common, so capital asset requirements would be practically insensitive to improvements in the quality of assets - widening the gap between banks of equal financial strength in higher- and lower-income countries. Second, bank and corporate ratings in developing countries (unlike their counterparts in high-income countries) are strongly linked to the sovereign ratings for the country - and appear to be strongly related (asymmetrically) to changes in the sovereign ratings. A sovereign downgrading would bring greater changes in capital allocations than an upgrading, and would call for larger capital requirements at the very time access to capital markets was more difficult. Under the new guidelines, capital requirements in developing countries would thus be exposed to the cyclical swings associated with the revision of sovereign ratings in recent crises. Ultimately, linking banks' capital asset requirements to private sector ratings would reduce the credit available to non-high-income countries and make it more costly, limiting economic activity. Bank capital needs in developing countries would be more volatile than those in high-income countries. These findings suggest that the Basel Committee should reassess the role it proposes assigning to external ratings, to minimize the detrimental impact of the regulatory use of such ratings on developing countries. This paper - a product of the Financial Sector Strategy and Policy Department - is part of a larger effort in the department to study the impact of financial regulation on economic development. The authors may be contacted at lliu2worldbank.org or gmajnoni@worldbank.org
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  • 28
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (38 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Mattoo, Aaditya Should Credit Be Given for Autonomous Liberalization in Multilateral Trade Negotiations?
    Keywords: Currencies and Exchange Rates ; Currency ; Debt Markets ; Dispute Settlement ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Free Trade ; Insurance and Risk Mitigation ; International Economics & Trade ; International Trade and Trade Rules ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Multilateral Liberalization ; Multilateral Negotiations ; Private Sector Development ; Public Sector Development ; Reciprocal Concessions ; Tariff ; Tariff Reductions ; Tariff Schedule ; Tariffs ; Terms Of Trade ; Terms Of Trade Loss ; Trade ; Trade Liberalization ; Trade Negotiations ; Trade Policy ; Trade Policy ; Unilateral Liberalization ; Unilateral Reduction ; Unilateral Tariff Reduction ; World Trade ; World Trade Organization ; Currencies and Exchange Rates ; Currency ; Debt Markets ; Dispute Settlement ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Free Trade ; Insurance and Risk Mitigation ; International Economics & Trade ; International Trade and Trade Rules ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Multilateral Liberalization ; Multilateral Negotiations ; Private Sector Development ; Public Sector Development ; Reciprocal Concessions ; Tariff ; Tariff Reductions ; Tariff Schedule ; Tariffs ; Terms Of Trade ; Terms Of Trade Loss ; Trade ; Trade Liberalization ; Trade Negotiations ; Trade Policy ; Trade Policy ; Unilateral Liberalization ; Unilateral Reduction ; Unilateral Tariff Reduction ; World Trade ; World Trade Organization
    Abstract: June 2000 - As each new round of multilateral trade negotiations approaches, there is a demand for a negotiating rule that would give credit for previous unilateral liberalization. The feasibility and desirability of such a rule depend on when it is instituted. As each new round of multilateral trade negotiations approaches, there is a demand for a negotiating rule that would give credit for autonomous (unilateral) liberalization. Mattoo and Olarreaga show that the feasibility and desirability of such a rule depend on when it is instituted. A credit rule established at the beginning of a round of negotiations has a primarily distributional effect, favoring those who have already undertaken liberalization. Implementing such a rule would depend on the generosity of those who have not liberalized. The authors propose instead establishing a credit rule at the end of a round of negotiations, which creates an ex ante assurance that any unilateral liberalization will receive credit in the next round. Such a rule would help induce or enhance liberalization in some countries between negotiating rounds by reducing the gains from retaining protection as negotiating currency. More strikingly, it could also lead to deeper levels of multilateral liberalization and induce other countries to go further than they would in the absence of a rule. Most important, such an ex ante rule would not rely on altruism to be generally acceptable. This paper - a product of Trade, Development Research Group - is part of a larger effort in the group to improve trade policy in goods and services. The authors may be contacted at amattooworldbank.org or molarreaga@worldbank.org
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  • 29
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (56 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Drebentsov, Vladimir Improving Russia's Policy on Foreign Direct Investment
    Keywords: Barriers ; Corporate Governance ; Debt Markets ; Developing Countries ; Domestic Market ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Economies ; Emerging Markets ; Enforcement ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Foreign Direct Investment ; Foreign Direct Investment ; Foreign Investment ; Foreign Investor ; Foreign Investors ; Global Market ; International Economics & Trade ; Investment and Investment Climate ; Investor ; Labor Policies ; Law and Development ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Natural Resources ; Outputs ; Price ; Private Sector Development ; Property Rights ; Public Sector Corruption and Anticorruption Measures ; Social Protections and Labor ; Tax ; Technology Transfers ; Trade ; Trade Law ; Trade and Regional Integration ; Transition Countries ; Barriers ; Corporate Governance ; Debt Markets ; Developing Countries ; Domestic Market ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Economies ; Emerging Markets ; Enforcement ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Foreign Direct Investment ; Foreign Direct Investment ; Foreign Investment ; Foreign Investor ; Foreign Investors ; Global Market ; International Economics & Trade ; Investment and Investment Climate ; Investor ; Labor Policies ; Law and Development ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Natural Resources ; Outputs ; Price ; Private Sector Development ; Property Rights ; Public Sector Corruption and Anticorruption Measures ; Social Protections and Labor ; Tax ; Technology Transfers ; Trade ; Trade Law ; Trade and Regional Integration ; Transition Countries
    Abstract: May 2000 - Russia gets relatively little foreign direct investment and almost none of the newer, more efficient kind, involving state-of-the-art technology and world-class competitive production linked to dynamic global or regional markets. Why? And what should be done about it? Foreign direct investment brings host countries capital, productive facilities, and technology transfers as well as employment, new job skills, and management expertise. It is important to the Russian Federation, where incentives for competition are limited and incentives to becoming efficient are blunted by interregional barriers to trade, weak creditor rights, and administrative barriers to new entrants. Bergsman, Broadman, and Drebentsov argue that the old policy paradigm of foreign direct investment (established before World War II and prevalent in the 1950s and 1960s) still governs Russia. In this paradigm there are only two reasons for foreign direct investment: access to inputs for production and access to markets for outputs. Such kinds of foreign direct investment, although beneficial, are often based on generating exports that exploit cheap labor or natural resources or are aimed at penetrating protected local markets, not necessarily at world standards for price and quality. They contend that Russia should phase out high tariffs and nontariff protection for the domestic market, most tax preferences for foreign investors (which don't increase foreign direct investment but do reduce fiscal revenues), and many restrictions on foreign direct investment. They recommend that Russia switch to a modern approach to foreign direct investment by: · Amending the newly enacted foreign direct investment law so that it will grant nondiscriminatory national treatment to foreign investors for both right of establishment and post-establishment operations, abolish conditions (such as local content restrictions) inconsistent with the World Trade Organization agreement on trade-related investment measures (TRIMs), and make investor-state dispute resolution mechanisms more efficient (giving foreign investors the chance to seek neutral binding international arbitration, for example). · Strengthening enforcement of property rights. · Simplifying registration procedures for foreign investors, to make them transparent and rules-based. · Extending guarantee schemes covering basic noncommercial risks. This paper - a product of the Poverty Reduction and Economic Management Sector Unit, Europe and Central Asia Regional Office - is part of a larger effort in the region to assist the Russian authorities in preparing for accession to the World Trade Organization. The authors may be contacted at hbroadmanworldbank.org or vdrebentsov@worldbank.org
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  • 30
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (68 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Herrera, Santiago Output Fluctuations in Latin America
    Keywords: Accounting ; Bond ; Bonds ; Business Cycles ; Business Cycles and Stabilization Policies ; Capital Flows ; Capital Markets ; Currencies and Exchange Rates ; Debt Markets ; Domestic Interest Rates ; Economic Stabilization ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Exchange ; External Debt ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Gross Domestic Product ; Interest Rates ; International Development ; International Interest ; Investment and Investment Climate ; Macroeconomic Management ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Poverty Reduction ; Private Sector Development ; Pro-Poor Growth ; Real Exchange Rate ; Real Exchange Rates ; Real Interest ; Real Interest Rate ; Real Interest Rates ; Share ; Sovereign Debt ; Accounting ; Bond ; Bonds ; Business Cycles ; Business Cycles and Stabilization Policies ; Capital Flows ; Capital Markets ; Currencies and Exchange Rates ; Debt Markets ; Domestic Interest Rates ; Economic Stabilization ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Exchange ; External Debt ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Gross Domestic Product ; Interest Rates ; International Development ; International Interest ; Investment and Investment Climate ; Macroeconomic Management ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Poverty Reduction ; Private Sector Development ; Pro-Poor Growth ; Real Exchange Rate ; Real Exchange Rates ; Real Interest ; Real Interest Rate ; Real Interest Rates ; Share ; Sovereign Debt
    Abstract: May 2000 - For the period 1992-98, domestic factors explain most output variability in Latin America. However, external factors account for about 60 percent of the 1998-99 slowdown - perhaps in part because external variables were more volatile during this period, but mainly because domestic variables - real interest rates and real exchange rates - were more stable in these two years. Herrera, Perry, and Quintero explain Latin America's growth slowdown in 1998-99. To do so, they use two complementary methodologies. The first aims at determining how much of the slowdown can be explained by specific external factors: the terms of trade, international interest rates, spreads on external debt, capital flows, and climatological factors (El Niño). Using quarterly GDP data for the eight largest countries in the region, the authors estimate a dynamic panel showing that 50 - 60 percent of the slowdown was due to these external factors. The second approach allows for effects on output by some endogenous variables, such as domestic real interest rates and real exchange rates. Using monthly industrial production data, the authors estimate country-specific generalized vector autoregressions (GVAR) for the largest countries. They find that during the sample period (1992-98) output volatility is mostly associated with shocks to domestic factors, but the slowdown in the subperiod 1998-99 is explained more than 60 percent by shocks to the external factors. This paper - a product of the Economic Policy Sector Unit and the Poverty Reduction and Economic Management Sector Unit, Latin America and Caribbean Regional Office - is part of a larger effort to understand output fluctuations and growth in the region. The authors may be contacted at gperryworldbank.org or nquintero@worldbank.org
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  • 31
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (32 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Wang, Hua Pollution Charges, Community Pressure, and Abatement Cost of Industrial Pollution in China
    Keywords: Abatement ; Brown Issues and Health ; Demand ; Empirical Analysis ; Empirical Studies ; Environment ; Environmental ; Environmental Economics and Policies ; Environmental Protection ; Environmental Sciences ; Green Issues ; Incentives ; Industrial Water ; Industry ; Marginal Abatement ; Pollution ; Pollution Abatement ; Pollution Charges ; Pollution Control ; Pollution Discharge ; Prices ; Public Sector Development ; Regulation ; Standards ; Water ; Water Pollution ; Water Resources ; Water and Industry ; Abatement ; Brown Issues and Health ; Demand ; Empirical Analysis ; Empirical Studies ; Environment ; Environmental ; Environmental Economics and Policies ; Environmental Protection ; Environmental Sciences ; Green Issues ; Incentives ; Industrial Water ; Industry ; Marginal Abatement ; Pollution ; Pollution Abatement ; Pollution Charges ; Pollution Control ; Pollution Discharge ; Prices ; Public Sector Development ; Regulation ; Standards ; Water ; Water Pollution ; Water Resources ; Water and Industry
    Abstract: May 2000 - Community pressure may be as strong an incentive for industrial firms to control pollution in China as pollution levies are. Wang evaluates the strength of the effect that community pressure and pollution charges have on industrial pollution control in China and estimates the marginal cost of pollution abatement. He examines a well-documented set of plant-level data, combined with community-level data, to assess the impact of pollution charges and community pressure on industrial behavior in China. He constructs and estimates an industrial organic water pollution discharge model for plants that violate standards for pollution discharge, pay pollution charges, and are constantly under community pressure to further abate pollution. He creates a model and estimates implicit prices for pollution discharges from community pressure, which are determined jointly by the explicit price, the pollution levy. He finds that the implicit discharge price is at least as high as the explicit price. In other words, community pressure not only exists but may be as strong an incentive as the pollution charge is for industrial firms to control pollution in China. Wang's modeling approach also provides a way to estimate the marginal cost of pollution abatement. The empirical results show that the current marginal cost of abatement is about twice the effective charge rate in China. This paper - a product of Infrastructure and Environment, Development Research Group - is part of a larger effort in the group to study environmental regulation in developing countries. The author may be contacted at hwang1worldbank.org
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  • 32
    Online Resource
    Online Resource
    Washington, D.C : The World Bank
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (58 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Clarke, George A Transitory Regime Water Supply in Conakry, Guinea
    Keywords: Banks and Banking Reform ; Cost Of Water ; Debt Markets ; Drinking Water ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Households ; Industry ; Mortality Rate ; Pipeline ; Pit Latrines ; Population Growth ; Price Of Water ; Private Operator ; Private Participation ; Public Sector Corruption and Anticorruption Measures ; Raw Water ; Town Water Supply and Sanitation ; Urban Areas ; Urban Water ; Urban Water Supply and Sanitation ; Water ; Water Conservation ; Water Resources ; Water Resources ; Water Sector ; Water Supply ; Water Supply and Sanitation ; Water Supply and Sanitation Governance and Institutions ; Water System ; Water Systems ; Water Use ; Water and Industry ; Wells ; Banks and Banking Reform ; Cost Of Water ; Debt Markets ; Drinking Water ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Households ; Industry ; Mortality Rate ; Pipeline ; Pit Latrines ; Population Growth ; Price Of Water ; Private Operator ; Private Participation ; Public Sector Corruption and Anticorruption Measures ; Raw Water ; Town Water Supply and Sanitation ; Urban Areas ; Urban Water ; Urban Water Supply and Sanitation ; Water ; Water Conservation ; Water Resources ; Water Resources ; Water Sector ; Water Supply ; Water Supply and Sanitation ; Water Supply and Sanitation Governance and Institutions ; Water System ; Water Systems ; Water Use ; Water and Industry ; Wells
    Abstract: June 2000 - In several ways, the reform introduced to the water sector in Conakry, Guinea, in 1989 under a World Bank-led project was remarkable. It showed that even in a weak institutional environment, where contracts are hard to enforce and political interference is common, private sector participation can improve sector performance. Why did the sector improve as much as it did, and what has inhibited reform? Both consumers and the government benefited from reform of the water system in Conakry, Guinea, whose deterioration since independence had become critical by the mid-1980s. Less than 40 percent of Conakry's population had access to piped water - low even by regional standards - and service was intermittent, at best, for the few who had connections. The public agency in charge of the sector was inefficient, overstaffed, and virtually insolvent. In several ways, the reform introduced to the sector in 1989 under a World Bank-led project was remarkable. It showed that even in a weak institutional environment, where contracts are hard to enforce and political interference is common, private sector participation can improve sector performance. Ménard and Clarke discuss the mechanisms that made progress possible and identify factors that inhibit the positive effects of reform. Water has become very expensive, the number of connections has increased very slowly, and conflicts have developed between SEEG (the private operator) and SONEG (the state agency). Among the underlying problems: · The lack of strong, stable institutions. · The lack of an independent agency capable of restraining arbitrary government action, regulating the private operator, and enforcing contractual arrangements. · The lack of adequate conflict resolution mechanisms for contract disputes. · Weak administrative capacity. This paper - a joint product of Public Economics and Regulation and Competition Policy, Development Research Group - is part of a larger effort in the group to promote competition and private sector development. The study was funded by the Bank's Research Support Budget under the research project Institutions, Politics, and Contracts: Private Sector Participation in Urban Water Supply (RPO 681-87). The authors may be contacted at menarduniv-paris1.fr or gclarke@worldbank.org
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  • 33
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (30 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Giugale, Marcelo A New Model for Market-Based Regulation of Subnational Borrowing
    Keywords: Bank ; Banks ; Banks and Banking Reform ; Borrowing ; Capital ; Commercial Banks ; Cred Debt ; Debt Markets ; Decentralization ; Deposits ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Externalities ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Intermediation ; Financial Literacy ; Financial Performance ; Governments ; Institutional Development ; Interest ; Interest Rates ; Lending ; Loans ; Macroeconomic Stability ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Moral Hazard ; Private Sector Development ; Risk ; Bank ; Banks ; Banks and Banking Reform ; Borrowing ; Capital ; Commercial Banks ; Cred Debt ; Debt Markets ; Decentralization ; Deposits ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Externalities ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Intermediation ; Financial Literacy ; Financial Performance ; Governments ; Institutional Development ; Interest ; Interest Rates ; Lending ; Loans ; Macroeconomic Stability ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Moral Hazard ; Private Sector Development ; Risk
    Abstract: July 2000 - To bring fiscal discipline to state and municipal governments, Mexico's federal government has established a two-pillar framework that explicitly renounces federal bail-outs and establishes a Basel-consistent link between the capital-risk weighting of bank loans to subnational governments and the borrower's credit rating. Whether the framework succeeds will depend partly on market assessments of the government's commitment to enforce bank capital rules and refrain from bailing out defaulting subnational governments. Faced with weak subnational finances that pose a risk to macroeconomic stability, Mexico's federal government in April 2000 established an innovative incentive framework to bring fiscal discipline to state and municipal governments. That framework is based on two pillars: an explicit renunciation of federal bail-outs and a Basel-consistent link between the capital-risk weighting of bank loans to subnational governments and the borrower's credit rating. In theory, this new regulatory arrangement should reduce moral hazard among banks and their state and municipal clients; differentiate interest rates on the basis of the borrowers' creditworthiness; and elicit a strong demand for institutional development at the subnational level. But its success will depend on three factors critical to implementation: · Whether markets find the federal commitment not to bail out defaulting subnational governments credible. · Whether subnational governments have access to financing other than bank loans. · How well bank capital rules are enforced. This paper - a product of the Mexico- Country Department and Poverty Reduction and Economic Management Sector Unit, Latin America and the Caribbean Region - is part of a larger effort in the region to understand the subnational underpinnings of sustainable, national economic framework. The authors may be contacted at mgiugaleworldbank.org, akorobow@worldbank.org, or swebb@worldbank.org
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  • 34
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (20 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Giugale, Marcelo Shock Persistence and the Choice of Foreign Exchange Regime
    Keywords: Currencies and Exchange Rates ; Currency ; Currency Board ; Currency Board Arrangements ; Currency Boards ; Debt Markets ; Domestic Economy ; Econometric Evidence ; Economic Stabilization ; Economic Theory and Research ; Economies ; Emerging Markets ; Exchange Rate Flo Exchange Rate Regime ; Exchange Regime ; External Shock ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Crises ; Fiscal and Monetary Policy ; Foreign Exchange ; Foreign Exchange Rate ; Foreign Exchange Rates ; Inflation ; International Financial Integration ; Macroeconomic Management ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Monetary Unions ; Open Capital Accounts ; Private Sector Development ; Public Sector Development ; Structural Reform ; Currencies and Exchange Rates ; Currency ; Currency Board ; Currency Board Arrangements ; Currency Boards ; Debt Markets ; Domestic Economy ; Econometric Evidence ; Economic Stabilization ; Economic Theory and Research ; Economies ; Emerging Markets ; Exchange Rate Flo Exchange Rate Regime ; Exchange Regime ; External Shock ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Crises ; Fiscal and Monetary Policy ; Foreign Exchange ; Foreign Exchange Rate ; Foreign Exchange Rates ; Inflation ; International Financial Integration ; Macroeconomic Management ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Monetary Unions ; Open Capital Accounts ; Private Sector Development ; Public Sector Development ; Structural Reform
    Abstract: July 2000 - Empirical econometric evidence shows that Mexico's simulated output recovery after a negative external shock was faster (a third as long) when the country's policymakers let the nominal foreign exchange rate float than when they fixed it, and much faster than in other developing countries that kept nominal foreign exchange rates constant, especially those that resorted to currency board arrangements to support that constancy. The academic and policy debate about optimal foreign exchange rate regimes for emerging economies has focused more on the theoretical costs and benefits of possible regimes than on their actual performance. Giugale and Korobow report on what can be called exchange-rate-regime-dependent differential shock persistence-that is, the time output takes to return to its trend after a negative shock-in a sample of countries representing various points on the spectrum of nominal foreign exchange flexibility. They find strong evidence that Mexico's simulated output recovery after a negative external shock was faster (a third as long) when the country's policymakers let the nominal foreign exchange rate float than when they fixed it, and much faster than in other developing countries that kept nominal foreign exchange rates constant, especially those that resorted to currency board arrangements to support that constancy. These results are insufficient to guide the choice of regime (they lack general equilibrium value and are based on a limited sample of countries), but they highlight an important practical consideration in making that choice: How long it takes for output to adjust after negative shocks is sensitive to the level of rigidity of the foreign exchange regime. This factor may be critical when the social costs of those adjustments are not negligible. This paper-a product of the Mexico Country Department, Latin America and the Caribbean Region-is part of a larger effort in the region to understand policy options open to developing countries for handling macroeconomic volatility in a globalized economy. The authors may be contacted at mgiugaleworldbank.org or akorobow@worldbank.org
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  • 35
    Online Resource
    Online Resource
    Washington, D.C : The World Bank
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (34 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Deininger, Klaus Asset Distribution, Inequality, and Growth
    Keywords: Asset Distribution ; Asset Inequality ; Consumption ; Economic Growth ; Economic Policy ; Economic Theory and Research ; Empirical Evidence ; Equity and Development ; Exogenous Shocks ; Factor Endowments ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Growth Literature ; Growth Regressions ; Human Capital ; Income ; Income Inequality ; Inequality ; Inequality ; Inequality-Growth Relationship ; Investment and Investment Climate ; Labor Policies ; Long-Term Growth ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Negative Impact ; Negative Relationship ; Policy Level ; Political Economy ; Poverty Impact Evaluation ; Poverty Reduction ; Pro-Poor Growth ; Property Rights ; Rural Development ; Rural Poverty Reduction ; Social Protections and Labor ; Asset Distribution ; Asset Inequality ; Consumption ; Economic Growth ; Economic Policy ; Economic Theory and Research ; Empirical Evidence ; Equity and Development ; Exogenous Shocks ; Factor Endowments ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Growth Literature ; Growth Regressions ; Human Capital ; Income ; Income Inequality ; Inequality ; Inequality ; Inequality-Growth Relationship ; Investment and Investment Climate ; Labor Policies ; Long-Term Growth ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Negative Impact ; Negative Relationship ; Policy Level ; Political Economy ; Poverty Impact Evaluation ; Poverty Reduction ; Pro-Poor Growth ; Property Rights ; Rural Development ; Rural Poverty Reduction ; Social Protections and Labor
    Abstract: June 2000 - Policymakers addressing the impact of inequality on growth should be more concerned about households' access to assets - and to the opportunities associated with them - than about the distribution of income. Asset inequality - but not income inequality - has a relatively great negative impact on growth and also reduces the effectiveness of educational interventions. With the recent resurgence of interest in equity, inequality, and growth, the possibility of a negative relationship between inequality and economic growth has received renewed interest in the literature. Faced with the prospect that high levels of inequality may persist and give rise to poverty traps, policymakers are paying more attention to the distributional implications of macroeconomic policies. Because high levels of inequality may hurt overall growth, policymakers are exploring measures to promote growth and equity at the same time. How the consequences of inequality are analyzed, along with the possible cures, depends partly on how inequality is measured. Deininger and Olinto use assets (land) rather than income - and a GMM estimator - to examine the robustness of the relationship between inequality and growth that has been observed in the cross-sectional literature but has been drawn into question by recent studies using panel techniques. They find evidence that asset inequality - but not income inequality - has a relatively large negative impact on growth. They also find that a highly unequal distribution of assets reduces the effectiveness of educational interventions. This means that policymakers should be more concerned about households' access to assets, and to the opportunities associated with them, than about the distribution of income. Long-term growth might be improved by measures to prevent large jumps in asset inequality - possibly irreversible asset loss because of exogenous shocks - and by policies to facilitate asset accumulation by the poor. This paper - a product of Rural Development, Development Research Group - is part of a larger effort in the group to examine the determinants and impact of inequality. The authors may be contacted at kdeiningerworldbank.org or polinto@worldbank.org
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  • 36
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (50 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Levine, Ross New Firm Formation and Industry Growth
    Keywords: Banks and Banking Reform ; Debt Markets ; Economic Development ; Emerging Markets ; External Finance ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Development ; Financial Literacy ; Financial Structure ; Financial System ; Financial Systems ; Individual Investors ; Legal Protection ; Liquid Market ; Market ; Market Development ; Market Liquidity ; Markets ; Outside Investors ; Private Sector Development ; Public Markets ; Shareholders ; Shares ; Stock ; Transaction ; Transaction Costs ; Banks and Banking Reform ; Debt Markets ; Economic Development ; Emerging Markets ; External Finance ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Development ; Financial Literacy ; Financial Structure ; Financial System ; Financial Systems ; Individual Investors ; Legal Protection ; Liquid Market ; Market ; Market Development ; Market Liquidity ; Markets ; Outside Investors ; Private Sector Development ; Public Markets ; Shareholders ; Shares ; Stock ; Transaction ; Transaction Costs
    Abstract: June 2000 - Do industries that depend heavily on external finance grow faster in market-based or bank-based financial systems? Are new firms more likely to form in a bank-based or a market-based financial system? Beck and Levine find no evidence for the superiority of either market-based or bank-based financial systems for industries dependent on external financing. But they find overwhelming evidence that industries heavily dependent on external finance grow faster in economies with higher levels of financial development and with better legal protection for outside investors - including strong creditor and shareholder rights and strong contract enforcement mechanisms. Financial development also stimulates the establishment of new firms, which is consistent with the Schumpeterian view of creative destruction. Financial development matters. That the financial system is bank-based or market-based offers little additional information. This paper - a product of the Financial Sector Strategy and Policy Department - is part of a larger effort in the department to understand the link between financial development and economic growth. The authors may be contacted at tbeckworldbank.org or rlevine@csom.umn.edu
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  • 37
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (54 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Estache, Antonio The Long and Winding Path to Private Financing and Regulation of Toll Roads
    Keywords: Arterial Roads ; Costs ; Demand For Road Transport ; Freight ; Highway ; Highway Systems ; Investments ; Piers ; Rail ; Road ; Road Projects ; Road Sector ; Road Transport ; Toll ; Toll Road ; Toll Roads ; Traffic ; Transport ; Transport Activities ; Transport Economics, Policy and Planning ; Urban Roads ; Vehicles ; Arterial Roads ; Costs ; Demand For Road Transport ; Freight ; Highway ; Highway Systems ; Investments ; Piers ; Rail ; Road ; Road Projects ; Road Sector ; Road Transport ; Toll ; Toll Road ; Toll Roads ; Traffic ; Transport ; Transport Activities ; Transport Economics, Policy and Planning ; Urban Roads ; Vehicles
    Abstract: July 2000 - This guide to the issues at stake when toll roads are privatized answers many questions that privatization teams and regulators should be asking-providing useful information to project specialists, many of whom are now learning how much they did not know when they started. Road transport has long been the dominant form of transport for freight and passenger movement throughout the world. Because most road projects require investments with long amortization periods and because many projects do not generate enough demand to become self-financing through some type of user fee or toll, the road sector remains in the hands of the public sector to a much greater extent than other transport activities. But governments throughout the world, including those of many poor African and South Asian countries, are commercializing their operations to cut costs, improve user orientation, and increase sector-specific revenue. There seems to be demand for toll roads in specific settings, but the problems met by many of this first generation of road concessions-from Mexico to Thailand-have given toll projects a bad reputation. Many mistakes were made, and tolling is obviously not the best solution for every road. Most of the alternatives aim at improving efficiency (lowering costs). But there are many ways of getting the private sector involved in toll roads, thus reducing public sector financing requirements for the sector. Understanding the context in which toll roads are viable is essential both for their initial success and for effective long-run regulation. Estache, Romero, and Strong provide a broad overview of issues at stake from the viewpoint of both privatization teams and regulators responsible for supervising contractual commitments of private operators and the government, to each other and to users. This paper-a product of Governance, Regulation, and Finance, World Bank Institute-is part of a larger effort in the institute to increase understanding of infrastructure regulation. The authors may be contacted at aestacheworldbank.org or jstrong@worldbank.org
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  • 38
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (44 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Agénor, Pierre-Richard Savings and the Terms of Trade under Borrowing Constraints
    Keywords: Arbitrage ; Capital Markets ; Consumers ; Consumption ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Exports ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Income ; Liquidity ; Macroeconomic Shocks ; Macroeconomics ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Marginal Utility ; Open Economy ; Permanent Income ; Political Economy ; Prices ; Private Sector Development ; Real GDP ; Real Interest Rate ; Savings ; Trade ; Utility ; Variables ; Welfare ; Arbitrage ; Capital Markets ; Consumers ; Consumption ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Exports ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Income ; Liquidity ; Macroeconomic Shocks ; Macroeconomics ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Marginal Utility ; Open Economy ; Permanent Income ; Political Economy ; Prices ; Private Sector Development ; Real GDP ; Real Interest Rate ; Savings ; Trade ; Utility ; Variables ; Welfare
    Abstract: June 2000 - When households face the possibility of borrowing constraints in bad times, favorable movements in the permanent component of the terms of trade may lead to higher rates of private savings. Agénor and Aizenman examine the extent to which permanent terms-of-trade shocks have an asymmetric effect on private savings. Using a simple three-period model, they show that if households expect to face binding constraints on borrowing in bad states of nature (when the economy is in a long trough rather than a sharp peak), savings rates will respond asymmetrically to favorable movements in the permanent component of the terms of trade-in contrast with the predictions of conventional consumption-smoothing models. They test for asymmetric effects of terms-of-trade disturbances using an econometric model that controls for various standard determinants of private savings. The results-based on panel data for nonoil commodity exporters of Sub-Saharan Africa for 1980-96 (a group of countries for which movements in the terms of trade have traditionally represented a key source of macroeconomic shocks)-indicate that increases in the permanent component of the terms of trade (measured using three alternative filtering techniques) indeed tend to be associated with higher rates of private savings. This paper is a product of Economic Policy and Poverty Reduction, World Bank Institute. Pierre-Richard Agénor may be contacted at pagenorworldbank.org
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  • 39
    Online Resource
    Online Resource
    Washington, D.C : The World Bank
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (56 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Laeven, Luc Does Financial Liberalization Relax Financing Constraints on Firms?
    Keywords: Administrative Controls ; Allocation Of Cred Banking Sector ; Banks and Banking Reform ; Barriers To Entry ; Credit Programs ; Currencies and Exchange Rates ; Debt Markets ; Deposits ; Developing Countries ; Directed Cred Emerging Economies ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Intermediation ; Financial Liberalization ; Financial Literacy ; Financial Market ; Financial System ; Household Savings ; Informational Asymmetries ; Interest ; Interest Rate ; Interest Rates ; Investment ; Investment and Investment Climate ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Non Bank Financial Institutions ; Private Sector Development ; Securities ; Securities Markets ; Administrative Controls ; Allocation Of Cred Banking Sector ; Banks and Banking Reform ; Barriers To Entry ; Credit Programs ; Currencies and Exchange Rates ; Debt Markets ; Deposits ; Developing Countries ; Directed Cred Emerging Economies ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Intermediation ; Financial Liberalization ; Financial Literacy ; Financial Market ; Financial System ; Household Savings ; Informational Asymmetries ; Interest ; Interest Rate ; Interest Rates ; Investment ; Investment and Investment Climate ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Non Bank Financial Institutions ; Private Sector Development ; Securities ; Securities Markets
    Abstract: October 2000 - Financial liberalization reduces imperfections in financial markets by reducing the agency costs of financial leverage. Small firms gain most from liberalization, because the favoritism of preferential credit directed to large firms tends to disappear under liberalization. Laeven uses panel data on 394 firms in 13 developing countries for the years 1988–98 to learn whether financial liberalization relaxes financing constraints on firms. He finds that liberalization affects small and large firms differently. Small firms are financially constrained before liberalization begins but become less so after liberalization. The financing constraints on large firms, however, are low both before and after liberalization. The initial difference between small and large firms disappears over time. Laeven hypothesizes that financial liberalization has little effect on the financing constraints of large firms because they have better access to preferential directed credit in the period before liberalization.Financial liberalization also reduces imperfections in financial markets, especially the asymmetric information costs of firms’ financial leverage. Countries that liberalize their financial sectors tend to see dramatic improvements in political climate as well. Successful financial liberalization seems to require both the political will and the ability to stop the preferential treatment of well-connected, usually large, firms. This paper—a product of the Financial Sector Strategy and Policy Department—is part of a larger effort in the department to study the benefits and risks of financial liberalization. The author may be contacted at llaevenworldbank.org
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  • 40
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (44 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Vegas, Emiliana School Choice, Student Performance, and Teacher and School Characteristics
    Keywords: Degrees ; Education ; Education for All ; High School Grade Average ; Learning ; Ministry of Education ; Papers ; Private Schools ; Research ; Researchers ; School ; Schools ; Secondary Education ; Student ; Student Achievement ; Tertiary Education ; Degrees ; Education ; Education for All ; High School Grade Average ; Learning ; Ministry of Education ; Papers ; Private Schools ; Research ; Researchers ; School ; Schools ; Secondary Education ; Student ; Student Achievement ; Tertiary Education
    Abstract: Vegas explores how schools change in response to increased competition generated by voucher programs in Chile. A unique data set provides information on teacher demographics and labor market characteristics, as well as teachers' perceptions of school management. When teacher data are marched with school-level data on student achievement using a national assessment data set (SIMCE), some teacher and school characteristics affect student performance, but a great deal of unexplained variance among sectors remains important in predicting student outcomes. Teacher education, decentralization of decisionmaking authority, whether the school schedule is strictly enforced, and the extent to which teachers have autonomy in designing teaching plans and implementing projects all appear to affect student outcomes. Interestingly, teacher autonomy has positive effects on student outcomes only when decisionmaking authority is decentralized. This paper--a product of Public Services, Development Research Group--is part of a larger effort in the group to understand the role of incentives in education. The author may be contacted at evegasworldbank.org
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  • 41
    Online Resource
    Online Resource
    Washington, D.C : The World Bank
    Language: English
    Pages: 1 Online-Ressource
    Series Statement: Speeches of World Bank Presidents
    Series Statement: World Bank E-Library Archive
    Abstract: James D. Wolfensohn, President of the World Bank Group, discussed the global financial architecture and developing countries. A stable financial architecture cannot be achieved without the proper structural, institutional, social and human foundations needed to make a modern market economy work. He identified the elements that should guide the choices of national governments, and the work that international institutions can do to assist them, and partnerships and co-operation between institutions. These include, first, good governance, strong public institutions, and a system that fights corruption; second, strong legal and a justice system able to guarantee the execution of those laws; and third, a well-regulated financial superstructure. Our social agenda should begin with those elements at the very heart of ensuring an opportunity at all levels of society: a good health system and an education system available to boys and girls equally. The environment is a crucial element in our foundation. We must resist a one-size-fits-all approach. At the Bank we work toward a comprehensive development framework agreed with each partner country
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  • 42
    Language: English
    Pages: 1 Online-Ressource
    Series Statement: Speeches of World Bank Presidents
    Series Statement: World Bank E-Library Archive
    Abstract: James D. Wolfensohn, President of the World Bank Group, discussed what the Bank learned in coming to look at the issues of poverty and development. Development requires proper economic policies, but also the essential element of the social aspects and human aspects of society. The Bank's focus is to think first in terms of poverty-fighting poverty with passion was adopted recently as the first line of our mission statement. Wolfensohn discussed an agenda for action on the issues of inclusion, corruption, transparency, education, knowledge, and private sector environment. How we attack this agenda must be a partnership between governments, multilaterals, such as the Bank, and the bilateral institutions, the private sector, and civil society in all its forms-from non-government organizations (NGOs) to trade unions, from religions to foundations, from spokesmen for ordinary people
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  • 43
    Online Resource
    Online Resource
    Washington, D.C : The World Bank
    Language: English
    Pages: 1 Online-Ressource
    Series Statement: Speeches of World Bank Presidents
    Series Statement: World Bank E-Library Archive
    Abstract: James D. Wolfensohn, President of the World Bank Group, discussed the Bank's focus on the social sector. Since the realignment of the focus of the Bank after the initial objectives of the Bretton Woods agreements for the reconstruction after World War II were met, the more recent and continuing focus has been on development and on the issues of poverty and the issues of sustainable development. On the Bank's agenda are: first, good governance; second, the legal and justice system; third, an effective supervisory mechanism for banks and capital markets; and finally, a social safety net to deal with the impact of financial crises upon the poor
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  • 44
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (44 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Fleming, Alex Integrated Financial Supervision
    Keywords: Accountability ; Bank ; Bank Of England ; Banking ; Banking Crises ; Banking Supervision ; Banks and Banking Reform ; Debt Markets ; Economies ; Emerging Markets ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Conglomerates ; Financial Crises ; Financial Intermediation ; Financial Literacy ; Financial Markets ; Financial Regulation ; Financial Services ; Financial Stability ; Financial Structure ; Governance ; Insurance ; Insurance and Risk Mitigation ; Interest ; Private Sector Development ; Safety & Soundness ; Supervisory Agencies ; Supervisory Framework ; Accountability ; Bank ; Bank Of England ; Banking ; Banking Crises ; Banking Supervision ; Banks and Banking Reform ; Debt Markets ; Economies ; Emerging Markets ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Conglomerates ; Financial Crises ; Financial Intermediation ; Financial Literacy ; Financial Markets ; Financial Regulation ; Financial Services ; Financial Stability ; Financial Structure ; Governance ; Insurance ; Insurance and Risk Mitigation ; Interest ; Private Sector Development ; Safety & Soundness ; Supervisory Agencies ; Supervisory Framework
    Abstract: November 1999 - In the past, financial supervision tended to be organized around specialist agencies for the banking, securities, and insurance sectors. In recent years, several countries have moved toward integrating these different supervisory functions in a single agency. Drawing on Northern European experience - where three Scandinavian countries have practiced integrated supervision for the past 10 years - Taylor and Fleming address three policy-related issues associated with the integrated model: · Under what conditions should (or should not) a country consider moving toward an integrated model of financial supervision? Clearly, for a small transition or developing economy, or an economy with a small financial sector, the economies of scale from establishing an integrated agency outweigh the costs of moving to such a model. A strong case can also be made for an integrated approach in a financial sector dominated by banks, with little role for capital markets or a highly integrated financial sector. · How should an integrated agency be structured, organized, and managed? There is no single obviously correct organizational structure, and existing agencies are experimenting with a variety of forms. An institutionally based structure has the virtue of simplicity and can be implemented fairly quickly, but tends to preserve the cultures and identities of the predecessor agencies more than is optimal. Whatever the structure, integrated supervision requires active management to secure the potential benefits that the approach offers. · How should the integration process be implemented? While the decision to move to an integrated agency must be carefully thought through in the context of the country concerned, the more difficult part is implementation, which must be sensitively managed. Once the decision has been made, implementation should take place as quickly as possible. A well-conceived change management process should aim to overcome the cultural barriers associated with the previous fragmented structure. Taylor and Fleming's review of Northern European experience with integration of financial supervision raises a range of questions relevant to developing and transition economies, which they discuss. This paper - a product of the Private and Financial Sectors Development Unit, Europe and Central Asia Region - is part of a larger effort in the region to assist transition economies in strengthening the legal and regulatory framework for their financial sectors. The authors may be contacted at mtaylorimf.org or afleming@worldbank.org
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  • 45
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (48 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Soloaga, Isidro What's Behind Mercosur's Common External Tariff?
    Keywords: Currencies and Exchange Rates ; Debt Markets ; Domestic Market ; Economic Policy ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; External Tariff ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Free Trade ; International Economics & Trade ; International Market ; International Markets ; International Prices ; International Trade ; International Trade and Trade Rules ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Markets and Market Access ; Multilateral System ; Political Economy ; Private Sector Development ; Public Sector Development ; Regionalism ; Share Of World Exports ; Tariff Data ; Tariff Levels ; Tariff Structures ; Tariffs ; Terms Of Trade ; Trade ; Trade Effects ; Trade Externalities ; Trade Policy ; Trade Policy ; World Prices ; Currencies and Exchange Rates ; Debt Markets ; Domestic Market ; Economic Policy ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; External Tariff ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Free Trade ; International Economics & Trade ; International Market ; International Markets ; International Prices ; International Trade ; International Trade and Trade Rules ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Markets and Market Access ; Multilateral System ; Political Economy ; Private Sector Development ; Public Sector Development ; Regionalism ; Share Of World Exports ; Tariff Data ; Tariff Levels ; Tariff Structures ; Tariffs ; Terms Of Trade ; Trade ; Trade Effects ; Trade Externalities ; Trade Policy ; Trade Policy ; World Prices
    Abstract: Most researchers focus on the political economy (interest group pressures) approach to analyzing why customs unions are formed, but terms-of-trade effects were also important in formation of the Common Market of the Southern Cone (Mercosur). Terms-of-trade externalities among Mercosur's members have been internalized in the common external tariff. - The theoretical literature on trade follows two different approaches to explaining the endogenous formation of customs unions: (1) The terms-of-trade approach, in which integrating partners are willing to exploit terms-of-trade effects. Using the terms-of-trade approach, one concludes that tariffs on imports from the rest of the world should increase after the formation of a regional bloc, because the market power of the region increases and terms-of-trade externalities can be internalized in the custom union's common external tariff. As the union forms, the domestic market gets larger and members' international market power increases. (2) The interest group pressures (political economy) approach, in which, for example, the customs union may offer the potential for exchanging markets or protection within the enlarged market. Using this approach, one would usually conclude that tariffs for the rest of the world decline after the custom union's formation - a rationale related to free-rider effects in larger lobbying groups. It is important to recognize the forces behind the formation of customs unions. Most researchers have focused on the second approach and neglected terms of trade as a possible explanatory variable. Both rationales explain a significant share of tariff information. Results, write Olarreaga, Soloaga, and Winters, suggest that both forces were important in formation of the Common Market of the Southern Cone (Mercosur). Terms-of-trade effects account for between 6 percent and 28 percent of the explained variation in the structure of protection. There is also evidence that the terms-of-trade externalities among Mercosur's members have been internalized in the common external tariff. This paper - a product of Trade, Development Research Group - is part of a larger effort in the group to understand the political economy of trade protection. Marcelo Olarreaga may be contacted at molarreagaworldbank.org
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  • 46
    Online Resource
    Online Resource
    Washington, D.C : The World Bank
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (28 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Lall, Somik Valuing Water for Chinese Industries
    Keywords: Economic Theory and Research ; Energy ; Energy Production and Transportation ; Environment ; Environmental Economics and Policies ; Groundwater ; Industrial Sector ; Industrial Use ; Industrial Water ; Industrial Water Demand ; Industrial Water Use ; Industry ; Industry ; Infrastructure Economics and Finance ; Infrastructure Regulation ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Municipal Wastewater ; Pollution ; Production Process ; Research ; River Basins ; Rivers ; Town Water Supply and Sanitation ; Water ; Water Conservation ; Water Conservation ; Water Recycling ; Water Resources ; Water Shortage ; Water Shortages ; Water Supply ; Water Supply and Sanitation ; Water Supply and Sanitation Governance and Institutions ; Water Supply and Systems ; Water Treatment ; Water Use ; Water and Industry ; Economic Theory and Research ; Energy ; Energy Production and Transportation ; Environment ; Environmental Economics and Policies ; Groundwater ; Industrial Sector ; Industrial Use ; Industrial Water ; Industrial Water Demand ; Industrial Water Use ; Industry ; Industry ; Infrastructure Economics and Finance ; Infrastructure Regulation ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Municipal Wastewater ; Pollution ; Production Process ; Research ; River Basins ; Rivers ; Town Water Supply and Sanitation ; Water ; Water Conservation ; Water Conservation ; Water Recycling ; Water Resources ; Water Shortage ; Water Shortages ; Water Supply ; Water Supply and Sanitation ; Water Supply and Sanitation Governance and Institutions ; Water Supply and Systems ; Water Treatment ; Water Use ; Water and Industry
    Abstract: The marginal productivity of water used for industry varies among sectors in China, but there is great potential for the Chinese government to save water by raising water prices to industry, to encourage water conservation. - Using plant-level data on more than 1,000 Chinese industrial plants, Wang and Lall estimate a production function treating capital, labor, water, and raw material as inputs to industrial production. They then estimate the marginal productivity of water based on the estimated production function. Using the marginal productivity approach to valuing water for industrial use, they also derive a model and estimates for the price elasticity of water use by Chinese industries. Previous studies used water demand functions and total cost functions to estimate firms' willingness to pay for water use. They find that the marginal productivity of water varies among sectors in China, with an industry average of 2.5 yuan per cubic meter of water. The average price elasticity of industrial water demand is about -1.0, suggesting a great potential for the Chinese government to use pricing policies to encourage water conservation in the industrial sector. Increasing water prices would reduce water use substantially. This paper - a product of Infrastructure and Environment, Development Research Group - is part of a larger effort in the group to understand the economics of industrial pollution control in developing countries
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  • 47
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (80 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Orenstein, A. Mitchell How Politics and Institutions Affect Pension Reform in Three Postcommunist Countries
    Keywords: Bank ; Bank Involvement ; Children and Youth ; Contributions ; Debt Markets ; Emerging Markets ; Expense ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Interest ; Investment ; Investment Returns ; Pension ; Pension Accounts ; Pension Reform ; Pension Reforms ; Pension System ; Pensioners ; Pensions and Retirement Systems ; Private Pension ; Private Pension Funds ; Private Sector Development ; Public Sector Corruption and Anticorruption Measures ; Purchase ; Retirement ; Social Protections and Labor ; State Pension ; Trade Unions ; Working Life ; Bank ; Bank Involvement ; Children and Youth ; Contributions ; Debt Markets ; Emerging Markets ; Expense ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Interest ; Investment ; Investment Returns ; Pension ; Pension Accounts ; Pension Reform ; Pension Reforms ; Pension System ; Pensioners ; Pensions and Retirement Systems ; Private Pension ; Private Pension Funds ; Private Sector Development ; Public Sector Corruption and Anticorruption Measures ; Purchase ; Retirement ; Social Protections and Labor ; State Pension ; Trade Unions ; Working Life
    Abstract: March 2000 - During reform's three phases - commitment-building, coalition-building, and implementation - there are tradeoffs among inclusiveness (of process), radicalism (of reform), and participation in, and compliance with, the new system. Including more, and more various, veto and proposal actors early in the deliberative process may increase buy-in and compliance when pension reform is implemented, but at the expense of faster and greater change. Orenstein examines the political and institutional processes that produced fundamental pension reform in three postcommunist countries: Hungary, Kazakhstan, and Poland. He tests various hypotheses about the relationship between deliberative process and outcomes through detailed case studies of pension reform. The outcomes of reform were similar: each country implemented a mandatory funded pension system as part of reform, but the extent and configuration of changes differed greatly. Countries with more veto actors - social and institutional actors with an effective veto over reform - engaged in less radical reform, as theory predicted. Poland and Hungary generated less radical change than Kazakhstan, partly because they have more representative political systems, to which more associations, interest groups, and proposal actors have access. Proposal actors shape the reform agenda and influence the positions of key veto actors. Pension reform takes longer in countries with more veto and proposal actors, such as Poland and Hungary. Legacies of policy, the development of civil society, and international organizations also profoundly affect the shape and progress of reform. Orenstein sees pension reform as happening in three phases: commitment-building, coalition-building, and implementation. He presents hypotheses about tradeoffs among inclusiveness (of process), radicalism (of reform), and participation in, and compliance with, the new system. One hypothesis: Including more, and more various, veto and proposal actors early in the deliberative process increases buy-in and compliance when reform is implemented, but at the expense of faster and greater change. Early challenges in implementation in all three countries, but especially in Kazakhstan, suggest the importance of improving buy-in through inclusive deliberative processes, where possible. This paper - a product of Poverty and Human Resources, Development Research Group - is part of a larger effort in the group to study the political economy of pension reform. This study was funded by the Bank's Research Support Budget under the research project The Political Economy of Pension Reform (RPO 682-17). The author may be contacted at morenstmaxwell.syr.edu
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  • 48
    Online Resource
    Online Resource
    Washington, D.C : The World Bank
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (38 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Smarzynska, Beata Technological Leadership and Foreign Investors' Choice of Entry Mode
    Keywords: Advertising ; Agricultural Knowledge and Information Systems ; Agriculture ; Buyer ; Debt Markets ; E-Business ; Emerging Markets ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Foreign Direct Investment ; Foreign Direct Investment ; Foreign Investment ; Foreign Investments ; Industry ; Information ; Intangible Assets ; International Economics & Trade ; International Trade ; Investment and Investment Climate ; Joint Ventures ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Manufacturing ; Manufacturing Industries ; Marketing ; Microfinance ; New Technologies ; Private Information ; Private Sector Development ; Profits ; Proprietary Knowledge ; R&D ; Results ; Rural Development ; Technology ; Technology Industry ; Transactions ; Water Resources ; Water and Industry ; Advertising ; Agricultural Knowledge and Information Systems ; Agriculture ; Buyer ; Debt Markets ; E-Business ; Emerging Markets ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Foreign Direct Investment ; Foreign Direct Investment ; Foreign Investment ; Foreign Investments ; Industry ; Information ; Intangible Assets ; International Economics & Trade ; International Trade ; Investment and Investment Climate ; Joint Ventures ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Manufacturing ; Manufacturing Industries ; Marketing ; Microfinance ; New Technologies ; Private Information ; Private Sector Development ; Profits ; Proprietary Knowledge ; R&D ; Results ; Rural Development ; Technology ; Technology Industry ; Transactions ; Water Resources ; Water and Industry
    Abstract: April 2000 - Developing country governments tend to favor joint ventures over other forms of foreign direct investment, believing that local participation facilitates the transfer of technology and marketing skills. However, foreign investors who are technological or marketing leaders in their industries are more likely to invest in wholly owned projects than to share ownership. Thus in R&D-intensive sectors joint ventures may offer less potential for transferring technology and marketing techniques than wholly owned subsidiaries. Developing country governments tend to favor joint ventures over other forms of foreign direct investment, believing that local participation facilitates the transfer of technology and marketing skills. Smarzynska assesses joint ventures' potential for such transfers by comparing the characteristics of foreign investors engaged in joint ventures with those of foreign investors engaged in wholly owned projects in transition economies in the early 1990s. Unlike the existing literature, Smarzynska focuses on intra-industry differences rather than interindustry differences in R&D and advertising intensity. Empirical analysis shows that foreign investors who are technological or marketing leaders in their industries are more likely to invest in wholly owned projects than to share ownership. This is true in high- and medium-technology sectors but not in industries with low R&D spending. Smarzynska concludes that it is inappropriate to treat industries as homogeneous in investigating modes of investment. She also suggests that in sectors with high R&D spending joint ventures may present less potential for transfer of technology and marketing techniques than wholly owned subsidiaries. This paper - a product of Trade, Development Research Group - is part of a larger effort in the group to study the contribution of trade and foreign direct investment to technology transfer. The author may be contacted at bsmarzynskaworldbank.org
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  • 49
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (58 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Dutz, A. Mark Regulatory Reform, Competition, and Innovation
    Keywords: Bottlenecks ; Costs ; Efficient Transport ; Freight ; Freight Services ; Freight Transport ; Highways ; Infrastructure ; Policies ; Road ; Road Transport ; Transport ; Transport Corridors ; Transport Economics, Policy and Planning ; Transport Industry ; Transport Requirements ; Transport Sector ; Transport Services ; Transportation ; Transportation Costs ; Transportation Services ; Trucks ; Bottlenecks ; Costs ; Efficient Transport ; Freight ; Freight Services ; Freight Transport ; Highways ; Infrastructure ; Policies ; Road ; Road Transport ; Transport ; Transport Corridors ; Transport Economics, Policy and Planning ; Transport Industry ; Transport Requirements ; Transport Sector ; Transport Services ; Transportation ; Transportation Costs ; Transportation Services ; Trucks
    Abstract: April 2000 - Regulatory reform can spur innovations in infrastructure services, generating new downstream activities and magnifying the economywide benefits of reform. The national competition agency can help greatly in laying the groundwork for reform by making a compelling case for the reform's expected benefits. Discussions of competition and regulatory reform typically focus on price and quantity effects. But improving certain infrastructure services can also stimulate entry and competition in user industries downstream, allowing new firms to enter, incumbent users to offer new products, and rivalry to intensify. Dutz, Hayri, and Ibarra present a case study of how innovations in road freight services affect selected downstream users of those services after regulatory reform. After a period of rigid regulation and heavy government interference, Mexico in 1989 developed a new policy framework for road transport, with free entry and market-based price setting. The result: faster, more reliable trucking has allowed user companies to offer new, previously unavailable products and to reach new areas with existing products. Cheaper, more customer-responsive trucking services have allowed logistical innovations in user firms, and some user firms have decided not to keep their own fleets of trucks but to outsource trucking services on the open market, thereby converting fixed costs to variable costs. For one fertilizer company, the benefits of reform included a 10 percent improvement in operating margin. Successful reform requires careful planning and execution and political support at high levels. Regulatory reform also profoundly changes the sectoral institution formerly responsible for the regulation. Enough resources should be provided to help organizations in the reformed industry make the transition to the post-reform environment - helping with such tasks as defining the organization's new role and facilitating the redeployment of staff. The national competition agency can help greatly in laying the groundwork for reform by making a compelling case for the reform's expected benefits. After reform, the competition agency should also help with enforcement, to ensure that the cozy, cartel-like behavior stimulated by tight entry restrictions does not persist. In Mexico, three strong interventions were required to discipline attempted anti-competitive practices in the trucking industry in the years following reform. This paper is a product of Public Economics, Development Research Group. The study was funded by the Bank's Research Support Budget under the research project Competition and Barriers to Entrepreneurship (RPO 682-57). The authors may be contacted at mdutzworldbank.org, ahayri@dttus.com, or ibarrarodriguez_pablo@jpmorgan.com
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  • 50
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (42 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Sambanis, Nicholas Ethnic Partition as a Solution to Ethnic War
    Keywords: Agreement ; Alliances ; Atrocities ; Children and Youth ; Civil War ; Civil Wars ; Conflict ; Conflict and Development ; Constraints ; Economy ; Genocide ; Hazard Risk Management ; Health, Nutrition and Population ; Human Rights ; International Affairs ; International Community ; Negotiated Settlement ; Peace ; Peace and Peacekeeping ; Polarization ; Population Policies ; Post Conflict Reconstruction ; Post Conflict Reintegration ; Rebels ; Reconciliation ; Reconstruction ; Urban Development ; Violence ; Violent Conflict ; War ; Agreement ; Alliances ; Atrocities ; Children and Youth ; Civil War ; Civil Wars ; Conflict ; Conflict and Development ; Constraints ; Economy ; Genocide ; Hazard Risk Management ; Health, Nutrition and Population ; Human Rights ; International Affairs ; International Community ; Negotiated Settlement ; Peace ; Peace and Peacekeeping ; Polarization ; Population Policies ; Post Conflict Reconstruction ; Post Conflict Reintegration ; Rebels ; Reconciliation ; Reconstruction ; Urban Development ; Violence ; Violent Conflict ; War
    Abstract: October 1999 - Partition theorists argue that when violent ethnic conflict is intense, civil politics cannot be restored unless ethnic groups are demographically separated into defensible enclaves. The empirical evidence suggests otherwise. Some theorists of ethnic conflict argue that the physical separation of warring ethnic groups may be the only possible solution to civil war. Without territorial partition and (if needed) forced population movements, they argue, ethnic war cannot end and genocide is likely. Other scholars have counterargued that partition only replaces internal war with international war, creates undemocratic successor states, and generates tremendous human suffering. So far this debate has been informed by few important case studies. Sambanis uses a new set of data on civil wars to identify the main determinants of ethnic partitions and to estimate their impact on the probability of war's recurrence, on low-grade ethnic violence, and on the political institutions of successor states. Sambanis's analysis is the first large-sample quantitative analysis of the subject, testing the propositions of partition theory and weighing heavily on the side of its critics. He shows that almost all the assertions of partition theorists fail to pass rigorous empirical tests. He finds that, on average, partition does not significantly reduce the probability of new violence. A better strategy might be to combine ethnic groups, but most important is to establish credible and equitable systems of governance. It is also important not to load the strategy with subjective premises about the necessity of ethnically pure states and about the futility of interethnic cooperation. This paper - a product of Public Economics, Development Research Group - is part of a larger effort in the group to study the economics of civil wars. The author may be contacted at nsambanisworldbank.org〉
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  • 51
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (34 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Hoekman, Bernard Competition Policy, Developing Countries, and the World Trade Organization
    Keywords: Access to Markets ; Barriers ; Competition ; Competition Policies ; Competition Policy ; Developing Countries ; Developing Country ; Domestic Competition ; Economic Development ; Economic Theory and Research ; Education ; Emerging Markets ; Export Markets ; Foreign Competition ; Free Trade ; ICT Policy and Strategies ; Information and Communication Technologies ; Interest ; Interests ; International Cooperation ; International Economics & Trade ; Investment ; Investment Policies ; Jurisdictions ; Knowledge for Development ; Labor Policies ; Law and Development ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Market Access ; Markets and Market Access ; Monopoly ; Private Sector Development ; Public Sector Development ; Social Protections and Labor ; Trade Law ; Trade Policy ; Traditional Market ; World Trade ; Access to Markets ; Barriers ; Competition ; Competition Policies ; Competition Policy ; Developing Countries ; Developing Country ; Domestic Competition ; Economic Development ; Economic Theory and Research ; Education ; Emerging Markets ; Export Markets ; Foreign Competition ; Free Trade ; ICT Policy and Strategies ; Information and Communication Technologies ; Interest ; Interests ; International Cooperation ; International Economics & Trade ; Investment ; Investment Policies ; Jurisdictions ; Knowledge for Development ; Labor Policies ; Law and Development ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Market Access ; Markets and Market Access ; Monopoly ; Private Sector Development ; Public Sector Development ; Social Protections and Labor ; Trade Law ; Trade Policy ; Traditional Market ; World Trade
    Abstract: October 1999 - Developing countries have a great interest in pursuing active domestic competition policy but should do so independent of the World Trade Organization - which they should use to improve market access through further reduction in direct barriers to trade in goods and services. Hoekman and Holmes discuss developing country interests in including competition law disciplines in the World Trade Organization (WTO). Developing countries have a great interest in pursuing active domestic competition policy, they conclude, but should do so independent of the WTO. Given the mercantilist basis of multilateral trade negotiations, the WTO is less likely to be a powerful instrument for encouraging adoption of welfare-enhancing competition rules than it is to be a forum for abolishing cross-border measures. Developing countries should therefore give priority to using the WTO to improve market access - to further reduce direct barriers to trade in goods and services. This paper - a product of Trade, Development Research Group - is part of a larger effort in the group to analyze issues that may be the subject of WTO negotiations. The authors may be contacted at bhoekmanworldbank.org or p.holmes@sussex.ac.uk
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  • 52
    Online Resource
    Online Resource
    Washington, D.C : The World Bank
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (22 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Gatti, Roberta Corruption and Trade Tariffs, or a Case for Uniform Tariffs
    Keywords: Accounting ; Currencies and Exchange Rates ; Customs Administration and Reform ; Debt Markets ; Developing Countries ; Economic Efficiency ; Economic Theory and Research ; Exchange ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Free Trade ; Future ; Good ; Goods ; Government Revenue ; Government Revenues ; International Economics & Trade ; International Trade and Trade Rules ; Law and Development ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Market ; Market Prices ; Open Economy ; Public Sector Corruption and Anticorruption Measures ; Public Sector Development ; Returns ; Revenue ; Share ; Tariff ; Tariffs ; Tax ; Tax Law ; Taxes ; Trade Policy ; Transparency ; Accounting ; Currencies and Exchange Rates ; Customs Administration and Reform ; Debt Markets ; Developing Countries ; Economic Efficiency ; Economic Theory and Research ; Exchange ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Free Trade ; Future ; Good ; Goods ; Government Revenue ; Government Revenues ; International Economics & Trade ; International Trade and Trade Rules ; Law and Development ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Market ; Market Prices ; Open Economy ; Public Sector Corruption and Anticorruption Measures ; Public Sector Development ; Returns ; Revenue ; Share ; Tariff ; Tariffs ; Tax ; Tax Law ; Taxes ; Trade Policy ; Transparency
    Abstract: November 1999 - A highly diversified trade tariff menu may fuel bribe-taking behavior. Setting trade tariff rates at a uniform level limits public officials' ability to extract bribes from importers. By explicitly accounting for the interaction between importers and corrupt customs officials, Gatti argues that setting trade tariff rates at a uniform level limits public officials' ability to extract bribes from importers. If the government's main objective is to raise revenues at the minimum cost to welfare, optimally-set tariff rates will be inversely proportional to the elasticity of demand for imports. So they will generally differ across goods. Such a menu of tariff rates endows customs officials with the opportunity to extract rent from importers. If officials have enough discretionary power, they might threaten to misclassify goods into more heavily taxed categories unless importers pay them a bribe. Because of the bribe, the effective tariff rate for the importing firm increases, so demand for the good decreases. The resulting drop in import demand implies an efficiency loss as well as lower government revenues, compared with the optimal taxation benchmark without corruption. A similar argument applies when customs officials offer to classify goods into low-tariff categories in exchange for a bribe. Setting trade tariffs at a uniform level eliminates officials' opportunities to extract rents. Thus, when corruption is pervasive, a uniform tariff can deliver more government revenues and welfare than the optimally set (Ramsey) tariff benchmark. The empirical evidence confirms that these considerations are relevant to policymaking, since a robust association between the standard deviation of trade tariffs - a measure of the diversification of tariff menus - and corruption emerges across countries. This paper - a product of Macroeconomics and Growth, Development Research Group - is part of a larger effort in the group to study corruption. Please contact Roberta Gatti, Internet address rgattiworldbank.org
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  • 53
    Online Resource
    Online Resource
    Washington, D.C : The World Bank
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (38 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Kraay, Aart Growth Forecasts Using Time Series and Growth Models
    Keywords: Actual Outcomes ; Country Variation ; Cross-Country Growth Regressions ; Economic Forecasting ; Explanatory Variables ; First-Order ; Forecast ; Forecast Performance ; Forecasting ; Future Growth ; Growth Forecasts ; Growth Models ; Growth Projections ; Growth Regression ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Popular Empirical Framework ; Relative Forecast Performance ; Sample Forecasting ; Time Series ; Time Series Model ; Time Series Models ; Time Series Variation ; Actual Outcomes ; Country Variation ; Cross-Country Growth Regressions ; Economic Forecasting ; Explanatory Variables ; First-Order ; Forecast ; Forecast Performance ; Forecasting ; Future Growth ; Growth Forecasts ; Growth Models ; Growth Projections ; Growth Regression ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Popular Empirical Framework ; Relative Forecast Performance ; Sample Forecasting ; Time Series ; Time Series Model ; Time Series Models ; Time Series Variation
    Abstract: November 1999 - It is difficult to choose the best model for forecasting real per capita GDP for a particular country or group of countries. This study suggests potential gains from combining time series and growth-regression-based approaches to forecasting. Kraay and Monokroussos consider two alternative methods of forecasting real per capita GDP at various horizons: · Univariate time series models estimated country by country. · Cross-country growth regressions. They evaluate the out-of-sample forecasting performance of both approaches for a large sample of industrial and developing countries. They find only modest differences between the two approaches. In almost all cases, differences in median (across countries) forecast performance are small relative to the large discrepancies between forecasts and actual outcomes. Interestingly, the performance of both models is similar to that of forecasts generated by the World Bank's Unified Survey. The results do not provide a compelling case for one approach over another, but they do indicate that there are potential gains from combining time series and growth-regression-based forecasting approaches. This paper - a product of Macroeconomics and Growth, Development Research Group - is part of a larger effort in the group to improve the understanding of economic growth. The authors may be contacted at akraayworldbank.org or gmonokroussos@worldbank.org
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  • 54
    Online Resource
    Online Resource
    Washington, D.C : The World Bank
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (40 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Honohan, Patrick Fiscal Contingency Planning for Banking Crises
    Keywords: Accounting ; Balance Sheet ; Banking Crises ; Banks and Banking Reform ; Budget ; Contingency Planning ; Conversion ; Debt Markets ; Depositors ; Emerging Markets ; Expenditure ; Expenditures ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Instruments ; Financial Literacy ; Fiscal Authorities ; Fiscal Policy ; Future ; Liabilities ; Liability ; Monetary Authorities ; Moral Hazard ; Private Sector Development ; Revenue ; Tax ; Tax Rates ; Accounting ; Balance Sheet ; Banking Crises ; Banks and Banking Reform ; Budget ; Contingency Planning ; Conversion ; Debt Markets ; Depositors ; Emerging Markets ; Expenditure ; Expenditures ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Instruments ; Financial Literacy ; Fiscal Authorities ; Fiscal Policy ; Future ; Liabilities ; Liability ; Monetary Authorities ; Moral Hazard ; Private Sector Development ; Revenue ; Tax ; Tax Rates
    Abstract: November 1999 - Estimating the likely fiscal costs of future banking crises requires information about the size and composition of the banks' balance sheets and expert assessments about the accuracy of the accounting data and about certain short-term risks. There is constant demand for an estimate of the likely fiscal costs of future banking crises, but little precision can be expected in such an estimate. Honohan shows how information that is typically available to authorities could be used to get a general sense of the order of magnitude of the direct fiscal liability. What is required for such an estimate? · Information about the size and composition of the banks' balance sheets. · Expert assessments of the accuracy of the accounting data and of specific short-term risks to which the components are known to be subject. Honohan's method distinguishes between losses that have already crystallized and the changing risks for the immediate future. By including contingency planning for banking collapse in their fiscal calculations, authorities may risk destabilizing expectations or worsening the moral hazard in the system. But the risks of contingency planning generally outweigh the risks of sending confused signals. Insisting on ignorance is a poor way to protect against announcement errors that trigger panic. This paper - a product of Finance, Development Research Group - was produced for the Poverty Reduction and Economic Management Network thematic group studying the quality of fiscal adjustment. The author may be contacted at phonohanworldbank.org
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  • 55
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (80 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Finger, Michael J Market Access Advances and Retreats
    Keywords: Agricultural Products ; Agricultural Trade ; Antidumping ; Antidumping Cases ; Border Protection ; Concessions ; Currencies and Exchange Rates ; Debt Markets ; Exports ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Free Trade ; Industrial Products ; International Economics & Trade ; International Trade and Trade Rules ; Law and Development ; Market Access ; Public Sector Development ; Quantitative Restrictions ; Reciprocal Concessions ; Rules of Origin ; Tariff ; Tariff Concessions ; Tariff Levels ; Tariff Rates ; Tariff Reductions ; Tariffs ; Trade Law ; Trade Policy ; Trade Restrictions ; World Trade ; World Trade Organization ; Agricultural Products ; Agricultural Trade ; Antidumping ; Antidumping Cases ; Border Protection ; Concessions ; Currencies and Exchange Rates ; Debt Markets ; Exports ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Free Trade ; Industrial Products ; International Economics & Trade ; International Trade and Trade Rules ; Law and Development ; Market Access ; Public Sector Development ; Quantitative Restrictions ; Reciprocal Concessions ; Rules of Origin ; Tariff ; Tariff Concessions ; Tariff Levels ; Tariff Rates ; Tariff Reductions ; Tariffs ; Trade Law ; Trade Policy ; Trade Restrictions ; World Trade ; World Trade Organization
    Abstract: Uruguay Round negotiations on market access were a success. Tariff cuts covered a larger share of world trade than those of the Kennedy or Tokyo Rounds and will save importers some
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  • 56
    Online Resource
    Online Resource
    Washington, D.C : The World Bank
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (46 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Honohan, Patrick Beyond Capital Ideals
    Keywords: Bank ; Bank Failures ; Bankers ; Banking ; Banking Crises ; Banking Stability ; Banks ; Banks and Banking Reform ; Capital ; Capital Adequacy ; Capital Flows ; Debt Markets ; Economies ; Emerging Markets ; Emerging Markets ; Externalities ; Finance ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Crises ; Financial Deepening ; Financial Literacy ; Financial Markets ; Financial Systems ; Inflation ; Infrastructure ; Private Sector Development ; Bank ; Bank Failures ; Bankers ; Banking ; Banking Crises ; Banking Stability ; Banks ; Banks and Banking Reform ; Capital ; Capital Adequacy ; Capital Flows ; Debt Markets ; Economies ; Emerging Markets ; Emerging Markets ; Externalities ; Finance ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Crises ; Financial Deepening ; Financial Literacy ; Financial Markets ; Financial Systems ; Inflation ; Infrastructure ; Private Sector Development
    Abstract: Hard on the heels of Mexico's crisis in 1994, a wave of financial crises swept across emerging economies - from East Asia and Russia to Brazil - bringing the fragility of banking and finance into unprecedented focus. What has gone wrong? - Caprio and Honohan examine why emerging markets, in particular, are susceptible to and affected by financial difficulties. They show that these difficulties have a richer, more complex structure than they are sometimes believed to have - with marked information asymmetries and substantial volatility. The sources of heightened regulatory failure in emerging markets in recent years include the volatility of real and nominal shocks, the difficulty of operating in uncharted territory after financial liberalization and other changes in regime, and the political pressures that can inhibit the enforcement of prudential regulation. Caprio and Honohan discuss what stronger regulation can and cannot accomplish, as well as options to improve the incentive structure for bankers, regulators, and other market participants. They probe the shortcomings of a regulatory paradigm that relies mainly on supervised capital adequacy and discuss the possible intermittent application of supplementary blunt instruments as an interim solution while longer-term reforms are being put in place. Certain well-worn messages remain valid, but are respected more in theory than in practice. There would be fewer problems, the authors say, if there were: · More diversification. · More balanced financial structures (for example, as between debt and equity). · More foreign banks in emerging markets' financial systems. · Better enforcement of both contracts and regulations. Participants in the financial sector will constantly try to get around rules that limit their profitability, so regulation must be seen as an evolutionary struggle. Prevention of financial failure is not costless, and a heavy repressive hand is not warranted. But a richer regulatory palette can be used to protect financial systems more successfully against crisis while preserving the systems' growth-enhancing effectiveness. This paper is a joint product of Finance, Development Research Group, and the Financial Sector Practice Department. The authors may be contacted at gcaprioworldbank.org or phonohan@worldbank.org
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  • 57
    Online Resource
    Online Resource
    Washington, D.C : The World Bank
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (38 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Kaminski, Bartlomiej The EU Factor in the Trade Policies of Central European Countries
    Keywords: Applied Tariff ; Autonomy ; Border Protection ; Currencies and Exchange Rates ; Debt Markets ; Domestic Producers ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Exchange Rates ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Foreign Trade ; Foreign Trade Policy ; Free Trade ; Free Trade ; International Economics & Trade ; International Trade ; International Trade Policies ; Law and Development ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Market Access ; Private Sector Development ; Public Sector Development ; Regional Integration ; Tariff ; Tariff Barriers ; Tariff Rates ; Tariffs ; Trade ; Trade Law ; Trade Liberalization ; Trade Policies ; Trade Policy ; Trade Regimes ; Trade and Regional Integration ; Applied Tariff ; Autonomy ; Border Protection ; Currencies and Exchange Rates ; Debt Markets ; Domestic Producers ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Exchange Rates ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Foreign Trade ; Foreign Trade Policy ; Free Trade ; Free Trade ; International Economics & Trade ; International Trade ; International Trade Policies ; Law and Development ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Market Access ; Private Sector Development ; Public Sector Development ; Regional Integration ; Tariff ; Tariff Barriers ; Tariff Rates ; Tariffs ; Trade ; Trade Law ; Trade Liberalization ; Trade Policies ; Trade Policy ; Trade Regimes ; Trade and Regional Integration
    Abstract: Despite strong protectionist sentiments, trade regimes have remained open in Central European countries invited to negotiate their accession to the European Union. Regional disciplines (the EU factor), combined with the legacy of low tariffs under GATT commitments, appear to have offset domestic protectionist impulses. - Kaminski examines the development of foreign trade institutions and policies in Central European countries invited to negotiate their accession to the European Union. With the dismantling of state trading, conditions of market access have been dramatically liberalized. However, except for Estonia and, to a lesser extent, the Czech Republic, most Central European countries have followed a policy of bilateral rather than multilateral trade liberalization. The fall in tariff rates on preferential imports has prompted a search for nontariff barriers, but these countries' trade regimes have remained open - which is surprising, considering the strong protectionist sentiments in economic administration. Regional disciplines (the EU factor), combined with the legacy of low tariffs under GATT commitments, appear to have been responsible for this openness. Foreign trade policy has been shaped by tensions between domestic protectionist impulses and pressures from the European Union (and other World Trade Organization members) to improve conditions of market access. This paper - a product of Trade, Development Research Group - is part of a larger effort in the group to examine trade and integration issues. The author may be contacted at bkaminskiworldbank.org
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  • 58
    Online Resource
    Online Resource
    Washington, D.C : The World Bank
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (40 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Komives, Kristin Designing Pro-Poor Water and Sewer Concessions
    Keywords: Concession Contracts ; Contract Objectives ; Cost Recovery ; Financial Incentives ; Industry ; Low-Income Households ; Private Companies ; Private Participation ; Public Utility ; Public Water ; Sanitation Service ; Sanitation Services ; Sanitation Solutions ; Service Providers ; Service Supplier ; Sewer Service ; Town Water Supply and Sanitation ; Urban Areas ; Urban Water Supply and Sanitation ; Utility Model ; Water ; Water Conservation ; Water Resources ; Water Sector ; Water Supply and Sanitation ; Water Supply and Sanitation Governance and Institutions ; Water Utilities ; Water and Industry ; Concession Contracts ; Contract Objectives ; Cost Recovery ; Financial Incentives ; Industry ; Low-Income Households ; Private Companies ; Private Participation ; Public Utility ; Public Water ; Sanitation Service ; Sanitation Services ; Sanitation Solutions ; Service Providers ; Service Supplier ; Sewer Service ; Town Water Supply and Sanitation ; Urban Areas ; Urban Water Supply and Sanitation ; Utility Model ; Water ; Water Conservation ; Water Resources ; Water Sector ; Water Supply and Sanitation ; Water Supply and Sanitation Governance and Institutions ; Water Utilities ; Water and Industry
    Abstract: To design pro-poor concession arrangements in the water sector, policymakers must pay careful attention to how the proposed contract, and existing or proposed regulations, will affect private concessionaires' ability, obligations, and financial incentives to serve low-income households. - The Bolivian government awarded a concession for water and sewer services in La Paz and El Alto in 1997. One goal of doing so was to expand in-house water and sewer service to low-income households. Komives uses the Aguas del Illimani case to explore how the design of typical concession agreements (with monopoly private service suppliers) can affect outcomes in poor neighborhoods. She finds that outcomes in services can be affected by the concession contracts, by the contract bid process, by sector regulations, and by regulatory arrangements. To increase the likelihood of improvements in low-income areas, policymakers should: · Make contract objectives clear and easily measurable. · Eliminate policy barriers to serving the poor (including property title requirements and service boundaries that exclude poor neighborhoods). · Design financial incentives consistent with service expansion or improved objectives for low-income areas. Contracts are subject to negotiation, so expansion or connection mandates alone do not guarantee that concessionaires will serve poor areas. Provisions and standards that reduce service options (for example, requirements that eliminate all alternatives to in-house connections) or restrict the emergence of new service providers (for example, granting exclusivity in the service area) could do more harm than good. In two years of operation, Aguas del Illimani met its first expansion mandate and took many steps to facilitate the expansion of in-house water connections in low-income areas. The company and the Bolivian water regulator were willing to discuss and seek possible solutions to problems associated with servicing poor neighborhoods. It is too early to tell whether these gains will be sustainable or to predict how privatization will ultimately affect poor households in La Paz and El Alto. This paper - a product of Private Participation in Infrastructure, Private Sector Development Department - is part of a larger effort in the department to analyze and disseminate the principles of, and good practice for, improving service options for the poor through reforms for private participation in infrastructure. The author may be contacted at komivesemail.unc.edu
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  • 59
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (48 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Newman, Constance Gender, Poverty, and Nonfarm Employment in Ghana and Uganda
    Keywords: Agricultural Output ; Cash Crops ; Communities & Human Settlements ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Gender ; Gender and Development ; Gender and Health ; Gender and Law ; Health, Nutrition and Population ; Household Income ; Household Income Diversification ; Housing and Human Habitats ; Human Capital ; Human Development ; Income ; Income Shares ; Income-Generating Activities ; Inequality ; Law and Development ; Poor ; Population Policies ; Poverty ; Poverty Levels ; Poverty Monitoring and Analysis ; Poverty Reduction ; Poverty Reduction ; Rural ; Rural Areas ; Rural Development ; Rural Development ; Rural Development Knowledge and Information Systems ; Rural Economy ; Rural Poverty ; Rural Poverty Reduction ; Rural Residents ; Agricultural Output ; Cash Crops ; Communities & Human Settlements ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Gender ; Gender and Development ; Gender and Health ; Gender and Law ; Health, Nutrition and Population ; Household Income ; Household Income Diversification ; Housing and Human Habitats ; Human Capital ; Human Development ; Income ; Income Shares ; Income-Generating Activities ; Inequality ; Law and Development ; Poor ; Population Policies ; Poverty ; Poverty Levels ; Poverty Monitoring and Analysis ; Poverty Reduction ; Poverty Reduction ; Rural ; Rural Areas ; Rural Development ; Rural Development ; Rural Development Knowledge and Information Systems ; Rural Economy ; Rural Poverty ; Rural Poverty Reduction ; Rural Residents
    Abstract: June 2000 - For women in Ghana and Uganda, nonfarm activities play an important role in yielding the lowest - and the most rapidly declining - rural poverty rates. In both countries rural poverty declined fastest for female heads of household engaged in nonfarm work (which tended to be a secondary activity). But patterns vary between the two countries. Newman and Canagarajah provide evidence that women's nonfarm activities help reduce poverty in two economically and culturally different countries, Ghana and Uganda. In both countries rural poverty rates were lowest - and fell most rapidly - for female heads of household engaged in nonfarm activities. Participation in nonfarm activities increased more rapidly for women, especially married women and female heads of household, than for men. Women were more likely than men to combine agriculture and nonfarm activities. In Ghana it was nonfarm activities (for which income data are available) that provided the highest average incomes and the highest shares of income. Bivariate probit analysis of participation shows that in Uganda female heads of household and in Ghana women in general are significantly more likely than men to participate in nonfarm activities and less likely to participate in agriculture. This paper - a joint product of Rural Development, Development Research Group, and the Social Protection Team, Human Development Network- is part of a larger effort in the Bank to discuss gender, employment, and poverty linkages. The authors may be contacted at cnewman1worldbank.orgor scanagarajah@worldbank.org
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  • 60
    Online Resource
    Online Resource
    Washington, D.C : The World Bank
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (30 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Cohen, Daniel Will the Euro Create a Bonanza for Africa?
    Keywords: Banking System ; Banks and Banking Reform ; Capital Flows ; Country Risk ; Currencies and Exchange Rates ; Debt ; Debt Markets ; Domestic Capital ; Domestic Capital Markets ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Exchange ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Foreign Debt ; Foreign Direct Investment ; Foreign Direct Investments ; Global Markets ; Interest ; Interest Rate ; International Capital ; International Capital Markets ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Market ; Portfolio ; Portfolio Diversification ; Private Sector Development ; Real Exchange Rate ; Reserve ; Banking System ; Banks and Banking Reform ; Capital Flows ; Country Risk ; Currencies and Exchange Rates ; Debt ; Debt Markets ; Domestic Capital ; Domestic Capital Markets ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Exchange ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Foreign Debt ; Foreign Direct Investment ; Foreign Direct Investments ; Global Markets ; Interest ; Interest Rate ; International Capital ; International Capital Markets ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Market ; Portfolio ; Portfolio Diversification ; Private Sector Development ; Real Exchange Rate ; Reserve
    Abstract: At this stage, it is difficult to conclude that the euro will have substantial macroeconomic impact on sub-Saharan Africa, unless launch of the euro becomes the tool of a major policy shift, such as the euroization of the continent - which is currently unlikely. - In considering how the euro will affect Sub-Saharan Africa, Cohen, Kristensen, and Verner examine the transmission channels through which the euro could affect economies in the region. They examine the risks and opportunities the euro presents for Sub-Saharan African countries. They especially examine the effects from the trade channel, through changes in European economic activity and the real exchange rate. Because of the relatively low income elasticity for primary commodities - which is what Sub-Saharan Africa mainly exports - an increase in activity in Europe is considered to have a marginal impact on Africa. Exchange rate regimes and geographical trade patterns point to large differences in exposure to changes in the real exchange rate. Capital flows to Sub-Saharan Africa can be affected through portfolio shifts or through changes in foreign direct investment. Changes in competitiveness in Europe are not expected to influence foreign direct investment, so the euro is not expected to affect foreign direct investment significantly. Portfolio diversification could increase greatly. But Sub-Saharan Africa is not expected to realize the increased potential from portfolio diversification because of its severely underdeveloped domestic capital markets. It is vitally important that Sub-Saharan African countries strengthen their financial integration into global markets. How the euro will affect such parts of the financial system as banks and debt and reserve management varies across countries. Generally the effect is expected to be limited. This paper - a product of Poverty Reduction and Economic Management Sector Unit, Latin America and the Caribbean Region - is part of a larger effort in the Bank to study the effect of the euro on developing countries. The authors may be contacted at nkristensenworldbank.org or dverner@worldbank.org
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  • 61
    Online Resource
    Online Resource
    Washington, D.C : The World Bank
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (40 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Laeven, Luc Risk and Efficiency in East Asian Banks
    Keywords: Bank ; Bank Risk ; Banking ; Banks ; Banks and Banking Reform ; Cred Deposits ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Crisis Management and Restructuring ; Financial Institutions ; Financial Intermediation ; Financial Literacy ; Financial Services ; Governance ; Interest ; Lending ; Nonperforming Loans ; Operating Costs ; Principal ; Real Sector ; Risk ; Risk Factors ; Risk Management ; Risk Taking ; Services ; Bank ; Bank Risk ; Banking ; Banks ; Banks and Banking Reform ; Cred Deposits ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Crisis Management and Restructuring ; Financial Institutions ; Financial Intermediation ; Financial Literacy ; Financial Services ; Governance ; Interest ; Lending ; Nonperforming Loans ; Operating Costs ; Principal ; Real Sector ; Risk ; Risk Factors ; Risk Management ; Risk Taking ; Services
    Abstract: Banks restructured after East Asia's crisis of 1997 - most of them family-owned or company-owned and almost never foreign-owned - tended to be heavy risk takers. Most of them had excessive credit growth. - Laeven uses a linear programming technique (data envelopment analysis) to estimate the inefficiencies of banks in Indonesia, the Republic of Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Thailand. He applies this technique to the precrisis period 1992-96. Assessing a bank's overall performance requires assessing both efficiency and risk factors, so Laeven also introduces a measure of risk taking. This risk measure helps predict which banks were restructured after the crisis of 1997. Laeven finds that foreign-owned banks took little risk relative to other banks in East Asia, and that family-owned and company-owned banks were among the highest risk takers. Banks restructured after the 1997 crisis had excessive credit growth, were mostly family-owned or company-owned, and were almost never foreign-owned. This paper - a product of the Financial Sector Strategy and Policy Department - is part of a larger effort in the department to study the causes and resolution of financial distress. The author may be contacted at llaevenworldbank.org
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  • 62
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (40 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Schmukler, Sergio Predicting Currency Fluctuations and Crises
    Keywords: Asymmetric Information ; Balance Of Payments ; Balance Of Payments Crises ; Currencies and Exchange Rates ; Currency ; Debt Markets ; Devaluation ; E-Business ; Emerging Markets ; Exchange ; Exchange Rate ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Crises ; Financial Literacy ; Financial Markets ; Future ; Interest ; Interest Rate ; Interest Rate Differentials ; International Cred International Financial Markets ; Investors ; Local Business ; Local Investors ; Mutual Funds ; Private Sector Development ; Sovereign Debt ; Asymmetric Information ; Balance Of Payments ; Balance Of Payments Crises ; Currencies and Exchange Rates ; Currency ; Debt Markets ; Devaluation ; E-Business ; Emerging Markets ; Exchange ; Exchange Rate ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Crises ; Financial Literacy ; Financial Markets ; Future ; Interest ; Interest Rate ; Interest Rate Differentials ; International Cred International Financial Markets ; Investors ; Local Business ; Local Investors ; Mutual Funds ; Private Sector Development ; Sovereign Debt
    Abstract: December 1999 - Markets have had limited success predicting crises and might do better by drawing on private information available to resident enterprise managers, who seem to know better than markets about future movements in exchange rates. Kaufmann, Mehrez, and Schmukler investigate whether resident enterprise managers have an informational advantage about the countries in which they work. They propose a method for extracting information available to resident managers but unknown to investors and forecasters. They test their hypothesis of informational advantage using a unique data set, the Global Competitiveness Survey. The survey asks local managers about their outlook for the country in which they reside. They find that local managers do have useful private information. Local managers' responses improve on conventional forecasts of future volatility and changes in the exchange rate, which are based on economic fundamentals or interest rate differentials. They find that the local business community perceived in advance the recent crises in the Republic of Korea, Russia, and Thailand, but not those in Indonesia and Malaysia. Markets have had limited success predicting crises and might do better by drawing on private information available to resident enterprise managers, who seem to know better than markets about future movements in exchange rates. This paper - a product of Governance, Regulation, and Finance, World Bank Institute - is part of a larger effort in the institute to understand the roles of transparency and governance. The authors may be contacted at dkaufmannworldbank.org, mehrezg@gunet.georgetown.edu, or sschmukler@worldbank.org
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  • 63
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (36 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Ravallion, Martin When Is Growth Pro-Poor?
    Keywords: Absolute Poverty ; Economic Growth ; Farm Growth ; Farm Output ; Farm Productivity ; Food Policy ; Health, Nutrition and Population ; Household Income ; Household Surveys ; Human Development ; Inequality ; Measures ; Poor ; Population Policies ; Poverty ; Poverty Alleviation ; Poverty Measurement ; Poverty Reducing ; Poverty Reduction ; Poverty Reduction ; Pro-Poor Growth ; Rural ; Rural Development ; Rural Development ; Rural Living Standards ; Rural Poverty Reduction ; Absolute Poverty ; Economic Growth ; Farm Growth ; Farm Output ; Farm Productivity ; Food Policy ; Health, Nutrition and Population ; Household Income ; Household Surveys ; Human Development ; Inequality ; Measures ; Poor ; Population Policies ; Poverty ; Poverty Alleviation ; Poverty Measurement ; Poverty Reducing ; Poverty Reduction ; Poverty Reduction ; Pro-Poor Growth ; Rural ; Rural Development ; Rural Development ; Rural Living Standards ; Rural Poverty Reduction
    Abstract: December 1999 - Nonfarm economic growth in India had very different effects on poverty in different states. Nonfarm growth was least effective at reducing poverty in states where initial conditions were poor in terms of rural development and human resources. Among initial conditions conducive to pro-poor growth, literacy plays a notably positive role. Ravallion and Datt use 20 household surveys for India's 15 major states, spanning 1960-94, to study how initial conditions and the sectoral composition of economic growth interact to influence how much economic growth reduced poverty. The elasticities of measured poverty to farm yields and development spending did not differ significantly across states. But the elasticities of poverty to (urban and rural) nonfarm output varied appreciably, and the differences were quantitatively important to the overall rate of poverty reduction. States with initially lower farm productivity, lower rural living standards relative to those in urban areas, and lower literacy experienced a less pro-poor growth process. This paper - a joint product of Poverty and Human Resources, Development Research Group, and the Poverty Reduction and Economic Management Sector Unit, South Asia Region - is part of a larger effort in the Bank to better understand the conditions required for pro-poor growth. The authors may be contacted at mravallionworldbank.org or gdatt@worldbank.org
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  • 64
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (32 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Wang, Hua Willingness to Pay for Air Quality Improvements in Sofia, Bulgaria
    Keywords: Air Pollution ; Air Quality and Clean Air ; Biodiversity ; Choice ; Contingent Valuation ; Debt Markets ; Distribution ; E-Business ; Econometric Analyses ; Econometric Analysis ; Econometric Models ; Economic Theory and Research ; Economic Value ; Elasticity ; Emerging Markets ; Environment ; Environmental Economics and Policies ; Exogenous Variables ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Future Studies ; Goods ; Income ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Markets and Market Access ; Payments ; Positive Effects ; Prices ; Private Sector Development ; Public Good ; Utility ; Utility Function ; Variables ; Air Pollution ; Air Quality and Clean Air ; Biodiversity ; Choice ; Contingent Valuation ; Debt Markets ; Distribution ; E-Business ; Econometric Analyses ; Econometric Analysis ; Econometric Models ; Economic Theory and Research ; Economic Value ; Elasticity ; Emerging Markets ; Environment ; Environmental Economics and Policies ; Exogenous Variables ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Future Studies ; Goods ; Income ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Markets and Market Access ; Payments ; Positive Effects ; Prices ; Private Sector Development ; Public Good ; Utility ; Utility Function ; Variables
    Abstract: January 2000 - People in Sofia are willing to pay 4.2 percent of their income or more for a program to improve air quality. Through a survey, Wang and Whittington study willingness to pay for improvements in air quality in Sofia, Bulgaria. Using a stochastic payment card approach - asking respondents the likelihood that they would agree to pay a series of prices - they estimate the distribution of willingness to pay various prices. They find that people in Sofia are willing to pay up to about 4.2 percent of their income for a program to improve air quality. The income elasticity of willingness to pay for air quality improvements is about 27 percent. For comparison, they also used the referendum contingent valuation approach. Results from that approach yielded a higher estimate of willingness to pay. This paper - a product of Infrastructure and Environment, Development Research Group - is part of a larger effort in the group to understand the economics of pollution control in developing countries. Copies of the paper are available from Hua Wang may be contacted at hwang1worldbank.org
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  • 65
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (52 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Clarke, George New Tools and New Tests in Comparative Political Economy
    Keywords: Cabinet ; Candidates ; Constituents ; Decision Makers ; Decision Making ; Democracy ; E-Business ; E-Government ; Economic Theory and Research ; Election ; Election Data ; Elections ; Governance ; Government ; Industry ; Information Security and Privacy ; Legislation ; Legislative Powers ; Legislators ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Microfinance ; Parliament ; Parliamentary Government ; Parliamentary Governments ; Parliamentary Systems ; Policy Making ; Political System ; Political Systems ; Prime Minister ; Private Sector Development ; Public Sector Corruption and Anticorruption Measures ; Technology Industry ; Cabinet ; Candidates ; Constituents ; Decision Makers ; Decision Making ; Democracy ; E-Business ; E-Government ; Economic Theory and Research ; Election ; Election Data ; Elections ; Governance ; Government ; Industry ; Information Security and Privacy ; Legislation ; Legislative Powers ; Legislators ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Microfinance ; Parliament ; Parliamentary Government ; Parliamentary Governments ; Parliamentary Systems ; Policy Making ; Political System ; Political Systems ; Prime Minister ; Private Sector Development ; Public Sector Corruption and Anticorruption Measures ; Technology Industry
    Abstract: February 2000 - Some say that democracy is more likely to survive under parliamentary governments. That result is not robust to the use of different variables from the Database of Political Institutions, a large new cross-country database that may illuminate many other issues affecting and affected by political institutions. This paper introduces a large new cross-country database on political institutions: the Database on Political Institutions (DPI). Beck, Clarke, Groff, Keefer, and Walsh summarize key variables (many of them new), compare this data set with others, and explore the range of issues for which the data should prove invaluable. Among the novel variables they introduce: · Several measures of tenure, stability, and checks and balances. · Identification of parties with the government coalition or the opposition. · Fragmentation of opposition and government parties in legislatures. The authors illustrate the application of DPI variables to several problems in political economy. Stepan and Skach, for example, find that democracy is more likely to survive under parliamentary governments than presidential systems. But this result is not robust to the use of different variables from the DPI, which raises puzzles for future research. Similarly, Roubini and Sachs find that divided governments in the OECD run higher budget deficits after fiscal shocks. Replication of their work using DPI indicators of divided government indicates otherwise, again suggesting issues for future research. Among questions in political science and economics that this database may illuminate: the determinants of democratic consolidation, the political conditions for economic reform, the political and institutional roots of corruption, and the elements of appropriate and institutionally sensitive design of economic policy. This paper - a product of Regulation and Competition Policy, Development Research Group - is part of a larger effort in the group to understand the institutional bases of poverty alleviation and economic reform. The study was funded by the Bank's Research Support Budget under the research project Database on Institutions for Government Decisionmaking (RPO 682-79). The authors may be contacted at tbeckworldbank.org, gclarke@worldbank.org, pkeefer@worldbank.org, or pwalsh@worldbank.org
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  • 66
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (40 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Halpern, Jonathan Designing Direct Subsidies for Water and Sanitation Services Panama
    Keywords: Access To Cred Administrative Cost ; Administrative Costs ; Beneficiaries ; Beneficiary ; Check ; Customers ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Financial Sustainability ; Gender ; Gender and Law ; Housing Subsidy ; Interest ; Investments ; Law and Development ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Population ; Poverty Reduction ; Private Sector Development ; Rural Development ; Rural Poverty Reduction ; Subsidies ; Subsidization ; Subsidy ; Subsidy Payments ; Tax Law ; Taxation and Subsidies ; Total Costs ; Town Water Supply and Sanitation ; Transport ; Transport Economics, Policy and Planning ; Urban Water Supply and Sanitation ; Water Subsidies ; Water Subsidy ; Water Supply and Sanitation ; Worth ; Access To Cred Administrative Cost ; Administrative Costs ; Beneficiaries ; Beneficiary ; Check ; Customers ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Financial Sustainability ; Gender ; Gender and Law ; Housing Subsidy ; Interest ; Investments ; Law and Development ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Population ; Poverty Reduction ; Private Sector Development ; Rural Development ; Rural Poverty Reduction ; Subsidies ; Subsidization ; Subsidy ; Subsidy Payments ; Tax Law ; Taxation and Subsidies ; Total Costs ; Town Water Supply and Sanitation ; Transport ; Transport Economics, Policy and Planning ; Urban Water Supply and Sanitation ; Water Subsidies ; Water Subsidy ; Water Supply and Sanitation ; Worth
    Abstract: May 2000 - An alternative to traditional subsidies for water and sanitation services is direct subsidies - funds governments provide to cover part of the water bill for households that meet certain criteria. Issues associated with such a subsidy are analyzed through a case study of Panama. As an alternative to traditional subsidy schemes in utility sectors, direct subsidy programs have several advantages: they are transparent, they are explicit, and they minimize distortions of the behavior of both the utility and the customers. At the same time, defining practical eligibility criteria for direct subsidy schemes is difficult and identifying eligible households may entail substantial administrative costs. Foster, Gomez-Lobo, and Halpern, using a case study from Panama, discuss some of the issues associated with the design of direct subsidy systems for water services. They conclude that: · There is a need to assess - rather than assume - the need for a subsidy. A key test of affordability, and thus of the need for a subsidy, is to compare the cost of the service with some measure of household willingness to pay. · The initial assessment must consider the affordability of connection costs as well as the affordability of the service itself. Connection costs may be prohibitive for poor households with no credit, suggesting a need to focus subsidies on providing access rather than ongoing water consumption. · A key issue in designing a direct subsidy scheme is its targeting properties. Poverty is a complex phenomenon and difficult to measure. Eligibility must therefore be based on easily measurable proxy variables, and good proxies are hard to find. In choosing eligibility criteria for a subsidy, it is essential to verify what proportion of the target group fails to meet the criteria (errors of exclusion) and what proportion of nontarget groups is inadvertently eligible for the benefits (errors of inclusion). · Administrative costs are roughly the same no matter what the level of individual subsidies, so a scheme that pays beneficiaries very little will tend not to be cost-effective. It is important to determine what proportion of total program costs will be absorbed by administrative expenses. · Subsidies should not cover the full cost of the service and should be contingent on beneficiaries paying their share of the bill. Subsidies for consumption above a minimum subsistence level should be avoided. Subsidies should be provided long enough before eligibility is reassessed to avoid poverty trap problems. · The utility or concessionaire can be helpful in identifying eligible candidates because of its superior information on the payment histories of customers. It will also have an incentive to do so, since it has an interest in improving poor payment records. Thought should therefore be given at the design stage to the role of the service provider in the implementation of the subsidy scheme. · The administrative agency's responsibilities, the sources of funding, and the general principles guiding the subsidy system should have a clear legal basis, backed by regulations governing administrative procedures. · To reduce administrative costs and avoid duplication of effort, it would be desirable for a single set of institutional arrangements to be used to determine eligibility for all welfare and subsidy programs in a given jurisdiction, whether subnational or national. This paper - a product of the Finance, Private Sector, and Infrastructure Sector Unit, Latin America and the Caribbean Region - is part of a larger effort in the region to evaluate and disseminate lessons of experience in designing policies to improve the quality and sustainability of infrastructure services and to enhance access of the poor to these basic services. The authors may be contacted at vfosterworldbank.org or jhalpern@worldbank.org
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  • 67
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (34 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Schiff, Maurice Multilateral Trade Liberalization and Political Disintegration
    Keywords: Andean Pact ; Bloc Welfare ; Customs Union Formation ; Customs Unions ; Economic Dominance ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; External Tariff ; Free Trade ; Free Trade ; Free Trade Agreements ; Free Trade Area ; International Economics & Trade ; Law and Development ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Market Size ; Multilateral Liberalization ; Multilateral System ; Multilateral Trade Liberalization ; Open Regionalism ; Preferential Market Access ; Private Sector Development ; Public Sector Development ; Regional Integration ; Regionalism ; Rules of Origin ; Tariffs ; Trade ; Trade Diversion ; Trade Law ; Trade Policy ; Trade and Regional Integration ; Andean Pact ; Bloc Welfare ; Customs Union Formation ; Customs Unions ; Economic Dominance ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; External Tariff ; Free Trade ; Free Trade ; Free Trade Agreements ; Free Trade Area ; International Economics & Trade ; Law and Development ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Market Size ; Multilateral Liberalization ; Multilateral System ; Multilateral Trade Liberalization ; Open Regionalism ; Preferential Market Access ; Private Sector Development ; Public Sector Development ; Regional Integration ; Regionalism ; Rules of Origin ; Tariffs ; Trade ; Trade Diversion ; Trade Law ; Trade Policy ; Trade and Regional Integration
    Abstract: May 2000 - Two theories are combined to explain why free trade areas (FTAs) have proliferated more than customs unions (CUs) have, and why FTAs are found more in North-South agreements and CUs in South-South agreements. Schiff combines two theories - one about how multilateral trade liberalization affects regional integration, the other about how it affects political disintegration - to explain why the ratio of free trade areas to customs unions has increased over time, and why it is larger in North-South than in South-South agreements. Ethier (1998, 1999) argues that multilateral trade liberalization led to the recent wave of regional integration arrangements. Alesina and others (1997), in discussing the number and size of countries, argue that multilateral trade liberalization leads to political disintegration, with an increase in the number of countries. Combining the two arguments, Schiff hypothesizes that as multilateral trade liberalization proceeds and the number of regional integration arrangements increases, the ratio of free trade areas to customs unions also increases. The same arguments are also used to show why that ratio is larger in North-South than in South-South agreements. The data, which show that ratio increasing in the 1990s and larger for North-South agreements, are consistent with the hypotheses. Finally, a number of voluntary and involuntary customs unions are examined where weaker members lose and conflict does or does not take place, and where free trade agreements are superior. This paper - a product of Trade, Development Research Group - is part of a larger effort in the group to study regional integration. The author may be contacted at mschiffworldbank.org
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  • 68
    Online Resource
    Online Resource
    Washington, D.C : The World Bank
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (18 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Rebelo, Jorge The São Mateus Jabaquara Trolleybusway Concession in Brazil
    Keywords: Automobile ; Bus ; Bus Lanes ; Bus Operation ; Bus Trips ; Diesel ; Diesel Bus ; Intersections ; Means Of Transport ; Metro Trips ; Passengers ; Road ; Traffic ; Transport ; Transport Activity ; Transport Economics, Policy and Planning ; Trips ; Trolleybuses ; Urban Transport ; Vehicle ; Walking ; Walking Trips ; Automobile ; Bus ; Bus Lanes ; Bus Operation ; Bus Trips ; Diesel ; Diesel Bus ; Intersections ; Means Of Transport ; Metro Trips ; Passengers ; Road ; Traffic ; Transport ; Transport Activity ; Transport Economics, Policy and Planning ; Trips ; Trolleybuses ; Urban Transport ; Vehicle ; Walking ; Walking Trips
    Abstract: May 2000 - To replace a diesel bus busway operated under a management contract by the state with an electric trolley busway, São Paulo State in Brazil designed and implemented a concession to the private sector. According to independent user surveys, service under the concession has been satisfactory. Rebelo and Machado describe how São Paulo State granted a 20-year concession for operating a busway, one requirement for which was that the concessionaire replace the diesel bus operation with electric traction (trolleys). This was not a greenfield concession but is probably the only busway concession undertaken so far worldwide. With roughly 16,000 buses fighting their way through heavy traffic under traffic policies geared to automobiles, bus service was slow and unreliable. Then São Paulo adopted certain practices aimed at improving bus operations. Between 1983 and 1987, it implemented a segregated trolleybus corridor between São Mateus and Jabaquara, to be operated as a private concession regulated by the state of São Paulo. The concession was to operate for 20 years but the winning consortium had to invest in only part of the equipment, because part of it was in place. This made things less risky for the private consortium and allowed the state to complete an environmentally friendly project with the help of the private sector. The concession has so far been a success - an example to be followed. After an initial increase, demand for the busway began to fall in 1998 and 1999. This was part of a general decline in demand for the bus system because of: · A drop in jobs resulting from the economic slowdown. · A growth in the use of automobiles. · Competition from illegal buses (vans), which offer door-to-door service. The state was late in completing the aerial network for the trolleyway and rehabilitating sections of the roadway. This delayed replacement of diesel buses by trolleybuses. State representatives indicated it might be better in future to find a mechanism through which the concessionaire instead of the state would undertake infrastructure works and would also handle administration of integration terminals. This paper - a product of the Finance, Private Sector, and Infrastructure Sector Unit, Latin America and the Caribbean Region - is part of a larger effort in the region to promote private sector operation and investment in transport. Jorge Rebelo may be contacted at jrebeloworldbank.org
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  • 69
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (54 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Keefer, Philip Bureaucratic Delegation and Political Institutions
    Keywords: Banks and Banking Reform ; Central Bank ; Central Bank Independence ; Central Banks ; Checks ; Contracts ; Credibility ; Credibility Problem ; Currencies and Exchange Rates ; Debt Markets ; Default ; Discount ; Economic Stabilization ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Finance ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Fixed Investments ; Future ; Futures ; Holding ; ICT Applications ; Inflation ; Inflation Rate ; Information and Communication Technologies ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Monetary Policy ; Money Supply ; Option ; Political Economy ; Private Sector Development ; Shocks To Income ; Banks and Banking Reform ; Central Bank ; Central Bank Independence ; Central Banks ; Checks ; Contracts ; Credibility ; Credibility Problem ; Currencies and Exchange Rates ; Debt Markets ; Default ; Discount ; Economic Stabilization ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Finance ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Fixed Investments ; Future ; Futures ; Holding ; ICT Applications ; Inflation ; Inflation Rate ; Information and Communication Technologies ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Monetary Policy ; Money Supply ; Option ; Political Economy ; Private Sector Development ; Shocks To Income
    Abstract: March 2000 - Does delegation of policymaking authority to independent agencies improve policy outcomes? This paper reports new theory and tests related to delegation of monetary policy to an independent central bank. The authors find that delegation reduces inflation only under specific institutional and political conditions. The government's ability to credibly commit to policy announcements is critical to the successful implementation of economic policies as diverse as capital taxation and utilities regulation. One frequently advocated means of signaling credible commitment is to delegate authority to an agency that will not have an incentive to opportunistically change policies once the private sector has taken such steps as signing wage contracts or making irreversible investments. Delegating authority is suggested as a government strategy particularly for monetary policy. And existing work on the independence of central banks generally assumes that government decisions to delegate are irrevocable. But delegation - in monetary policy as elsewhere - is inevitably a political choice, and can be reversed, contend Keefer and Stasavage. They develop a model of monetary policy that relaxes the assumption that monetary delegation is irreversible. Among the testable predictions of the model are these: · The presence of an independent central bank should reduce inflation only in the presence of political checks and balances. This effect should be evident in both developing and industrial countries. · Political actions to interfere with the central bank should be more apparent when there are few checks and balances. · The effects of checks and balances should be more marked when political decisionmakers are more polarized. The authors test these predictions and find extensive empirical evidence to support each of the observable implications of their model: Central banks are associated with better inflation outcomes in the presence of checks and balances. The turnover of central bank governors is reduced when governors have tenure protections supported by political checks and balances. And the effect of checks and balances is enhanced in more polarized political environments. This paper - a product of Regulation and Competition Policy, Development Research Group - is part of a larger effort in the group to identify the conditions under which regulatory reforms can be effective. The authors may be contacted at pkeeferworldbank.org or d.stasavage@lse.ac.uk
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  • 70
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (30 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Wei, Shang-Jin Corruption and the Composition of Foreign Direct Investment
    Keywords: Capital Flows ; Corporate Law ; Corporate Tax Rate ; Debt Markets ; E-Business ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Foreign Direct Investment ; Foreign Direct Investment ; Foreign Investment ; Foreign Investor ; Foreign Investors ; Host Country ; Intangible ; Intangible Assets ; International Capital ; International Economics & Trade ; Investment and Investment Climate ; Investors ; Joint Venture Partner ; Law and Development ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Microfinance ; Ownership Structure ; Private Sector Development ; Protection Of Investor ; Public Sector Corruption and Anticorruption Measures ; Tax ; Transaction ; Transaction Cost ; Transactions ; Transition Economies ; Transparency ; Capital Flows ; Corporate Law ; Corporate Tax Rate ; Debt Markets ; E-Business ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Foreign Direct Investment ; Foreign Direct Investment ; Foreign Investment ; Foreign Investor ; Foreign Investors ; Host Country ; Intangible ; Intangible Assets ; International Capital ; International Economics & Trade ; Investment and Investment Climate ; Investors ; Joint Venture Partner ; Law and Development ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Microfinance ; Ownership Structure ; Private Sector Development ; Protection Of Investor ; Public Sector Corruption and Anticorruption Measures ; Tax ; Transaction ; Transaction Cost ; Transactions ; Transition Economies ; Transparency
    Abstract: June 2000 - The extent of corruption in a host country affects a foreign direct investor's choice of investing through a joint venture or through a wholly owned subsidiary. Corruption reduces inward foreign investment and shifts the ownership structure toward joint ventures. Smarzynska and Wei study the impact of corruption in a host country on foreign investors' preference for a joint venture or a wholly owned subsidiary. Their simple model highlights a basic tradeoff in using local partners. On the one hand, corruption makes the local bureaucracy less transparent and increases the value of using a local partner to cut through the bureaucratic maze. On the other hand, corruption decreases the effective protection of an investor's intangible assets and reduces the probability that disputes between foreign and domestic partners will be adjudicated fairly, which reduces the value of having a local partner. As the investor's technological sophistication increases, so does the importance of protecting intangible assets, which tilts the preference away from joint ventures in a corrupt country. Empirical tests of this hypothesis on firm-level data show that corruption reduces inward foreign direct investment and shifts the ownership structure toward joint ventures. Conditonal on foreign direct investment taking place, an increase in corruption from the level found in Hungary to that found in Azerbaijan decreases the probability of a wholly owned subsidiary by 10 to 20 percent. Technologically more advanced firms are less likely to engage in joint ventures, however. Smarzynska and Wei find support for the view that U.S. firms are more averse to joint ventures in corrupt countries than are other foreign investors - possibly because of the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, which stipulates penalties for executives of U.S. companies whose employees or local partners engage in paying bribes. But although U.S. companies are more likely than investors from other countries to retain full ownership of firms in corrupt countries, they are not less likely than firms from other countries to undertake foreign direct investment in those countries. This paper - a joint product of Trade and Public Economics, Development Research Group - is part of a larger effort in the group to study the effects of corruption on economic activity. The authors may be contacted at bsmarzynskaworldbank.org or swei@worldbank.org
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  • 71
    Online Resource
    Online Resource
    Washington, D.C : The World Bank
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (22 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Duval-Hernandez, Robert Leading Indicator Project
    Keywords: Averaging ; Benchmark ; Business Cycles ; Cd ; Cred Economic Activity ; Currencies and Exchange Rates ; Debt Markets ; E-Business ; Economic Research ; Economic Statistics ; Economic Theory and Research ; Education ; Emerging Markets ; Expectations ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Forecasting ; Forecasts ; Information Security and Privacy ; Interest Rate ; Knowledge for Development ; Leading Indicators ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Money ; Private Sector Development ; Science Education ; Science and Technology Development ; Scientific Research and Science Parks ; Statistical and Mathematical Sciences ; Trade ; Trends ; Trough ; Unemployment ; Value ; Variables ; Averaging ; Benchmark ; Business Cycles ; Cd ; Cred Economic Activity ; Currencies and Exchange Rates ; Debt Markets ; E-Business ; Economic Research ; Economic Statistics ; Economic Theory and Research ; Education ; Emerging Markets ; Expectations ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Forecasting ; Forecasts ; Information Security and Privacy ; Interest Rate ; Knowledge for Development ; Leading Indicators ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Money ; Private Sector Development ; Science Education ; Science and Technology Development ; Scientific Research and Science Parks ; Statistical and Mathematical Sciences ; Trade ; Trends ; Trough ; Unemployment ; Value ; Variables
    Abstract: June 2000 - A method for forecasting growth cycles in economic activity (measured as total industrial production), as applied to Lithuania. Everhart and Duval-Hernandez present a method for forecasting growth cycles in economic activity, measured as total industrial production. They construct a series which they aggregate into a composite leading indicator to predict the path of the economy in Lithuania. The cycle is the result of the economy's deviations from its long-term trend. A contractionary phase means a decline in the growth rate of the economy, not necessarily an absolute decline in economic activity. The indicator they select for economic activity is usually the Index of Industrial Production, plus a group of variables that, when filtered and adjusted, becomes the composite leading indicator that forecasts the reference series. Variables include economically and statistically significant financial, monetary, real sector, and business survey data. They base selection of the components of the leading indicator on the forecast efficiency and economic significance of the series. Once selected, the relevant variables are aggregated into a single composite leading indicator, which forecasts the detrended Index of Industrial Production. They apply the Hodrick-Prescott filter method for detrending the series. This is a smoothing technique that decomposes seasonally adjusted series into cyclical and trend components. One advantage of the Hodrick-Prescott filter is that it provides a reasonable estimate of a series' long-term trend. The OECD uses a system of leading indicators to predict growth cycles in the economies of its member countries. These exercises have been very effective in their forecasting ability and accuracy - but for the technique to work it is essential to have an adequate statistical system that provides many economic variables in a precise and timely manner, preferably monthly. The authors extend the OECD technique and present an application to a country of the former Soviet Union. This paper - a joint product of the Poverty Reduction and Economic Management Sector Units, Europe and Central Asia and Latin America and the Carribean Regions, and the Mexico Country Management Unit - is part of a larger effort in the Bank to foster the development of macroeconomic monitoring techniques. Authors may be contacted by email at severhartworldbank.org or rduval@worldbank.org
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  • 72
    Online Resource
    Online Resource
    Washington, D.C : The World Bank
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (36 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Easterly, William Inflation and the Poor
    Keywords: Access to Markets ; Bank ; Bonds ; Checks ; Cred Education ; Currencies and Exchange Rates ; Debt Markets ; Economic Theory and Research ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Instruments ; Financial Literacy ; Health Indicators ; Health, Nutrition and Population ; ICT Applications ; ICT for Health ; Income ; Incomes ; Inflation ; Inflation ; Information and Communication Technologies ; International Economics & Trade ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Markets and Market Access ; Minimum Wage ; Money ; Pensions ; Poverty Rate ; Poverty Rates ; Probabilities ; Research Assistance ; Stocks ; Subsidies ; Unemployment ; Wages ; Access to Markets ; Bank ; Bonds ; Checks ; Cred Education ; Currencies and Exchange Rates ; Debt Markets ; Economic Theory and Research ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Instruments ; Financial Literacy ; Health Indicators ; Health, Nutrition and Population ; ICT Applications ; ICT for Health ; Income ; Incomes ; Inflation ; Inflation ; Information and Communication Technologies ; International Economics & Trade ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Markets and Market Access ; Minimum Wage ; Money ; Pensions ; Poverty Rate ; Poverty Rates ; Probabilities ; Research Assistance ; Stocks ; Subsidies ; Unemployment ; Wages
    Abstract: May 2000 - The poor suffer more from inflation than the rich do, reveals this survey of poor people in 38 countries. Using polling data for 31,869 households in 38 countries and allowing for country effects, Easterly and Fischer show that the poor are more likely than the rich to mention inflation as a top national concern. This result survives several robustness checks. Also, direct measures of improvements in well-being for the poor - the change in their share of national income, the percentage decline in poverty, and the percentage change in the real minimum wage - are negatively correlated with inflation in pooled cross-country samples. High inflation tends to lower the share of the bottom quintile and the real minimum wage - and tends to increase poverty. This paper - a joint product of Macroeconomics and Growth, Development Research Group, and the International Monetary Fund - is part of a larger effort to study the effects of macroeconomic policies on growth and poverty
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  • 73
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (54 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Noel, Michel Building Subnational Debt Markets in Developing and Transition Economies
    Keywords: Agency Problems ; Bond Market Players ; Debt Market ; Debt Markets ; Decentralization ; Domestic Bond ; Domestic Bond Market ; Domestic Debt ; Domestic Debt Markets ; Finance ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Sector Development ; Financial Systems ; Markets Development ; Sub-National Bond ; Sub-National Bond Market ; Sub-National Bond Markets ; Sub-National Debt ; Sub-National Debt Market ; Sub-National Debt Market Development ; Sub-National Debt Markets ; Transition Countries ; Agency Problems ; Bond Market Players ; Debt Market ; Debt Markets ; Decentralization ; Domestic Bond ; Domestic Bond Market ; Domestic Debt ; Domestic Debt Markets ; Finance ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Sector Development ; Financial Systems ; Markets Development ; Sub-National Bond ; Sub-National Bond Market ; Sub-National Bond Markets ; Sub-National Debt ; Sub-National Debt Market ; Sub-National Debt Market Development ; Sub-National Debt Markets ; Transition Countries
    Abstract: May 2000 - Because of the trend toward decentralization in more than 70 countries where the World Bank is active, subnational entities - states, regions, provinces, counties, and municipalities, and the local utility companies owned by them - are now responsible for delivering services and investing in infrastructure. And infrastructure investments are growing rapidly to meet increasing urban demand. How should the World Bank Group help? Subnational debt markets can be a powerful force in a country's development. Through delegated monitoring by financial intermediaries and through debt placed directly with investors, sub-national debt markets account for about 5 percent of GDP in Argentina and Brazil. But they remain embryonic in most developing and transition economies. To resolve a potential clash between the increased financing needs of subnational entities and the limited development of domestic subnational debt markets, it is critical to support the orderly, efficient emergence of such debt markets. As a framework for policy reform, the following steps (mirroring typical weaknesses) are prerequisites for developing a country's subnational debt market: · Reducing moral hazard. · Improving market transparency. · Strengthening market governance. · Establishing a level playing field. · Developing local capacity for accounting, budgeting, and financial management. In countries where the government shows a clear commitment to market development, says Noel, the IBRD should support the framework needed for policy-based operations that establish hard budget constraints. In doing so, the IBRD should concentrate on (1) supporting national and local capacity building in those areas essential for developing a subnational debt market and (2) financing specific subnational projects with strictly nonrecourse loans. At the same time, the World Bank Group should offer a variety of lending and guarantee instruments that encourage private financing for investments by subnational entities - including, for example, equity participation in (or lines of credit or partial credit guarantees to) financial intermediaries specializing in subnational investment finance or in funds for financing local infrastructure. This paper - a product of the Private and Financial Sectors Development Unit, Europe and Central Asia Region - was prepared as background for a manual on policy issues relating to domestic debt markets. Michel Noel may be contacted at mnoel2worldbank.org
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  • 74
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (46 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Pritchett, Lant The Tyranny of Concepts
    Keywords: Accumulation ; Assets ; Capital ; Commodity Prices ; Cost Of Capital ; Debt Markets ; Disclosure ; Economic Growth ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Expected Value ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Investment ; Investment Flows ; Investment Spending ; Investment and Investment Climate ; Investments ; Labor Policies ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Non Bank Financial Institutions ; Ownership ; Private Capital ; Private Investors ; Private Sector Development ; Productive Capital ; Profitability ; Public Investment ; Public Sector Economics and Finance ; Share ; Shareholder Value ; Social Protections and Labor ; Value ; Accumulation ; Assets ; Capital ; Commodity Prices ; Cost Of Capital ; Debt Markets ; Disclosure ; Economic Growth ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Expected Value ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Investment ; Investment Flows ; Investment Spending ; Investment and Investment Climate ; Investments ; Labor Policies ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Non Bank Financial Institutions ; Ownership ; Private Capital ; Private Investors ; Private Sector Development ; Productive Capital ; Profitability ; Public Investment ; Public Sector Economics and Finance ; Share ; Shareholder Value ; Social Protections and Labor ; Value
    Abstract: May 2000 - Using the word capital to represent two different concepts is not such a problem when government is responsible for only a small fraction of national investment and is reasonably effective (as in the United States). But when government is a major investor and is ineffective, the gap between capital and cumulative, depreciated investment effort (CUDIE) may be enormous. A public sector steel mill may absorb billions as an investment, but if it cannot produce steel it has zero value as capital. The cost of public investment is not the value of public capital. Unlike for private investors, there is no remotely plausible behavioral model of the government as investor that suggests that every dollar the public sector spends as investment creates capital in an economic sense. This seemingly obvious point has so far been uniformly ignored in the voluminous empirical literature on economic growth, which uses, at best, cumulated, depreciated investment effort (CUDIE) to estimate capital stocks. But in developing countries especially, the difference between investment cumulated at cost and capital value is of primary empirical importance: government investment is half or more of total investment. And perhaps as much as half or more of government investment spending has not created equivalent capital. This suggests that nearly everything empirical written in three broad areas is misguided. First, none of the estimates of the impact of public spending identify the productivity of public capital. Even where public capital could be very productive, regressions and evaluations may suggest that public investment spending has little impact. Second, everything currently said about total factor productivity in developing countries is deeply suspect, as there is no way empirically to distinguish between low output (or growth) attributable to investments that created no factors and low output (or growth) attributable to low (or slow growth in) productivity in using accumulated factors. Third, multivariate growth regressions to date have not, in fact, controlled for the growth of capital stock, so spurious interpretations have emerged. This paper - a product of Poverty and Human Resources, Development Research Group - is part of a larger effort in the group to understand the importance of public sector actions for economic growth
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  • 75
    Online Resource
    Online Resource
    Washington, D.C : The World Bank
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (48 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Easterly, William The Middle Class Consensus and Economic Development
    Keywords: Class Polarization ; Cross-Country Data ; Cross-Country Differences ; Cross-Country Income ; Development Outcomes ; Development Successes ; Economic Development ; Economic Growth ; Emerging Markets ; Exogenous Country Characteristics ; Human Capital ; Income ; Income Differences ; Inequality ; Inequality ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Middle Class ; Middle Class Consensus ; Political Community ; Political Economy ; Political Economy ; Political Instability ; Poverty Reduction ; Private Sector Development ; Resource Endowments ; Social Conflict ; Class Polarization ; Cross-Country Data ; Cross-Country Differences ; Cross-Country Income ; Development Outcomes ; Development Successes ; Economic Development ; Economic Growth ; Emerging Markets ; Exogenous Country Characteristics ; Human Capital ; Income ; Income Differences ; Inequality ; Inequality ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Middle Class ; Middle Class Consensus ; Political Community ; Political Economy ; Political Economy ; Political Instability ; Poverty Reduction ; Private Sector Development ; Resource Endowments ; Social Conflict
    Abstract: May 2000 - A higher share of income for the middle class and lower ethnic polarization are empirically associated with higher income, higher growth, more education, better health, better infrastructure, better economic policies, less political instability, less civil war (putting ethnic minorities at risk), more social modernization, and more democracy. Modern political economy stresses society's polarization as a determinant of development outcomes. Among the most common forms of social conflict are class polarization and ethnic polarization. A middle class consensus is defined as a high share of income for the middle class and a low degree of ethnic polarization. A middle class consensus distinguishes development successes from failures. A theoretical model shows how groups- distinguished by class or ethnicity - will under-invest in human capital and infrastructure when there is leakage to another group. Easterly links the existence of a middle class consensus to exogenous country characteristics such as resource endowments, along the lines of the provocative thesis of Engerman and Sokoloff 1997 that tropical commodity exporters are more unequal than other societies. Easterly confirms this hypothesis with cross-country data. This makes it possible to use resource endowments as instruments for inequality. A higher share of income for the middle class and lower ethnic polarization are empirically associated with higher income, higher growth, more education, better health, better infrastructure, better economic policies, less political instability, less civil war (putting ethnic minorities at risk), more social modernization, and more democracy. This paper - a product of Macroeconomics and Growth, Development Research Group - is part of a larger effort in the group to study the determinants of growth. The author may be contacted at weasterlyworldbank.org
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  • 76
    Online Resource
    Online Resource
    Washington, D.C : The World Bank
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (32 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Mattoo, Aaditya Trade Policies for Electronic Commerce
    Keywords: Commodities ; Cross-Border Trade ; Customs ; Customs Duties ; Debt Markets ; E-Business ; Economic Theory and Research ; Electronic Commerce ; Emerging Markets ; European Union ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Services ; Free Trade ; Free Trade ; Importing Country ; International Economics & Trade ; International Trade ; Law and Development ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Market Access ; National Treatment ; Preferential Trading Arrangements ; Preferential Treatment ; Private Sector Development ; Public Sector Development ; Recourse ; Tariff Reductions ; Trade ; Trade Diversion ; Trade Law ; Trade Policies ; Trade Policy ; Trade Regime ; Trade and Services ; Transport ; Transport and Trade Logistics ; World Trade Organization ; Commodities ; Cross-Border Trade ; Customs ; Customs Duties ; Debt Markets ; E-Business ; Economic Theory and Research ; Electronic Commerce ; Emerging Markets ; European Union ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Services ; Free Trade ; Free Trade ; Importing Country ; International Economics & Trade ; International Trade ; Law and Development ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Market Access ; National Treatment ; Preferential Trading Arrangements ; Preferential Treatment ; Private Sector Development ; Public Sector Development ; Recourse ; Tariff Reductions ; Trade ; Trade Diversion ; Trade Law ; Trade Policies ; Trade Policy ; Trade Regime ; Trade and Services ; Transport ; Transport and Trade Logistics ; World Trade Organization
    Abstract: June 2000 - Members of the World Trade Organization have decided provisionally to exempt electronic delivery of products from customs duties. There is growing support for the decision to be made permanent. Is this desirable? Some countries in the World Trade Organization initially opposed WTO's decision to exempt electronic delivery of products from customs duties, out of concern for the revenue consequences. Others supported the decision as a means of securing open trading conditions. Mattoo and Schuknecht argue that neither the inhibitions nor the enthusiasm are fully justified. First, even if all delivery of digitizable media products moved online - an unlikely prospect - the revenue loss for most countries would be small. More important, however, the prohibition of customs duties does not ensure continued open access for electronically delivered products and may even prompt recourse to inferior instruments of protection. Barrier-free electronic commerce would be more effectively secured by deepening and widening the limited cross-border trade commitments under the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) and by clarifying and strengthening certain GATS disciplines. This paper-a product of Trade, Development Research Group-is part of a larger effort in the group to improve trade policy for goods and services. It is part of a larger project on trade in services supported in part by the United Kingdom's Department for International Development. Aaditya Mattoo may be contacted at amattooworldbank.org
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  • 77
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (50 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Fink, Carsten How Stronger Patent Protection in India Might Affect the Behavior of Transnational Pharmaceutical Industries
    Keywords: Access to Markets ; Advertising ; Brand ; Brands ; Commercialization ; Competition ; Demand ; Economic Theory and Research ; International Economics & Trade ; Law and Development ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Market ; Market Structure ; Marketing ; Markets and Market Access ; Price ; Price Controls ; Price Increases ; Prices ; Product ; Products ; Publicity ; Real and Intellectual Property Law ; Sales ; Substitute ; Substitution ; Trademarks ; Access to Markets ; Advertising ; Brand ; Brands ; Commercialization ; Competition ; Demand ; Economic Theory and Research ; International Economics & Trade ; Law and Development ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Market ; Market Structure ; Marketing ; Markets and Market Access ; Price ; Price Controls ; Price Increases ; Prices ; Product ; Products ; Publicity ; Real and Intellectual Property Law ; Sales ; Substitute ; Substitution ; Trademarks
    Abstract: May 2000 - How will stronger patent rights in developing countries affect transnational corporations' behavior in and toward those countries? How will market structure and consumer welfare be affected by extending patent protection to products that could previously be freely imitated? Will research-based transnational corporations devote more resources to developing technologies relevant to needs in developing countries? To address questions about how stronger patent rights will affect India's pharmaceutical industry, Fink simulates the effects of introducing such protection - as required by the World Trade Organization Agreement on Trade-Related Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPs) - on market structure and static consumer welfare. (India must amend its current patent regime by 2005 and establish a transitional regime in the meanwhile.) The model Fink uses accounts for the complex demand structure for pharmaceutical goods. Consumers can choose among various drugs available to treat a specific disease. And for each drug, they have a choice among various differentiated brands. Fink calibrates the model for two groups of drugs - quinolonnes and synthetic hypotensives - using 1992 brand-level data. In both groups, a subset of all available drugs was patent-protected in Western Europe but not India, where Indian manufacturers freely imitated them. The simulation analysis asks how the market structure for the two groups of drugs would have looked if India had granted patents for drugs. It does not take account of the fact that stronger patent protection will not apply to existing drugs and that the Indian government might be able to restrain high drug prices by imposing price controls or granting compulsory licenses. Still, Fink concludes that if future drug discoveries are mainly new varieties of already existing therapeutic treatments, the effect of stronger patent protection is likely to be small. If newly discovered drugs are medicinal breakthroughs, however, prices may rise significantly above competitive levels and static welfare losses may be large. If demand is highly price-elastic, as is likely in India, profits for transnational corporations are likely to be small. But if private health insurance is permitted in India, reducing the price-sensitivity of demand, patent-holders' profits could increase substantially. In light of the fact that the TRIPS Agreement strengthens patent rights in most developing countries, pharmaceutical companies may do more research on, for example, tropical diseases. This paper - a product of Trade, Development Research Group - is part of a larger effort in the group to investigate the economic consequences of multilateral trade agreements. The author may be contacted at cfinkworldbank.org
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  • 78
    Online Resource
    Online Resource
    Washington, D.C : The World Bank
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (38 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Kubota, Keiko Fiscal Constraints, Collection Costs, and Trade Policies
    Keywords: Debt Markets ; Developing Countries ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Exchange ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Fiscal Adjustment ; Fiscal Constraints ; Government Revenues ; Interest ; International Economics & Trade ; Law and Development ; Macroeconomic Crises ; Macroeconomic Stabilization ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Political Economy ; Price Stability ; Private Sector Development ; Public Finance ; Public Sector Development ; Return ; Revenue ; Revenues ; Tariff ; Tariffs ; Tax ; Tax Law ; Tax Rate ; Taxation and Subsidies ; Taxes ; Trade Liberalization ; Trade Policy ; Trade Sector ; Debt Markets ; Developing Countries ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Exchange ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Fiscal Adjustment ; Fiscal Constraints ; Government Revenues ; Interest ; International Economics & Trade ; Law and Development ; Macroeconomic Crises ; Macroeconomic Stabilization ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Political Economy ; Price Stability ; Private Sector Development ; Public Finance ; Public Sector Development ; Return ; Revenue ; Revenues ; Tariff ; Tariffs ; Tax ; Tax Law ; Tax Rate ; Taxation and Subsidies ; Taxes ; Trade Liberalization ; Trade Policy ; Trade Sector
    Abstract: June 2000 - Empirical evidence supports the hypothesis that when tariffs and export taxes are important sources of revenue for developing countries, and when those countries have narrow tax bases and high tax rates, trade liberalization will come about when the governments diversify their revenue sources through efficiency-enhancing, revenue-increasing tax reform. That free trade allows economies in an ideal world to achieve the greatest possible welfare is one of the few undisputed propositions in economics. In reality, however, free trade is rare. Kubota argues that many developing countries intervene in trade at least partly to raise revenues and that episodes of trade liberalization are often linked to tax reform. She proposes a formal model to explain why developing countries rely disproportionately on tariffs for government revenues, when tax reforms are expected, and under what conditions trade liberalization will take place. The model uses the simple concept of the fixed costs involved in tax collection. When fiscal needs are limited and the infrastructure to monitor, administer, and collect taxes is not well-developed, it is optimal for governments to rely on a handful of easy-to-collect taxes, which generally includes trade taxes. When fiscal needs expand, the excess burden on the tax base grows rapidly, and tax reform becomes necessary. Tax reforms reduce reliance on the existing tax base, often allowing the statutory tax rate to be lowered. This is a form of trade liberalization when it involves the trade sector. Kubota defines trade liberalization in a somewhat unconventional way: only reductions in the rates at which the trade sector is taxed are considered trade liberalization. Tariffication of quotas, normally considered a form of trade liberalization, is treated as tax reform (expanding the tax base). Kubota tests this hypothesis empirically, first through three historic case studies (Bolivia, Jamaica, and Morocco) and then through systematic econometric analysis. She constructs a set of panel data for 38 developing countries for 1980-92, using the statutory tariff rates published by UNCTAD. She uses empirical tests to isolate the cause of trade liberalization. The results support her hypothesis: tariff rates are positively related to fiscal shocks and negatively associated with episodes of tax reform. This paper - a product of Trade, Development Research Group - is part of a larger effort in the group to investigate the role of trade taxes in government revenues in developing countries. The author may be contacted at kkubotaworldbank.org
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  • 79
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (38 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Recanatini, Francesca Seeds of Corruption
    Keywords: Accountability ; Bank ; Banks and Banking Reform ; Corruption ; Corruption and Anticorruption Law ; Debt Markets ; Discretion ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Fight Against Corruption ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Governance ; Governance ; Governance Indicators ; Governance Reforms ; Government ; Government Officials ; Governments ; Investigation ; Law and Development ; Laws ; Legal Products ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Monopolies ; Monopoly ; National Governance ; Organization ; Policies ; Policy ; Political Economy ; Politicians ; Private Sector Development ; Public Sector Corruption and Anticorruption Measures ; Services ; Transparent Mechanism ; Accountability ; Bank ; Banks and Banking Reform ; Corruption ; Corruption and Anticorruption Law ; Debt Markets ; Discretion ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Fight Against Corruption ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Governance ; Governance ; Governance Indicators ; Governance Reforms ; Government ; Government Officials ; Governments ; Investigation ; Law and Development ; Laws ; Legal Products ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Monopolies ; Monopoly ; National Governance ; Organization ; Policies ; Policy ; Political Economy ; Politicians ; Private Sector Development ; Public Sector Corruption and Anticorruption Measures ; Services ; Transparent Mechanism
    Abstract: June 2000 - Economists in the field of industrial organization, antitrust, and regulation have long recognized certain factors as potent determinants of opportunistic behavior, corruption, and capture of government officials. Only now are these relationships becoming conventional wisdom among specialists in economies in transition. Ten years into the transition, corruption is so pervasive that it could jeopardize the best-intentioned reform efforts. Broadman and Recanatini present an analytical framework for examining the role market institutions play in rent-seeking and illicit behavior. Using recently available data on the incidence of corruption and on institutional development, they provide preliminary evidence on the link between the development of market institutions and incentives for corruption. Virtually all of the indicators they examine appear to be important, but three are statistically significant: · The intensity of barriers to the entry of new business. · The effectiveness of the legal system. · The efficacy and competitiveness of services provided by infrastructure monopolies. The main lesson emerging from their analysis: a well established system of market institutions - clear and transparent rules, fully functioning checks and balances (including strong enforcement mechanisms), and a robust competitive environment - reduces opportunities for rent-seeking and hence incentives for corruption. Both the design and effective implementation of such measures are important if a market system is to be effective. It is not enough, for example, to enact first-rate laws if they are not enforced. The local political economy greatly affects whether a given policy reform will curtail corruption. Especially important are the following factors in the political economy: · The credibility of the government's commitment to carrying out announced reforms. · The degree to which government officials are captured by the entities they regulate or oversee. · The stability of the government itself. · The political power of entrenched vested interests. Economists in the field of industrial organization, antitrust, and regulation have long recognized these factors as potent determinants of opportunistic behavior, corruption, and capture of government officials. Only now are they becoming conventional wisdom among specialists in economies in transition. This paper - a product of the Poverty Reduction and Economic Management Sector Unit, Europe and Central Asia Region - is part of a larger effort in the region to analyze the determinants of corruption and develop remedies. The authors may be contacted at hbroadmanworldbank.org or frecanatini@worldbank.org
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  • 80
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (24 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Mattoo, Aaditya Reciprocity across Modes of Supply in the World Trade Organization
    Keywords: Agreement On Trade ; Border Trade ; Comparative Advantage ; Concessions ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Foreign Labor ; Foreign Markets ; Free Trade ; International Economics & Trade ; International Trade and Trade Rules ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Market Access ; Private Sector Development ; Public Sector Development ; Reciprocal Reduction ; Reciprocity ; Tariff ; Tariff Reduction ; Terms Of Trade ; Terms Of Trade Effects ; Trade Effect ; Trade Negotiations ; Trade Policy ; Trade Policy ; Trade and Services ; Volume Of Trade ; Welfare Gains ; World Trade ; World Trade Organization ; Agreement On Trade ; Border Trade ; Comparative Advantage ; Concessions ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Foreign Labor ; Foreign Markets ; Free Trade ; International Economics & Trade ; International Trade and Trade Rules ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Market Access ; Private Sector Development ; Public Sector Development ; Reciprocal Reduction ; Reciprocity ; Tariff ; Tariff Reduction ; Terms Of Trade ; Terms Of Trade Effects ; Trade Effect ; Trade Negotiations ; Trade Policy ; Trade Policy ; Trade and Services ; Volume Of Trade ; Welfare Gains ; World Trade ; World Trade Organization
    Abstract: June 2000 - If negotiations on trade in services at the World Trade Organization are to advance liberalization beyond levels undertaken unilaterally and lead to more balanced outcomes, reciprocity must play a greater role in negotiations. This may be facilitated by the use of negotiating rules that establish credible links across sectors and modes of delivery. Negotiations on trade in services at the World Trade Organization (WTO) have so far produced little liberalization beyond levels countries have undertaken unilaterally. One reason: limited application of the traditional negotiating principle of reciprocity. In particular, participants have failed to exploit the scope of the services agreement (GATS) for the exchange of market-access concessions across different modes of supply - cross-border delivery and the movement of capital and workers. Using the Heckscher-Ohlin-Vanek framework, Mattoo and Olarreaga propose a negotiating formula that generalizes the fundamental WTO principle of reciprocity to include alternative modes of delivery. Adoption of this formula as a basis for negotiations could bring greater commitments to liberalization on all modes of delivery, producing substantial gains in global welfare and more balanced outcomes. This paper - a product of Trade, Development Research Group - is part of a larger effort in the group to improve trade policy in goods and services. The authors may be contacted at amattooworldbank.org or molarreaga@worldbank.org
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  • 81
    Online Resource
    Online Resource
    Washington, D.C : The World Bank
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (40 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Belser, Patrick Vietnam
    Keywords: Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Employment ; Employment Growth ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Household Survey ; Human Resources ; International Economics & Trade ; Jobs ; Labor ; Labor Market ; Labor Market Reforms ; Labor Markets ; Labor Policies ; Labor Productivity ; Labor Regulations ; Labor-Intensive Growth ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Minimum Wages ; Private Companies ; Private Sector ; Private Sector Development ; Productivity Gap ; Productivity Growth ; Public Sector Development ; Social Protections and Labor ; Total Employment ; Total Labor Force ; Trade Policy ; Worker ; Workers ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Employment ; Employment Growth ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Household Survey ; Human Resources ; International Economics & Trade ; Jobs ; Labor ; Labor Market ; Labor Market Reforms ; Labor Markets ; Labor Policies ; Labor Productivity ; Labor Regulations ; Labor-Intensive Growth ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Minimum Wages ; Private Companies ; Private Sector ; Private Sector Development ; Productivity Gap ; Productivity Growth ; Public Sector Development ; Social Protections and Labor ; Total Employment ; Total Labor Force ; Trade Policy ; Worker ; Workers
    Abstract: July 2000 - Between 1993 and 1997, Vietnam was one of the fastest growing economies, with GDP increasing almost 9 percent a year and the industrial sector expanding roughly 13 percent a year. But did employment also grow at a fast pace? And is Vietnam due for labor-intensive growth? Since Vietnam's adoption of the doi moi or renovation policy in 1986, the country has been undergoing the transition from central planning to a socialist market-oriented economy. This has translated into strong economic growth, led by the industrial sector, which expanded more than 13 percent a year from 1993 to 1997. Vietnamese policymakers are concerned, however, that employment growth has lagged. To address this concern, Belser compares new employment data from the Vietnam Living Standards Survey (VLSS 2), completed in 1997-98, with data from the first household survey undertaken in 1992-93. He shows that in 1993-97, industrial employment grew an average of about 4 percent a year, which is low compared with industrial GDP growth. This slower growth was attributable to the capital-intensive, import-substituting nature of the state sector and foreign investment, which dominate industry. The more labor-intensive, export-oriented domestic private sector is still small, although growing quickly. In the future, growth promises to become more labor-intensive. Before the Asian crisis there were signs of an emerging export-oriented sector. Using previous statistical analysis (Wood and Mayer 1998) as well as factor content calculations, Belser estimates that given Vietnam's endowment of natural and human resources, Vietnam could triple its manufacturing exports and create about 1.6 million manufacturing jobs in export sectors in the near future. After examining Vietnam's labor regulations, Belser concludes that there is no need for basic reform of the labor market. At current levels, minimum wages and nonwage regulations (even if better enforced) are unlikely to inhibit development of the private sector or hurt export competitiveness. But a restrictive interpretation of the Labor Code's provisions on terminating employment could hurt foreign investment, reduce the speed of reform in the state sector, and slow the reallocation of resources to the domestic private sector. This paper - a product of the Vietnam Country Office, East Asia and Pacific Region - was prepared as a background paper for the Vietnam Development Report 2000, Vietnam: Attacking Poverty, a joint report of the Government of Vietnam-Donor-NGO Poverty Working Group. The author may be contacted at pbelserworldbank.org
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  • 82
    Online Resource
    Online Resource
    Washington, D.C : The World Bank
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (42 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Waly, Waly Tax Evasion, Corruption, and the Remuneration of Heterogeneous Inspectors
    Keywords: Bank ; Corruption ; Debt Markets ; Discretion ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Income Tax ; Insurance and Risk Mitigation ; Law and Development ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Poverty Impact Evaluation ; Poverty Reduction ; Private Sector Development ; Public Sector Corruption and Anticorruption Measures ; Strategy ; Tax ; Tax Administration ; Tax Base ; Tax Collection ; Tax Compliance ; Tax Enforcement ; Tax Evasion ; Tax Law ; Tax Liabilities ; Tax Liability ; Tax Policies ; Tax Receipts ; Tax Revenue ; Tax Revenues ; Taxation and Subsidies ; Taxes ; Taxpayers ; Bank ; Corruption ; Debt Markets ; Discretion ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Income Tax ; Insurance and Risk Mitigation ; Law and Development ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Poverty Impact Evaluation ; Poverty Reduction ; Private Sector Development ; Public Sector Corruption and Anticorruption Measures ; Strategy ; Tax ; Tax Administration ; Tax Base ; Tax Collection ; Tax Compliance ; Tax Enforcement ; Tax Evasion ; Tax Law ; Tax Liabilities ; Tax Liability ; Tax Policies ; Tax Receipts ; Tax Revenue ; Tax Revenues ; Taxation and Subsidies ; Taxes ; Taxpayers
    Abstract: July 2000 - Wane develops a general model for addressing the question of how to compensate tax inspectors in an economy where corruption is pervasive-a model that considers the existence of strategic transmission of information. Most of the literature on corruption assumes that the taxpayer and the tax inspector jointly decide on the income to report, which also determines the size of the bribe. In contrast, Wane's model considers the more realistic case in which the taxpayer unilaterally chooses the income to report. The tax inspector cannot change the report and is faced with a binary choice: either he negotiates the bribe on the basis of the income report or he denounces the tax evader and therefore renounces the bribe. In his model, the optimal compensation scheme must take into account the strategic interaction between taxpayers and tax inspectors: · Pure tax farming (paying tax inspectors a share of their tax collections) is optimal only when all tax inspectors are corruptible. · When there are both honest and corruptible inspectors, the optimal compensation scheme lies between pure tax farming and a pure wage scheme. · Paradoxically, when inspectors are hired beforehand, it may be optimal to offer contracts that attract corruptible inspectors but not honest ones. This paper-a product of Public Economics, Development Research Group-is part of a larger effort in the group to understand how the existence of corruption affects the remuneration schemes tax administrations should offer their inspectors
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  • 83
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (42 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Schmukler, Sergio Managers, Investors, and Crises
    Keywords: Budget ; Debt Markets ; Emerging Market ; Emerging Markets ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Crisis ; Financial Support ; Fund Managers ; Hedge ; Hedge Funds ; Interest ; Investor ; Investors ; Lending ; Mutual Fund ; Mutual Fund Strategies ; Mutual Funds ; Pension ; Pension Funds ; Portfolio ; Trading ; Warrants ; Budget ; Debt Markets ; Emerging Market ; Emerging Markets ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Crisis ; Financial Support ; Fund Managers ; Hedge ; Hedge Funds ; Interest ; Investor ; Investors ; Lending ; Mutual Fund ; Mutual Fund Strategies ; Mutual Funds ; Pension ; Pension Funds ; Portfolio ; Trading ; Warrants
    Abstract: July 2000 - This study of an important class of investors-U.S. mutual funds-finds that mutual funds do engage in momentum trading (buying winners and selling losers). They also engage in contagion trading strategies (selling assets from one country when asset prices fall in another). Kaminsky, Lyons, and Schmukler address the trading strategies of mutual funds in emerging markets. The data set they develop permits analyses of these strategies at the level of individual portfolios. A methodologically novel feature of their analysis: they disentangle the behavior of fund managers from that of investors. For both managers and investors, they strongly reject the null hypothesis of no momentum trading. Funds' momentum trading is positive: they systematically buy winners and sell losers. Contemporaneous momentum trading (buying current winners and selling current losers) is stronger during crises, and stronger for fund investors than for fund managers. Lagged momentum trading (buying past winners and selling past losers) is stronger during noncrises, and stronger for fund managers. Investors also engage in contagion trading-selling assets from one country when asset prices fall in another. These findings are based on data about mutual funds that represent only 10 percent of the market capitalization in the countries considered. Were it a larger share of the market, finding counterparties for their trades (the investors who buy when they sell and sell when they buy) would be difficult-and the premise that funds respond to contemporaneous returns rather than causing them would become tenuous. This paper-a product of Macroeconomics and Growth, Development Research Group-is part of a larger effort in the group to understand capital flows to developing countries. The study was funded by the Bank's Research Support Budget under the research project Mutual Fund Investment in Developing Countries. The authors may be contacted at gracielagwu.edu, lyons@haas.berkeley.edu, or sschmukler@worldbank.org
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  • 84
    Online Resource
    Online Resource
    Washington, D.C : The World Bank
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (20 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Salinas, Angel The Distribution of Mexico's Public Spending on Education
    Keywords: Access and Equity in Basic Education ; Cred Earnings ; Debt Markets ; Education ; Education ; Education for All ; Effective Schools and Teachers ; Finance ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Financial Sector ; Gender ; Gender and Education ; Health, Nutrition and Population ; Household Expenditure ; Income ; Income Groups ; Information ; Investments ; Level Of Education ; Loan Programs ; Population Policies ; Primary Education ; Primary Education ; Public Expenditures ; Public Sector Expenditure Analysis and Management ; Spending ; Student ; Student Loan ; Students ; Subsidies ; Subsidy ; Tertiary Education ; Access and Equity in Basic Education ; Cred Earnings ; Debt Markets ; Education ; Education ; Education for All ; Effective Schools and Teachers ; Finance ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Financial Sector ; Gender ; Gender and Education ; Health, Nutrition and Population ; Household Expenditure ; Income ; Income Groups ; Information ; Investments ; Level Of Education ; Loan Programs ; Population Policies ; Primary Education ; Primary Education ; Public Expenditures ; Public Sector Expenditure Analysis and Management ; Spending ; Student ; Student Loan ; Students ; Subsidies ; Subsidy ; Tertiary Education
    Abstract: July 2000 - Public spending on tertiary education in Mexico is strongly regressive, benefiting mainly the nonpoor in urban areas. To give the poor a chance at higher education, student loan programs or means-tested financial aid and scholarship programs (though rarely devoid of subsidy) are preferable to free education services, because loan and aid programs target the students who suffer from the financial market's failure to provide long-term loans for higher education. Research shows that education has played a crucial role in raising levels of earnings and that returns to education in Mexico have increased, particularly in higher education and in the upper tail of the conditional earnings distribution. Lopez-Acevedo and Salinas examine patterns of public spending on education in the face of further increases in earnings inequality. They analyze the incidence of benefits using two sets of data: data on unit costs per student by state and by education level, and data from surveys on household income and spending. Among their findings: · Nationally, the poorest income groups get most of the national and state subsidy for primary education. At higher education levels the poor get progressively smaller subsidies. · For all Mexico, government spending on primary education is very progressive. In lower secondary education it is neutral. And in upper secondary education it benefits mainly the middle and upper classes. Tertiary education is strongly regressive, benefiting mainly the richest deciles and mainly in urban areas. · But those government patterns vary by region. In the central region average total spending is more uniformly distributed than the national pattern. In the northern region the subsidy is progressive. Primary education is neutral and higher levels of instruction are moderately regressive. In the central region primary schooling is very progressive, while lower secondary schooling is almost neutral. Upper secondary and tertiary instruction strongly benefit the richest income deciles. In the southern region basic (primary and lower secondary) education is very progressive, upper secondary education is neutral, and tertiary education is highly regressive. In Mexico City all levels of education except primary are strongly regressive. Lopez-Acevedo and Salinas show that public spending at the tertiary level is more regressive than household spending. So much of public spending on tertiary education favors nonpoor families in urban areas that to reallocate the spending so that poor students have a chance to participate would require developing credit markets for higher education. The government's role should be to help overcome market failures in the financial sector, which limit the availability of long-term financing for higher education. These failures can be corrected through student loan programs or means-tested financial aid and scholarship programs. Such programs are rarely devoid of subsidy but are preferable to the direct, cost-free provision of services because the subsidy is targeted more closely to the source of market failure. This paper-a product of the Economic Policy Sector Unit and Mexico Country Office, Latin America and the Caribbean Region-is part of a strategy to reduce poverty and inequality in Mexico. The study was part of the research project Earnings Inequality after Mexico's Economic Reforms. The authors may be contacted at gacevedoworldbank.org or asalinas@worldbank.org
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  • 85
    Online Resource
    Online Resource
    Washington, D.C : The World Bank
    Language: English
    Pages: 1 Online-Ressource
    Series Statement: Speeches of World Bank Presidents
    Series Statement: World Bank E-Library Archive
    Abstract: James D. Wolfensohn, President of the World Bank Group, writes that development economics is the discipline that addresses the world's most enduring problem: persistent and widespread poverty. Within this deprivation is another dimension: hundreds of millions of girls and women whose lives are diminished and shortened by inadequate economic means and discrimination in social status and medical attention. The end of the cold war has been accompanied by a growing recognition of the importance of political, social, and economic participation, by widespread demands for human rights and gender equity, and by an emerging globalized economy. This offers an unprecedented opportunity to make development work. There is a need for effective and impartial legal and justice systems, with protection of and positive support for rights and freedoms of various kinds, a well-organized and supervised financial system, effective social safety nets, and essential social programs
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  • 86
    Online Resource
    Online Resource
    Washington, D.C : The World Bank
    Language: English
    Pages: 1 Online-Ressource
    Series Statement: Speeches of World Bank Presidents
    Series Statement: World Bank E-Library Archive
    Abstract: James D. Wolfensohn, President of the World Bank Group, discussed the international development framework; legal and justice system; financial supervision and control at the level of banks, financial markets, capital markets, leasing, and agricultural banks; and social safety net and a social structure to come up with programs for privatization in the former Soviet Union. Governments must be the dominant power in deciding the development agenda. In partnership with a country's government, the Bank agrees upon a Comprehensive Development Framework
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  • 87
    Online Resource
    Online Resource
    Washington, D.C : The World Bank
    Language: English
    Pages: 1 Online-Ressource
    Series Statement: Speeches of World Bank Presidents
    Series Statement: World Bank E-Library Archive
    Abstract: James D. Wolfensohn, President of the World Bank Group, reassessed the global financial architecture and its impact on Latin America. Latin American countries, being small economies, are very vulnerable to world pressures. After a huge drop in private sector finance, we're seeing the first signs of return. What we need now is greater transparency and supervision in banking and the private sector-and a better common set of principles and standards. We need decent government, trained government, with capacity at all levels. We need legal systems that work. We must ensure social safety nets are in place. The things that bring about equity in a society are education and knowledge. Latin America's kids need stability and social justice
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  • 88
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (30 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Estache, Antonio Argentina's Transport Privatization and Re-Regulation
    Keywords: Airport ; Airport Authority ; Commuters ; Costs ; Infrastructure ; Investments ; Modal Shift ; Port Services ; Rail ; Railroad ; Railways ; Road Transport ; Roads ; Subsidy ; Subway ; Traffic ; Transport ; Transport ; Transport Economics ; Transport Economics, Policy and Planning ; Transport Sector ; Trucks ; Airport ; Airport Authority ; Commuters ; Costs ; Infrastructure ; Investments ; Modal Shift ; Port Services ; Rail ; Railroad ; Railways ; Road Transport ; Roads ; Subsidy ; Subway ; Traffic ; Transport ; Transport ; Transport Economics ; Transport Economics, Policy and Planning ; Transport Sector ; Trucks
    Abstract: November 1999 - Argentina's policy for reform of the transport sector has been a mix of competition in the market and, through concessions, for the market. Capacity has increased, demand has grown, and prices and services have improved. Public financing has not been eliminated but it has been drastically reduced. When Argentina initiated reform of its transport sector in 1989, it had few models to follow. It was the first Latin American country to privatize its intercity railroad, to explicitly organize intraport competition, and to grant a private concession to operate its subway. It was second (after Japan) to privatize its urban commuter railways and one of the first in the developing world to grant road concessions to private operators. Argentina's experience shows that transport privatization and deregulation provide efficiency gains that can be delivered to users. Despite unexpectedly high residual subsidy requirements, fiscal costs are lower, services have improved, and new investment is taking place. Argentina's decade-long experience shows that the reform process involves learning by doing. Inexperienced new regulators quickly face the challenges in controlling monopoly power and providing long-run incentives for private investment. Designing sustainable reform requires a commitment by government to minimize its role in the sector and to respect its original promises to both users and concessionaires. Argentina has learned the importance of building up the regulatory capacity needed to monitor contracts, especially when initial uncertainty about demand and cost conditions is strong and renegotiation is the probable outcome of daring reform. The government's main challenge in monitoring contracts is to get enough information to reach a balance in its decisions about distributing efficiency gains fairly between consumers and private investors. This is one area in which Argentina may not yet have met the challenge. As the last wave of contract extensions in rail and roads comes to an end, one issue is likely to be the need for better targeting of subsidies for the poor. This paper - a product of Governance, Regulation, and Finance, World Bank Institute - is part of a larger effort in the institute to increase understanding of infrastructure regulation. Antonio Estache may be contacted at aestacheworldbank.org
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  • 89
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (26 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Ghani, Ejaz Productivity Growth, Capital Accumulation, and the Banking Sector
    Keywords: Accounting ; Accounting Framework ; Bank ; Banking ; Banking Sector ; Banking System ; Banks ; Banks and Banking Reform ; Capital ; Capital Employed ; Cred Debt ; Debt Markets ; Economic Growth ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Foreign Exchange ; Labor ; Labor Policies ; Lending ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Poverty Reduction ; Private Sector Development ; Pro-Poor Growth ; Productivity ; Projects ; Risk ; Risk Management ; Savings ; Social Protections and Labor ; Wages ; Accounting ; Accounting Framework ; Bank ; Banking ; Banking Sector ; Banking System ; Banks ; Banks and Banking Reform ; Capital ; Capital Employed ; Cred Debt ; Debt Markets ; Economic Growth ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Foreign Exchange ; Labor ; Labor Policies ; Lending ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Poverty Reduction ; Private Sector Development ; Pro-Poor Growth ; Productivity ; Projects ; Risk ; Risk Management ; Savings ; Social Protections and Labor ; Wages
    Abstract: How did the East Asian miracle turn into one of the worst financial crises of the century? A case study of Malaysia provides some answers. - How did the East Asian miracle turn into one of the worst financial crises of the century? Ghani and Suri address the question using Malaysia as a case study. Many discussions of the East Asian crisis address proximate and short-run causes of the crisis, such as the current account deficit, exchange rate misalignment, and disproportionate short-run external debt relative to foreign exchange reserves. These indicators of vulnerability are themselves endogenous outcomes of deeper institutional features. Ghani and Suri argue that some long-term features of the development strategy that helped sustain high growth in the first place also contributed to the economy's increasing vulnerability. High output growth was driven by rapid growth in capital stock, for example. The banking sector played a critical role in transforming (and accelerating the transformation of) large savings into capital accumulation. But the banking sector may not have been allocating capital efficiently. Ghani and Suri find that the rapid growth in bank lending in Malaysia is negatively associated with total factor productivity growth. On the other hand, the economy's other structural strengths, such as openness to foreign direct investment and technology, helped improve productivity growth. Malaysia's exceptional growth record over the past quarter century was driven largely by the growth in physical capital stock. Total factor productivity growth may have slowed in the late 1990s, and sustaining high output growth will require greater emphasis on productivity improvements. Policies that encouraged the flow of foreign direct investment and better access to imported capital goods contributed to productivity growth. But rapid growth in bank lending relative to GDP may have slowed it. How policymakers can best slow the growth of credit is a question that remains unanswered. This paper - a product of the Poverty Reduction and Economic Management Sector Unit, East Asia and Pacific Region - is part of a larger effort in the region to better understand past and future sources of growth. The authors may be contacted at eghaniworldbank.org or vsuri@worldbank.org
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  • 90
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (38 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Venables, Anthony Geographical Disadvantage
    Keywords: Benchmark ; Economic Structures ; Elasticities ; Elasticity ; Exports ; Goods ; High Transport ; Income ; Infrastructure ; Outcomes ; Price Changes ; Prices ; Production ; Theory ; Trade ; Trade Liberalization ; Transport ; Transport ; Transport Costs ; Transport Economics, Policy and Planning ; Variables ; Welfare ; Benchmark ; Economic Structures ; Elasticities ; Elasticity ; Exports ; Goods ; High Transport ; Income ; Infrastructure ; Outcomes ; Price Changes ; Prices ; Production ; Theory ; Trade ; Trade Liberalization ; Transport ; Transport ; Transport Costs ; Transport Economics, Policy and Planning ; Variables ; Welfare
    Abstract: What effect does distance have on costs for economies at different locations? Exports and imports of final and intermediate goods bear transport costs that increase with distance. Production and trade depend on factor endowments and factor intensities as well as on distance and the transport intensities of different goods. - The combination of distance, poor infrastructure, and being landlocked by neighbors with poor infrastructure can make transport costs many times higher for some developing countries than for most others. Drawing on two traditions of economic modeling - Heckscher-Ohlin trade theory and von Thunen's work on the isolated state - Venables and Limão analyze the trade and production patterns of countries located at varying distances from an economic center. Predicting a country's production and trade pattern requires knowledge of the country's location, its factor endowment, and the factor intensities and transport intensities of goods. Venables and Limão define transport intensity and show how location and transport intensity should be combined with factor abundance and factor intensity in determining trade flows. A theory based on only one set of those variables, such as factor abundance, will systematically make incorrect predictions. They report that geography and endowments interact in such a way that the world divides up into economic zones with different trade patterns. Countries close to the economic center may specialize in transport-intensive activities; countries further out become diversified, producing and sometimes trading more goods; countries still further out may become import-substituting (replacing some of their imports from the center with local production); in the extreme, regions become autarkic. More remote locations have lower real incomes. Globalization changes the terms of trade, improving the welfare of regions further out from economic centers, though reducing the welfare of closer regions. Where will a new activity, such as assembly of a new product, locate? Remote locations are disadvantaged if the product has high transport intensity (perhaps because of heavy requirements for intermediate inputs). But the costs of remoteness are already incorporated into the factor prices of those regions, which makes them more attractive. Which location is chosen depends, therefore, on how existing activities compare with the new activity in transport intensity and factor intensity. This paper - a product of Trade, Development Research Group - is part of a larger effort in the group to study the location of economic activity. The authors may be contacted at avenablesworldbank.org or ngl4@columbia.edu
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  • 91
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (56 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Milanovic, Branko Do More Unequal Countries Redistribute More?
    Keywords: Consumption ; Disposable Income ; Economic Mechanism ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Endogenous Growth ; Factor Income ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Fiscal and Monetary Policy ; Growth Rate ; Growth Theories ; Income ; Income ; Income Distribution ; Income Groups ; Income Inequality ; Inequality ; Inequality ; Investment and Investment Climate ; Labor Policies ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Mean Income ; Median Voter ; Median Voter Hypothesis ; Personal Income ; Personal Income Taxes ; Political Mechanism ; Poverty Impact Evaluation ; Poverty Reduction ; Private Sector Development ; Public Choice ; Public Sector Development ; Services and Transfers to Poor ; Significant Relationship ; Social Protections and Labor ; Consumption ; Disposable Income ; Economic Mechanism ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Endogenous Growth ; Factor Income ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Fiscal and Monetary Policy ; Growth Rate ; Growth Theories ; Income ; Income ; Income Distribution ; Income Groups ; Income Inequality ; Inequality ; Inequality ; Investment and Investment Climate ; Labor Policies ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Mean Income ; Median Voter ; Median Voter Hypothesis ; Personal Income ; Personal Income Taxes ; Political Mechanism ; Poverty Impact Evaluation ; Poverty Reduction ; Private Sector Development ; Public Choice ; Public Sector Development ; Services and Transfers to Poor ; Significant Relationship ; Social Protections and Labor
    Abstract: December 1999 - The data strongly support the hypothesis that countries with more unequal distribution of factor income redistribute more in favor of the poor - even when the analysis controls for older people's share in total population (that is, for pension transfers). But the evidence on the median voter hypothesis is inconclusive even if middle-income groups gain more (or lose less) through redistribution in countries where initial (factor) income distribution is more unequal. The median voter hypothesis is important to endogenous growth theories because it provides the political mechanism through which voters in more unequal countries redistribute a greater proportion of income and thus (it is argued), by blunting incentives, reduce the country's growth rate. But the hypothesis was never properly tested because of lack of data on the distribution of (pre-tax and transfer) factor income across households, and hence on the exact amount of gain by the poorest quintile or poorest half. Milanovic tests the hypothesis using 79 observations drawn from household budget surveys from 24 democracies. The data strongly support the hypothesis that countries with more unequal distribution of factor income redistribute more in favor of the poor - even when the analysis controls for the older people's share in total population (that is, for pension transfers). The evidence on the median voter hypothesis is much weaker. Milanovic does find that middle-income groups gain more (or lose less) through redistribution in countries where initial (factor) income distribution is more unequal. This regularity evaporates, however, when pensions are dropped from social transfers and the focus is strictly on the more redistributive social transfers. This paper - a product of Poverty and Human Resources, Development Research Group - is part of a larger effort in the group to study the relationship between democracy and inequality. The study was funded in part by the Bank's Research Support Budget under the research project Democracy, Redistribution, and Inequality (RPO 683-01). Also published as “The median voter hypothesis, income inequality and income redistribution: An empirical test with the required data”, European Journal of Political Economy , vol. 16, No. 3, September 2000, pp. 367-410. The author may be contacted at bmilanovicworldbank.org
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  • 92
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (30 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Budina, Nina Liquidity Constraints and Investment in Transition Economies
    Keywords: Banks and Banking Reform ; Budget ; Budget Constraints ; Capital Markets ; Cash Flow ; Debt Markets ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Finance ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Crisis ; Financial Institutions ; Financial Intermediation ; Financial Literacy ; Financial Market ; Financial Structure ; Financial System ; Financial Weakness ; Investment ; Investment Function ; Investment Projects ; Liquidity ; Liquidity Constraints ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Market ; Market Economies ; Market Economy ; Private Sector Development ; Transition Economies ; Banks and Banking Reform ; Budget ; Budget Constraints ; Capital Markets ; Cash Flow ; Debt Markets ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Finance ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Crisis ; Financial Institutions ; Financial Intermediation ; Financial Literacy ; Financial Market ; Financial Structure ; Financial System ; Financial Weakness ; Investment ; Investment Function ; Investment Projects ; Liquidity ; Liquidity Constraints ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Market ; Market Economies ; Market Economy ; Private Sector Development ; Transition Economies
    Abstract: January 2000 - In Bulgaria and other transition economies, liquidity constraints and hence access to external funds must be seen in the context of soft budget constraints and the financial system's failure to enforce the efficient allocation of funds. Liquidity constraints in Bulgaria may be seen as a sign of financial weakness. Budina, Garretsen, and de Jong use firm level data on Bulgaria to investigate the impact of liquidity constraints on firms' investment performance. Internal funds are an important determinant of investment in most industrial economies. The authors use a simple accelerator model of investment to test whether liquidity constraints are relevant in Bulgaria's case. Their estimates are based on data for 1993-95, before Bulgaria's financial crisis of 1996-97. It turns out that Bulgarian firms are liquidity-constrained and that firms' size and financial structure help to distinguish between firms that are more and less liquidity-constrained. In the authors' view, liquidity constraints in transition economies should be interpreted in different ways than those in industrial economies. In Bulgaria, liquidity constraints and hence access to external funds should be seen in the context of soft budget constraints and the financial system's failure to enforce the efficient allocation of funds. The relationship between liquidity constraints and firm characteristics may actually be the opposite of what is normally the case in industrial countries. In Bulgaria, lack of liquidity constraints may be a sign of financial weakness. This paper - a product of Macroeconomics and Growth, Development Research Group - is part of a larger effort in the group to study transition economies. The authors may be contacted at nbudinaworldbank.org, h.garretsen@bw.kun.nl or e.dejong@bw.kun.nl
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  • 93
    Online Resource
    Online Resource
    Washington, D.C : The World Bank
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (30 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: McCarthy, Desmond F Malaria and Growth
    Keywords: Anopheles Mosquitoes ; Climate Change ; Communicable Diseases ; Disability ; Disease Control and Prevention ; Diseases ; Early Child and Children's Health ; Effects ; Environment ; Females ; Health ; Health Indicators ; Health Monitoring and Evaluation ; Health Service Management and Delivery ; Health, Nutrition and Population ; Illnesses ; Impact Of Malaria ; Life ; Malaria ; Malaria ; Malaria Incidence ; Malaria Morbidity ; Malaria Mortality ; Medical Treatment ; Morbidity And Mortality ; Nutrition ; Parasitic Disease ; Population Policies ; Poverty Reduction ; Poverty and Health ; Public Health ; Tuberculosis ; Vaccine ; Anopheles Mosquitoes ; Climate Change ; Communicable Diseases ; Disability ; Disease Control and Prevention ; Diseases ; Early Child and Children's Health ; Effects ; Environment ; Females ; Health ; Health Indicators ; Health Monitoring and Evaluation ; Health Service Management and Delivery ; Health, Nutrition and Population ; Illnesses ; Impact Of Malaria ; Life ; Malaria ; Malaria ; Malaria Incidence ; Malaria Morbidity ; Malaria Mortality ; Medical Treatment ; Morbidity And Mortality ; Nutrition ; Parasitic Disease ; Population Policies ; Poverty Reduction ; Poverty and Health ; Public Health ; Tuberculosis ; Vaccine
    Abstract: March 2000 - Malaria ranks among the foremost health problems in tropical countries. Allowing for reverse causation, malaria is estimated to reduce GDP per capita growth rates by at least a quarter percentage point a year in many Sub-Saharan countries. McCarthy, Wolf, and Wu explore the two-sided link between malaria morbidity and GDP per capita growth. Climate significantly affects cross-country differences in malaria morbidity. Tropical location is not destiny, however: greater access to rural health care and greater income equality are associated with lower malaria morbidity. But the interpretation of this link is ambiguous: does greater income equality allow for improved anti-malaria efforts, or does malaria itself increase income inequality? Allowing for two-sided causation, McCarthy, Wolf, and Wu find a significant negative causal effect running from malaria morbidity to the growth rate of GDP per capita. In about a quarter of their sample countries, malaria is estimated to reduce GDP per capita growth by at least 0.25 percentage point a year. This paper - a product of Public Economics, Development Research Group - is part of a larger effort in the group to study the health-environment-economy nexus. This study was funded by the Bank's Research Support Budget under the research project Health, Environment, and the Economy (RPO 683-73). The authors may be contacted at fmccarthyworldbank.org and holger.wolf@mailexcite.com
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  • 94
    Online Resource
    Online Resource
    Washington, D.C : The World Bank
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (40 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Majnoni, Giovanni International Contagion
    Keywords: Bankruptcy and Resolution of Financial Distress ; Currencies and Exchange Rates ; Currency ; Currency Crises ; Debt Markets ; Deposit Insurance ; Emerging Markets ; Exchange ; Exchange Rate ; External Debts ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Contagion ; Financial Crises ; Financial Fragility ; Foreign Interest ; Guarantees ; Interest Rates ; International Financial Contagion ; International Investors ; Liability ; Liquidity ; Market ; Maturity ; Options ; Policy Responses ; Private Sector Development ; Short-Term Debt ; Bankruptcy and Resolution of Financial Distress ; Currencies and Exchange Rates ; Currency ; Currency Crises ; Debt Markets ; Deposit Insurance ; Emerging Markets ; Exchange ; Exchange Rate ; External Debts ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Contagion ; Financial Crises ; Financial Fragility ; Foreign Interest ; Guarantees ; Interest Rates ; International Financial Contagion ; International Investors ; Liability ; Liquidity ; Market ; Maturity ; Options ; Policy Responses ; Private Sector Development ; Short-Term Debt
    Abstract: March 2000 - What can the international community do to prevent financial contagion? Chang and Majnoni try to identify and evaluate the public policy implications of financial contagion on the basis of a very simple model of financial crises. In this model, financial contagion can be driven by a combination of fundamentals and by self-fulfilling market expectations. The model allows the authors to identify different notions of contagion, especially the distinction between monsoonal effects, spillovers, and switchers between equilibria. They discuss both domestic and international policy options. Domestic policies, they say, should be aimed at reducing financial fragility - that is, reducing unnecessary short-term debt commitments. With explicit commitments, the maturity of external debts should be lengthened. With implicit commitments, such as private liability guarantees, they emphasize limiting or eliminating such guarantees, to improve an economy's international liquidity and reduce its exposure to contagion. Internationally, they stress the need for improving financial standards, which makes it easier to assess when a country is subject to different kinds of contagion. The effectiveness of international rescue packages depends on the kind of contagion to which a country is exposed. Implications: The international community should help those countries that are already helping themselves. This paper - a product of the Financial Sector Strategy and Policy Group - is part of a larger effort in the group to study the determinants and policy implications of international financial contagion. The author Giovanni Majnoni may be contacted at gmajnoniworldbank.org
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  • 95
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (22 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Byamugisha, K.F. Frank The Effects of Land Registration on Financial Development and Economic Growth
    Keywords: Bank Policy ; Collateral ; Common Property Resource Development ; Communities & Human Settlements ; Contracts ; Debt Markets ; Depos Deposit Mobilization ; Economic Development ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Exchange ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Development ; Financial Literacy ; Investment ; Labor Policies ; Land Title ; Land Titling ; Land Use and Policies ; Land and Real Estate Development ; Liquidity ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Markets ; Municipal Housing and Land ; Poverty Reduction ; Private Property ; Private Sector Development ; Property Rights ; Rural Development ; Rural Land Policies for Poverty Reduction ; Security ; Seizure ; Social Protections and Labor ; Transaction ; Transaction Costs ; Transactions ; Bank Policy ; Collateral ; Common Property Resource Development ; Communities & Human Settlements ; Contracts ; Debt Markets ; Depos Deposit Mobilization ; Economic Development ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Exchange ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Development ; Financial Literacy ; Investment ; Labor Policies ; Land Title ; Land Titling ; Land Use and Policies ; Land and Real Estate Development ; Liquidity ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Markets ; Municipal Housing and Land ; Poverty Reduction ; Private Property ; Private Sector Development ; Property Rights ; Rural Development ; Rural Land Policies for Poverty Reduction ; Security ; Seizure ; Social Protections and Labor ; Transaction ; Transaction Costs ; Transactions
    Abstract: November 1999 - A theoretical framework to guide empirical analysis of how land registration affects financial development and economic growth. The author develops a theoretical framework to guide empirical analysis of how land registration affects financial development and economic growth. Most conceptual approaches investigate the effects of land registration on only one sector, nut land registration is commonly observed to affect not only other sectors but the economy as a whole The author builds on the well-tested link between secure land ownership and farm productivity, adding to the framework theory about positive information and transaction costs. To map the relationship between land registration and financial development and economic growth, the framework links: -Land tenure security and investment incentives. -Land title, collateral, and credit. -Land markets, transactions, and efficiency. -Labor mobility and efficiency. -Land liquidity, deposit mobilization, and investment. Empirical results from applying the framework to a single case study - of Thailand, described in a separate paper - suggest that the framework is sound. This paper - a product of the Rural Development and Natural Resources Sector Unit, East Asia and Pacific Region - is part of a larger effort in the region to increase the effectiveness of country assistance strategies in the area of property rights and economic development
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  • 96
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (42 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Estache, Antonio Privatization and Regulation of Transport Infrastructure in the 1990s
    Keywords: Air ; Airports ; Bus ; Costs ; Driving ; Infrastructure Projects ; Private Transport ; Public Works ; Rail ; Railways ; Roads ; Safety ; Toll ; Transport ; Transport ; Transport Activity ; Transport Economics, Policy and Planning ; Transport Infrastructure ; Transport Infrastructures ; Transport Operators ; Transport Policies ; Transport Projects ; Air ; Airports ; Bus ; Costs ; Driving ; Infrastructure Projects ; Private Transport ; Public Works ; Rail ; Railways ; Roads ; Safety ; Toll ; Transport ; Transport ; Transport Activity ; Transport Economics, Policy and Planning ; Transport Infrastructure ; Transport Infrastructures ; Transport Operators ; Transport Policies ; Transport Projects
    Abstract: Learning to regulate fairly, effectively, and at arm's length may be the main challenge governments face in attracting private investment and financing to the transport sector. - Governments should increasingly be able to rely on the private sector for help supporting (and financing) the transport sector - especially infrastructure support services for which there is heavy demand - but first they must improve their regulatory tools and sort out the institutional mess surrounding the regulatory process. Some countries have put together creative restructuring models and financing designs that tap potential in the private sector. Roads will continue to need significant public funding, but there are innovative ways (including shadow tolls) to attract private financing for road maintenance and investment. Partnerships between the public and private sectors have remained largely untapped at ports and airports. To attract more private capital to the sector, regulators must know the cost of capital, know how to be fair to captive shippers, and have a better handle on demand - so they have more credibility when conflicts arise. Governments have overemphasized making deals and have generally underestimated the difficulty of taking on their new job as regulators. They are increasingly switching to contract-based regulation, to firm up the commitments of all parties involved, but are not adequately emphasizing contract design that anticipates problems and addresses unpredictable situations. This increases the risk of arbitrary regulatory rulings, which increases regulatory and political risks, which raises the expected rate of return required by potential investors. And all that makes future projects costlier or more difficult, adding to the effects of the 1998-99 financial crisis. As a result of increased risk, the two groups most interested in the sector are: · Large, strong operators in the sector - typically in tandem with local construction companies - that feel confident they can take on regulators in case of conflict. · Risk-takers carving a niche for themselves. Either way, taxpayers and transport users are exposed to government, regulator, or operator failures that result in contract renegotiations (the norm, rather than the exception, in transport infrastructure projects). Gains from privatization might not reach consumers, simply because governments are ignoring the importance of ensuring fair distribution of long-run gains through the early creation of independent and accountable regulatory institutions that work closely with effective competition agencies. This paper - a product of Governance, Regulation, and Finance, World Bank Institute - is part of a larger effort in the institute to increase understanding of infrastructure regulation. The author may be contacted at aestacheworldbank.org
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  • 97
    Online Resource
    Online Resource
    Washington, D.C : The World Bank
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (36 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Parry, H.W. Ian Revenue Recycling and the Welfare Effects of Road Pricing
    Keywords: Congestion ; Congestion Reduction ; Costs ; Costs Of Travel ; Externalities ; Fuel ; Fuel Consumption ; Infrastructure ; Policies ; Public Trans Public Transit Subsidies ; Road ; Road Pricing ; Road Traffic ; Tax ; Taxes ; Traffic ; Traffic Congestion ; Transport ; Transport Economics, Policy and Planning ; Vehicle ; Vehicle Miles ; Congestion ; Congestion Reduction ; Costs ; Costs Of Travel ; Externalities ; Fuel ; Fuel Consumption ; Infrastructure ; Policies ; Public Trans Public Transit Subsidies ; Road ; Road Pricing ; Road Traffic ; Tax ; Taxes ; Traffic ; Traffic Congestion ; Transport ; Transport Economics, Policy and Planning ; Vehicle ; Vehicle Miles
    Abstract: December 1999 - The presence of preexisting tax distortions, and the form of revenue recycling, can crucially affect the size - and possibly even the sign - of the welfare effect of road pricing schemes. The efficiency gains from recycling congestion tax revenues in other tax reductions can amount to several times the Pigouvian welfare gains from congestion reduction. Parry and Bento explore the interactions between taxes on work-related traffic congestion and preexisting distortionary taxes in the labor market. A congestion tax raises the overall costs of commuting to work and discourages labor force participation at the margin when revenues are returned in lump-sum transfers. The resulting efficiency loss in the labor market can be larger than the Pigouvian efficiency gains from internalizing the congestion externality. By contrast, if congestion tax revenues are used to reduce labor taxes, the net impact on the labor supply is positive and the efficiency gain in the labor market can raise the overall welfare gains of the congestion tax by as much as 100 percent. Recycling congestion tax revenues in public transit subsidies produces a positive, but smaller, impact on the labor supply. In short, Parry and Bento's results indicate that the presence of preexisting tax distortions, and the form of revenue recycling, can crucially affect the size - and possibly even the sign - of the welfare effect of road pricing schemes. The efficiency gains from recycling congestion tax revenues in other tax reductions can amount to several times the Pigouvian welfare gains from congestion reduction. This paper - a product of Infrastructure and Environment, Development Research Group - is part of a larger effort in the group to study the cost-effectiveness of alternative transport policies. The study was funded by the Bank's Research Support Budget under the research project The Cost-Effectiveness of Alternative Transport Policies (RPO 683-39). Copies of this paper are available free. Please contact Roula Yazigi, email address ryazigiworldbank.org. The authors may be contacted at parry@rff.org or abento@worldbank.org
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  • 98
    Online Resource
    Online Resource
    Washington, D.C : The World Bank
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (32 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Klein, Michael Money, Politics, and a Future for the International Financial System
    Keywords: Banks and Banking Reform ; Central Banks ; Currencies and Exchange Rates ; Currency ; Debt Markets ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Exchange ; Exchange Rate ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Institutions ; Financial Literacy ; Financial Systems ; Fixed Exchange Rate ; Future ; Interest ; Interest Rates ; International Financial System ; Lending ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Market ; Market Discipline ; Moral Hazard ; Private Sector Development ; Prudential Regulation ; Regulatory Framework ; Regulatory Oversight ; Safety Nets ; Settlement ; Banks and Banking Reform ; Central Banks ; Currencies and Exchange Rates ; Currency ; Debt Markets ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Exchange ; Exchange Rate ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Institutions ; Financial Literacy ; Financial Systems ; Fixed Exchange Rate ; Future ; Interest ; Interest Rates ; International Financial System ; Lending ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Market ; Market Discipline ; Moral Hazard ; Private Sector Development ; Prudential Regulation ; Regulatory Framework ; Regulatory Oversight ; Safety Nets ; Settlement
    Abstract: November 1999 - Three approaches to regulatory frameworks for financial systems - and a scenario for development of the world financial system that assumes a market solution. In developing the architecture for a financial system, the challenge is to combine deregulation and safety nets against systemic failure with effective prudential regulation and oversight. Klein analyzes three approaches to choosing an adequate regulatory framework for a financial system. · Those most worried about panic and herd behavior tend to favor relatively extensive controls on financial institutions' activities, including controls on interest rates and on the volume and direction of lending. · Those most concerned about moral hazard advocate abolishing controls and safety nets, seeing the solution in stronger market discipline and reduced powers and discretion for regulators. · Mainstream opinion advocates a mix of measures, to both strengthen market discipline and improve regulatory oversight. The approach a country opts for depends on (1) which monetary and exchange rate regime it chooses, (2) whether it is more concerned about moral hazard or about panic and herd behavior, and (3) how the politics of reform shape its solutions. Klein suggests a scenario for development of the global financial system over the next two or three decades that assumes that the final outcome will resemble the market solution - not because that is the optimal policy choice but because of how political weaknesses will interact with advances in settlement technology. In Klein's scenario, the world moves toward a monetary system in which fixed exchange rate systems or de facto currency competition limit the power of central banks. This limits options for discretionary and open-ended liquidity support to help deal with systemic financial crises. The costs of inflexible exchange rates are moderated by new types of wage contracts, using units of account that are correlated with the shocks a particular industry or kind of contract faces - thus maintaining the positive aspects of monetary systems with flexible nominal exchange rates. Mistrust in monetary authorities and the emergence of private settlement systems lead to a return of asset-backed money as the means of payment. The disciplines on financial systems come to resemble somewhat those of historical free banking systems, with financial institutions requiring high levels of equity and payments systems protected only by limited, fully funded safety nets. This paper - a product of Private Participation in Infrastructure, Private Sector Development Department - is part of a larger effort in the department to understand regulatory issues. The author may be contacted at michael.u.kleinsi.shell.com
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  • 99
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (42 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Hausch, B. Donald Bankruptcy Reorganization through Markets
    Keywords: Aggregate Debts ; Auction ; Bankruptcy ; Bankruptcy Laws ; Bid ; Call Options ; Cash Flows ; Claimant ; Claimants ; Creditor ; Creditors ; Debt Markets ; Debts ; Deposits ; Domestic Banks ; Equity ; Face Value ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Interests ; Investment and Investment Climate ; Junior Creditors ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Market ; Markets ; Strategic Debt Management ; Aggregate Debts ; Auction ; Bankruptcy ; Bankruptcy Laws ; Bid ; Call Options ; Cash Flows ; Claimant ; Claimants ; Creditor ; Creditors ; Debt Markets ; Debts ; Deposits ; Domestic Banks ; Equity ; Face Value ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Interests ; Investment and Investment Climate ; Junior Creditors ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Market ; Markets ; Strategic Debt Management
    Abstract: November 1999 - Financial reorganization under bankruptcy reduces a firm's debts to serviceable levels through negotiations overseen by courts. Academics have suggested using markets for such negotiations, giving equity holders and junior claimants call options to buy the firm back from senior creditors. Hausch and Ramachandran further develop such a market-based approach for situations in which claimants are severely cash-constrained and there is good reason for existing owner-managers to remain in control. Under the ACCORD scheme - Auction-based Creditor Ordering by Reducing Debts - creditors remain creditors but form a queue, to be serviced in sequence from the firm's operating cash flows. Creditors bid for their position in this queue. Those accepting greater proportionate reductions in the face value of their claims (perhaps most pessimistic about the firm's prospects) are placed ahead of the others. A preexisting hierarchy of claims is honored by having claimants bid for their positions within the relevant segment of the queue. No one in the queue, including owners (who are last), is paid anything until the (reduced) debts of the first in line are fully discharged. The queue then moves up and the next claimant in line is serviced. Deferred creditors, who must wait their turn for the firm's operating cash surpluses, are not junior creditors in the conventional sense. Hausch and Ramachandran determine equilibrium bidding strategies, showing that the firm's aggregate debts would be reduced to a more serviceable level. This would improve the incentives of the firm's owner-managers, who remain in control, to operate the firm efficiently. Economic resources would thus be better used, and losses already incurred would be efficiently and quickly allocated among creditors. Hausch and Ramachandran suggest that ACCORD would be appropriate for East Asia, where, despite new bankruptcy laws, inexperienced courts are unlikely to nudge creditors into a quick negotiated agreement nor to be able to cope with systemic bankruptcy. Moreover, when the government is a major unsatisfied creditor, whose agents may not act in the taxpayers' best interests, market-based solutions might remove political interference from restructuring decisions. Neither owners nor creditors would be worse off than they are now. This paper - a joint product of the Private Sector Development Department, and Poverty Reduction and Economic Management Sector Unit, East Asia and Pacific Region - is part of a larger effort in the region to understand and improve corporate restructuring and governance. The authors may be contacted at dhauschbus.wisc.edu or sramachandran@worldbank.org
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  • 100
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (34 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Murgai, Rinku The Green Revolution and the Productivity Paradox
    Keywords: Agricultural Production ; Agricultural Research ; Agriculture ; Agriculture ; Cotton ; Crop ; Cropping ; Cropping Systems ; Crops ; Crops and Crop Management Systems ; Development Research ; Drought Management ; Economic Growth ; Economic Theory and Research ; Farmers ; Green Revolution ; Hybrid Seed ; Infrastructure ; Investment ; Irrigation and Drainage ; Labor Policies ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Maize ; Markets ; Poverty Reduction ; Pro-Poor Growth ; Rice ; Seed Varieties ; Social Protections and Labor ; Technology ; Technology Adoption ; Water Resources ; Wheat ; Agricultural Production ; Agricultural Research ; Agriculture ; Agriculture ; Cotton ; Crop ; Cropping ; Cropping Systems ; Crops ; Crops and Crop Management Systems ; Development Research ; Drought Management ; Economic Growth ; Economic Theory and Research ; Farmers ; Green Revolution ; Hybrid Seed ; Infrastructure ; Investment ; Irrigation and Drainage ; Labor Policies ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Maize ; Markets ; Poverty Reduction ; Pro-Poor Growth ; Rice ; Seed Varieties ; Social Protections and Labor ; Technology ; Technology Adoption ; Water Resources ; Wheat
    Abstract: In assessing new technologies, policy-makers should allow time between the adoption of the technologies and the realization of productivity gains attributable to them. Productivity growth was much lower than might be expected during the green revolution in the Indian Punjab but improved as learning processes took effect and resource management and the use of inputs became more efficient.Murgai provides district-level estimates of the contribution of technical change to agricultural output growth in the Indian Punjab from 1960 to 1993. Contrary to widespread belief, productivity growth in the Punjab was surprisingly low during the green revolution (in the mid-1960s), when modern hybrid seed varieties were being adopted. It improved later, after adoption of the new varieties was essentially complete. Murgai proposes three reasons for this pattern: · The standard measure of total factor productivity overstates the contribution of capital to output growth at the expense of the productivity residual. High-yielding varieties introduced in the 1960s helped spur output growth by making crops responsive to water and fertilizer, which not only allowed but indeed encouraged far greater use of capital inputs. This increase in the elasticity of the output response to capital inputs is incorporated into the index of factor accumulation and therefore excluded from the measure of total factor productivity growth. As a result, the contribution of technical change to growth in Punjab's agriculture during the green revolution is probably underestimated. · The overstatement of the capital contribution during the green revolution is exacerbated by indivisibilities in capital inputs. · Productivity growth did not come from the adoption of modern varieties alone. Improved resource management and public investment in infrastructure also helped improve productivity. This paper - a product of Rural Development, Development Research Group - is part of a larger effort in the group to study the determinants and impact of technology adoption and productivity growth in agriculture. The study was funded by the Bank's Research Support Budget under the research project Productivity and Sustainability of Irrigated Systems in South Asia (RPO 680-34). The author may be contacted at rmurgaiworldbank.org
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