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  • English  (318)
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  • Washington, D.C : The World Bank  (318)
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  • 1
    Online Resource
    Online Resource
    Washington, D.C : The World Bank
    ISBN: 082134580X , 9780821345801
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (228 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Abstract: Bank research projects investigate a broad range of issues in wide variety of settings. This volume reports on research projects initiated, under way or completed in fiscal 1999 (July 1, 1998, through June 30, 1999), The abstracts in the volume describe, for each project, the questions addressed, the analytical methods used, the findings to date, and their policy implications. Each abstract also identifies the expected completion date, the research team, and any reports or publications produced. The abstracts cover 202 research projects grouped under nine headings:a) poverty and social welfare; b) education and labor markets; c) environmentally sustainable development; d) macroeconomics; e) international economics; f) domestic finance and capital markets; g) transition economies; and h) private sector development and public sector management
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  • 2
    ISBN: 0821344439 , 0821344463
    Language: English , Spanish
    Pages: Online-Ressource (Electronic data and programs, 1 computer optical disc) , col , 4 3/4 in.
    Additional Material: 1 user guide (xi, 67 p. :ill. ; 23 cm.)
    Edition: 1999 ed
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Keywords: International trade Statistics ; Databases ; International trade Statistics ; Databases
    Abstract: TradeCAN is designed to analyze international, national, and regional competitiveness in commodities and manufactured exports. It allows users to calculate market shares for each three or four digit SITC export for 1985-1996 and record changes in market share and market structure
    Note: Consists of two databases:TradeCAN 1, industrialized world's imports, and; TradeCAN 2, developing world's imports , Title from disc label , Numeric data. , System requirements:PC with Pentium 150 or faster processor; Windows 95, 98, or NT 3.x or later; hard disk with 20MB free space. , English and Spanish
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  • 3
    Online Resource
    Online Resource
    Washington, D.C : The World Bank
    ISBN: 082134403X , 9780821344033
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (300 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Abstract: This thirteenth annual survey of emerging stock markets, prepared by the Emerging Markets Group of the International Finance Corporation (IFC), provides essential coverage of stock market characteristics for the 45 markets covered by the IFC's three highly regarded stock market indexes--the Global, Investable, and Frontier Index series
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  • 4
    Online Resource
    Online Resource
    Washington, D.C : The World Bank
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (156 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Palacios, J. Robert Averting the Old-Age Crisis
    Keywords: Administrative Costs ; Bank ; Debt Markets ; Emerging Markets ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Income ; Information ; Investment ; Investment Returns ; Labor Force ; Pension ; Pension Fund ; Pension Fund Investment ; Pension Schemes ; Pension Spending ; Pensions and Retirement Systems ; Private Sector Development ; Public Pension ; Public Pension Schemes ; Rates Of Return ; Retirement ; Revenues ; Security ; Social Protections and Labor ; Wage ; Wage Growth ; Administrative Costs ; Bank ; Debt Markets ; Emerging Markets ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Income ; Information ; Investment ; Investment Returns ; Labor Force ; Pension ; Pension Fund ; Pension Fund Investment ; Pension Schemes ; Pension Spending ; Pensions and Retirement Systems ; Private Sector Development ; Public Pension ; Public Pension Schemes ; Rates Of Return ; Retirement ; Revenues ; Security ; Social Protections and Labor ; Wage ; Wage Growth
    Abstract: February 1996 - Supporting documentation for the World Bank publication Averting the Old Age Crisis: Policies to Protect the Old and Promote Growth (1994). Averting the Old Age Crisis: Policies to Protect the Old and Promote Growth, the publication for which this technical annex provides supporting documentation, is the third in a series of major World Bank Policy Research Reports. Unlike its predecessors, The East Asian Miracle and Adjustment in Africa, it does not concentrate on a specific region but focuses rather on the general topic of income security for old age. More than two years of research were required to gather data, review the theoretical literature, examine empirical evidence, and write the book that represents the Bank's most important study of the issue to date. This annex explains in detail the data sources, concepts, and definitions used in the book and provides additional information. It describes the demographic data used in the report and discusses data about public and privately managed pension schemes around the world (giving specific sources for individual countries). An attempt has been made to cross-reference the data available on ]STARS] diskettes, which can be downloaded and analyzed in most database or statistical software packages. This paper - a product of the Poverty and Human Resources Division, Policy Research Department - provides supporting documentation for the World Bank publication Averting the Old-Age Crisis: Policies to Protect the Old and Promote Growth (1994), available from the World Bank bookstore
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  • 5
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (29 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Rebelo, M. Jorge Reforming the Urban Transport Sector in the Rio de Janeiro Metropolitan Region
    Keywords: Automobile ; Bus ; Buses ; Cars ; Infrastructure ; Mass Trans Metropolitan Transport ; Public Transport ; Public Transportation ; Rail Transport ; Subsidies ; Suburban Railways ; Transparency ; Transport ; Transport Economics, Policy and Planning ; Transport Projects ; Transport Sector ; Transport Systems ; Trips ; Urban Rail ; Urban Trans Urban Transport ; Automobile ; Bus ; Buses ; Cars ; Infrastructure ; Mass Trans Metropolitan Transport ; Public Transport ; Public Transportation ; Rail Transport ; Subsidies ; Suburban Railways ; Transparency ; Transport ; Transport Economics, Policy and Planning ; Transport Projects ; Transport Sector ; Transport Systems ; Trips ; Urban Rail ; Urban Trans Urban Transport
    Abstract: April 1999 - In a bold effort to privatize Rio de Janeiro's urban transport sector, the state government showed that political decisiveness, transparency, and ingenuity in developing incentives are crucial to make loss-making operations attractive to the private sector. It also learned that not having a credible staff redundancy program might seriously undermine the benefits expected from concessions. Rebelo describes a bold effort by the state government to increase private sector participation in Rio de Janeiro's urban transport sector, reduce heavy operating subsidies, and establish a foundation for making the sector sustainable. This effort was undertaken with the help of three World Bank-financed loans: ° The Rio de Janeiro Metropolitan Transport loan, which provided assistance for the transfer of federally owned suburban railways to the state government. ° The Rio de Janeiro State Reform and Privatization Loan, which helped the state privatize and grant concessions for a number of its enterprises. ° The Rio de Janeiro Mass Transit Loan, which supported the reorganization of the sector and the concession of the Rio suburban railways (Flumitrens). Most of the reforms in the urban transport sector have been implemented. The lessons learned from implementation and the results obtained so far suggest that political decisiveness, transparency, and ingenuity in developing incentives are crucial to privatizing urban rail transport systems. But the state also learned that not having a credible staff redundancy program might seriously reduce the benefits expected from concessions. This paper-a product of the Transport and Urban Unit, Finance, Private Sector, and Infrastructure Department, Latin America and the Caribbean Region-is part of a larger effort in the region to help borrowers concession loss-making urban transport operations to the private sector. The author may be contacted at jrebeloworldbank.org
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  • 6
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (65 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: James, Estelle Mutual Funds and Institutional Investments
    Keywords: Administrative Costs ; Bank ; Contribution ; Debt Markets ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Industry ; Financial Literacy ; Financial Markets ; Financial Sustainability ; Individual Accounts ; Investment ; Investment Companies ; Investment and Investment Climate ; Investments ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Money ; Money Market ; Mutual Fund ; Mutual Funds ; Populations ; Private Sector Development ; Research Assistance ; Retirement ; Retirement Benefits ; Saving ; Social Security ; Administrative Costs ; Bank ; Contribution ; Debt Markets ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Industry ; Financial Literacy ; Financial Markets ; Financial Sustainability ; Individual Accounts ; Investment ; Investment Companies ; Investment and Investment Climate ; Investments ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Money ; Money Market ; Mutual Fund ; Mutual Funds ; Populations ; Private Sector Development ; Research Assistance ; Retirement ; Retirement Benefits ; Saving ; Social Security
    Abstract: April 1999 - Among three options for constructing funded social security pillars, one system - individual accounts invested in the institutional market, with constrained choice among investment companies - appears to offer reduced administrative and marketing costs, significant worker choice, and more insulation from political interference than a single centralized fund or individual investments in the retail market would offer. One of the main criticisms of the defined-contribution, individual-account components of social security systems is that they are too expensive. James, Ferrier, Smalhout, and Vittas investigate the cost-effectiveness of three options for constructing funded social security pillars: ° Individual accounts invested in the retail market with relatively open choice. ° Individual accounts invested in the institutional market with constrained choice among investment companies. ° A centralized fund without individual accounts or differentiated investments across individuals. The authors asked several questions: What is the most cost-effective way to organize a system with mandatory individual accounts? How does the cost of an efficient individual account system compare with that of a single centralized fund? And are the cost differentials great enough to outweigh other important considerations? The authors concentrate on countries with well-functioning financial markets, such as the United States, but make comparative references to developing countries. Based on empirical evidence about U.S. mutual and institutional funds, the authors found that the retail market (option 1) allows individual investors to benefit from scale economies in asset management-but at the cost of the high marketing expenses needed to attract large pools of small investments. By contrast, a centralized fund (option 3) can be much cheaper because it achieves scale economies without high marketing costs. But it gives workers no choice and is subject to political manipulation and misallocation of capital. The system of constrained choice (option 2) is much cheaper than the retail option and only slightly more expensive than a single centralized fund. It allows scale economies in asset management and record-keeping while incurring low marketing costs and allowing significant worker choice. It is also more effectively insulated from political interference than a single centralized fund. The authors estimate that option 2 would cost only 0.14 percent-0.18 percent of assets annually. Such large administrative cost savings imply a Pareto improvement-so long as choice is not constrained too much. This paper-a product of Poverty and Human Resources and Finance, Development Research Group-was prepared for a National Bureau of Economic Research Conference on Social Security held on December 4, 1998. The authors may be contacted at ejames3worldbank.org or dvittas@worldbank.org
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  • 7
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (43 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Webb, B. Steven Fiscal Management in Federal Democracies
    Keywords: Bailouts ; Banks and Banking Reform ; Creditors ; Debt Markets ; Deficits ; Developing Countries ; Domestic Debt ; Emerging Markets ; External Debts ; Finance ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Fiscal Decentralization ; Fiscal Deficits ; Inflation ; Interest ; Levy ; Macroeconomic Stabilization ; Monetary Fund ; Municipal Financial Management ; Private Sector Development ; Public Finances ; Public Sector Deficits ; Public Sector Economics and Finance ; Public Spending ; Public and Municipal Finance ; Return ; Revenue ; Tax ; Urban Development ; Urban Economics ; Bailouts ; Banks and Banking Reform ; Creditors ; Debt Markets ; Deficits ; Developing Countries ; Domestic Debt ; Emerging Markets ; External Debts ; Finance ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Fiscal Decentralization ; Fiscal Deficits ; Inflation ; Interest ; Levy ; Macroeconomic Stabilization ; Monetary Fund ; Municipal Financial Management ; Private Sector Development ; Public Finances ; Public Sector Deficits ; Public Sector Economics and Finance ; Public Spending ; Public and Municipal Finance ; Return ; Revenue ; Tax ; Urban Development ; Urban Economics
    Abstract: May 1999 - Argentina and Brazil-two of the most decentralized public sectors in Latin America and (along with Colombia and India) among the most decentralized democracies in the developing world-faced similar problems in the 1980s: excessive public deficits and high inflation exacerbated by subnational deficits. In the 1990s, Argentina was more successful at macroeconomic stabilization, partly because it imposed harder budget constraints on the public sector nationally and partly because it had stronger party control of both national legislators and subnational governments. In shifting to decentralized public finances, a country's central government faces certain fiscal management problems. First, during and soon after the transition, unless it reduces spending or increases its own tax resources, the central government tends to have higher deficits as it shifts fiscal resources to subnational governments through transfers, revenue sharing, or delegation of tax bases. Reducing spending is hard not only because cuts are always hard but because subnational governments might not take on expected tasks, leaving the central government with a legal or political obligation to continue spending for certain services. Second, after decentralization, the local or state government faces popular pressure to spend more and tax less, creating the tendency to run deficits. This tendency can be a problem if subnational governments and their creditors expect or rely on bailouts by the central government. Econometric evidence from 32 large industrial and developing countries indicates that higher subnational spending and deficits lead to greater national deficits. Dillinger and Webb investigate how, and how successfully, Argentina and Brazil dealt with these problems in the 1990s. In both countries, subnational governments account for about half of public spending and are vigorous democracies in most (especially the largest) jurisdictions. The return to democracy in the 1980s revived and strengthened long-standing federal practices while weakening macroeconomic performance, resulting in unsustainable fiscal deficits, high inflation, sometimes hyperinflation, and low or negative growth. Occasional stabilization plans failed within a few years. Then Argentina (in 1991) and Brazil (in 1994) introduced successful stabilization plans. National issues were important in preventing and then bringing about macroeconomic stabilization, but so were intergovernmental fiscal relations and the fiscal management of subnational governments. State deficits and federal transfers were often out of control in the 1980s, contributing to national macroeconomic problems. Stabilization programs in the 1990s needed to establish control, and self-control, over subnational spending and borrowing. This paper-a product of Poverty Reduction and Economic Management, Latin America and the Caribbean Region-is part of the LCR regional studies program on fiscal decentralization in Latin America. The authors may be contacted at wdillingerworldbank.org or swebb@worldbank.org
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  • 8
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (38 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Feder, Gershon Agricultural Extension
    Keywords: Agricultural ; Agricultural Development ; Agricultural Education ; Agricultural Extension ; Agricultural Knowledge ; Agricultural Knowledge and Information Systems ; Agricultural Production ; Agriculture ; Agriculture ; Extension Services ; Farmers ; Food Production ; Funding ; Government Investments ; Hunger ; Information ; Land ; Poverty Reduction ; Private Sector ; Products ; Research ; Rural Development ; Rural Development ; Rural Development Knowledge and Information Systems ; Rural Poverty Reduction ; Skills ; Agricultural ; Agricultural Development ; Agricultural Education ; Agricultural Extension ; Agricultural Knowledge ; Agricultural Knowledge and Information Systems ; Agricultural Production ; Agriculture ; Agriculture ; Extension Services ; Farmers ; Food Production ; Funding ; Government Investments ; Hunger ; Information ; Land ; Poverty Reduction ; Private Sector ; Products ; Research ; Rural Development ; Rural Development ; Rural Development Knowledge and Information Systems ; Rural Poverty Reduction ; Skills
    Abstract: May 1999 - The agriculture sector must nearly double biological yields on existing farmland to meet food needs, which will double in the next quarter century. A sustainable approach to providing agricultural extension services in developing countries-minimal external inputs, a systems orientation, pluralism, and arrangements that take advantage of the best incentives for farmers and extension service providers-will release the local knowledge, resources, common sense, and organizing ability of rural people. Is agricultural extension in developing countries up to the task of providing the information, ideas, and organization needed to meet food needs? What role should governments play in implementing or facilitating extension services? Roughly 80 percent of the world's extension is publicly funded and delivered by civil servants, providing a range of services to the farming population, commercial producers, and disadvantaged target groups. Budgetary constraints and concerns about performance create pressure to show the payoff on investment in extension and to explore alternatives to publicly providing it. Feder, Willett, and Zijp analyze the challenges facing policymakers who must decide what role governments should play in implementing or facilitating extension services. Focusing on developing country experience, they identify generic challenges that make it difficult to organize extension: ° The magnitude of the task. ° Dependence on wider policy and other agency functions. ° Problems in identifying the cause and effect needed to enable accountability and to get political support and funding. ° Liability for public service functions beyond the transfer of agricultural knowledge and information. ° Fiscal sustainability. ° Inadequate interaction with knowledge generators. Feder, Willett, and Zijp show how various extension approaches were developed in attempts to overcome the challenges of extension: ° Improving extension management. ° Decentralizing. ° Focusing on single commodities. ° Providing fee-for-service public extension services. ° Establishing institutional pluralism. ° Empowering people by using participatory approaches. ° Using appropriate media. Each of the approaches has weaknesses and strengths, and in their analysis the authors identify the ingredients that show promise. Rural people know when something is relevant and effective. The aspects of agricultural extension services that tend to be inherently low cost and build reciprocal, mutually trusting relationships are those most likely to produce commitment, accountability, political support, fiscal sustainability, and the kinds of effective interaction that generate knowledge. This paper-a joint product of Rural Development, Development Research Group, and the Rural Development Department-is part of a larger effort in the Bank to identify institutional and policy reforms needed to promote sustainable and equitable rural development. The authors may be contacted at gfederworldbank.org, awillett@worldbank.org, or wzijp@worldbank.org
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  • 9
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (33 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Kaminski, Bartlomiej Hungary's Integration into European Union Markets
    Keywords: Access to Markets ; Agribusiness and Markets ; Agriculture ; Capital ; Central Planning ; Comparative Advantage ; Competitive Markets ; Competitiveness ; Debt Markets ; Economic Relations ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Environment ; Environmental Economics and Policies ; Exports ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Free Trade ; GDP ; General System Of Preferences ; Goods ; Industry ; International Economics & Trade ; Investment ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Markets ; Markets and Market Access ; Private Sector Development ; Production ; Public Sector Development ; Rural Development ; Shares ; Trade ; Trade Barriers ; Trade Policy ; Transition Economies ; Transition Economy ; Value ; Water Resources ; Water and Industry ; Access to Markets ; Agribusiness and Markets ; Agriculture ; Capital ; Central Planning ; Comparative Advantage ; Competitive Markets ; Competitiveness ; Debt Markets ; Economic Relations ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Environment ; Environmental Economics and Policies ; Exports ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Free Trade ; GDP ; General System Of Preferences ; Goods ; Industry ; International Economics & Trade ; Investment ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Markets ; Markets and Market Access ; Private Sector Development ; Production ; Public Sector Development ; Rural Development ; Shares ; Trade ; Trade Barriers ; Trade Policy ; Transition Economies ; Transition Economy ; Value ; Water Resources ; Water and Industry
    Abstract: June 1999 - Can Hungarian firms cope with competitive pressures and market forces within the European Union market (a criterion for joining)? The empirical evidence suggests that Hungary can withstand such competitive pressures without suppressing the real incomes of Hungary's citizens. Hungary has achieved impressive results in reorienting both its production and trade. Between 1989 and 1992, as the former CMEA markets collapsed and Hungary liberalized imports and the exchange rate regime, exports to the European Union (EU) expanded, with manufactured exports redirected largely to Western (mostly EU) markets. During this first phase of expansion, characterized by a dramatic reorientation and explosion of trade, the value of Hungary's exports increased 84 percent. In 1993 export expansion lost steam and EU-oriented exports fell 12 percent. In a second phase of expansion (in 1994-97), driven by restructured and rapidly changing export offers, exports again registered strong performance, their value increasing 132 percent. There was a dramatic shift from an export basket dominated by resource-intensive, low-value-added products to one driven by manufactures, with a rapidly accelerating growth of engineering products. Machinery and transport equipment rose from 12 percent of exports to the EU in 1989 to more than 50 percent in 1997. The shift from natural resource and unskilled-labor-intensive products to technology- and capital-intensive products in EU-oriented exports suggests the potential for integration higher in the value-added spectrum. More stringent EU environmental regulations will affect a relatively low, and falling, share of Hungary's exports. The Hungarian share of environmentally dirty products imported by the EU has increased, but these products have not been trendsetters among Hungarian exports, their share in exports falling from 26 percent in 1989 to 16 percent in 1996. The rapid pace of Hungary's turnaround seems to reflect the emergence of second-generation firms, mostly foreign-owned. Foreign-owned firms tend to be more export-oriented. Hungary has been one of the more successful transition economies because its economy was receptive to foreign direct investment from the outset. Between 1990 and 1997, Hungary absorbed roughly half of all foreign capital invested in Central Europe. 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 bkaminskiworldbank.org
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  • 10
    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: Hoekman, Bernard Multilateral Disciplines for Investment-Related Policies
    Keywords: Costs ; Debt Markets ; Economic Theory and Research ; Economics ; Economy ; Emerging Markets ; Expectations ; Exports ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Foreign Direct Investment ; Free Trade ; Goods ; Incentives ; International Economics & Trade ; Investment ; Investment and Investment Climate ; Labor Policies ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Markets ; Multilateral Trade ; Non Bank Financial Institutions ; Payments ; Positive Externalities ; Private Sector Development ; Public Sector Corruption and Anticorruption Measures ; Risk Averse ; Social Protections and Labor ; Subsidy ; Trade Negotiations ; Trade and Regional Integration ; Transactions Costs ; Value ; Value Added ; WTO ; Welfare ; Costs ; Debt Markets ; Economic Theory and Research ; Economics ; Economy ; Emerging Markets ; Expectations ; Exports ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Foreign Direct Investment ; Free Trade ; Goods ; Incentives ; International Economics & Trade ; Investment ; Investment and Investment Climate ; Labor Policies ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Markets ; Multilateral Trade ; Non Bank Financial Institutions ; Payments ; Positive Externalities ; Private Sector Development ; Public Sector Corruption and Anticorruption Measures ; Risk Averse ; Social Protections and Labor ; Subsidy ; Trade Negotiations ; Trade and Regional Integration ; Transactions Costs ; Value ; Value Added ; WTO ; Welfare
    Abstract: June 1999 - Is there a strong case for developing countries to support the creation of a multilateral agreement on investment? Probably not. Existing agreements offer ample scope for liberalizing foreign direct investment in the area that matters most to developing countries: services. Hoekman and Saggi evaluate the potential benefits of international disciplines on policies toward foreign direct investment for developing countries. They conclude that the case for initiating negotiations on investment policies is weak, at present. Negotiating efforts that center on further liberalizing market access on a nondiscriminatory basis-especially for services-are likely to be more fruitful in terms of economic welfare and growth. Existing multilateral instruments, although imperfect, are far from fully exploited and provide significant opportunities for governments opening further access to markets. Hoekman and Saggi conclude that priority should be given to expanding coverage of the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) before seeking to negotiate general disciplines on investment policies. This paper-a product of Trade, Development Research Group-is part of a larger effort in the group to prepare for the next round of WTO negotiations. The authors may be contacted at bhoekmanworldbank.org or ksaggi @mail.smu.edu
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  • 11
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (39 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Gupta, Das Monica Gender Bias in China, the Republic of Korea, and India 1920-90
    Keywords: Center For Population ; Child Mortality ; Child Survival ; Discrimination ; Fertility ; Fertility Decline ; Gender ; Gender Bias ; Gender and Law ; Health, Nutrition and Population ; Law and Development ; Marriage ; National Level ; Number Of Births ; Population ; Population And Development ; Population Policies ; Population Research ; Poverty ; Resource Constraint ; Sex ; Sex Ratios ; Son Preference ; United Nations Population Fund ; War ; Center For Population ; Child Mortality ; Child Survival ; Discrimination ; Fertility ; Fertility Decline ; Gender ; Gender Bias ; Gender and Law ; Health, Nutrition and Population ; Law and Development ; Marriage ; National Level ; Number Of Births ; Population ; Population And Development ; Population Policies ; Population Research ; Poverty ; Resource Constraint ; Sex ; Sex Ratios ; Son Preference ; United Nations Population Fund ; War
    Abstract: June 1999 - The proportions of girls 'missing' rose sharply in these countries during times of war, famine, and fertility decline. Resulting shortages of wives improved the treatment of adult women without reducing discrimination against daughters or increasing women's autonomy. The latter goals can be reached only with fundamental changes in women's family position-changes that are taking place only slowly. Kinship systems in China, the Republic of Korea, and North India have similar features that generate discrimination against girls, and these countries have some of the highest proportions of girls 'missing' in the world. Das Gupta and Li document how the excess mortality of girls was increased by war, famine, and fertility decline-all of which constrained household resources-between 1920 and 1990. Of the three countries, China experienced the most crises during this period (with civil war, invasion, and famine). The resulting excess mortality of girls in China offset the demographic forces making for a surplus of wives as overall mortality rates declined. India had the quietest history during this period, and consequently followed the expected pattern of a growing surplus of available wives. These changes in sex ratios had substantial social ramifications. The authors hypothesize that these demographic factors: ° Encouraged the continuation of brideprice in China, while in India there was a shift to dowry. ° Influenced the extent and manifestations of violence against women. An oversupply of women is the worst scenario for women, as there are fewer constraints to domestic violence. A shortage of women leads to better treatment of wives, as people become more careful not to lose a wife. However in situations of shortage, a small proportion of women may be subject to new types of violence such as being kidnapped for marriage. Ironically, then, higher levels of discrimination against girls can help reduce violence against women. When women are in short supply, their treatment improves. But their autonomy can increase only with fundamental changes in their family position, changes that are taking place only slowly. This paper-a product of Poverty and Human Resources, Development Research Group-is part of a larger effort in the group to study social institutions and development outcomes. Monica Das Gupta may be contacted at mdasguptaworldbank.org
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  • 12
    Online Resource
    Online Resource
    Washington, D.C : The World Bank
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (67 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Levine, Ross A New Database on Financial Development and Structure
    Keywords: Bank ; Banks and Banking Reform ; Bond ; Bond Markets ; Commercial Banks ; Corporate Law ; Debt Markets ; Emerging Markets ; Equity ; Equity Markets ; Finance ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Crises ; Financial Institutions ; Financial Intermediaries ; Financial Literacy ; Financial Sector ; Financial Systems ; Insurance ; Insurance Companies ; Law and Development ; Money ; Non Bank Financial Institutions ; Ownership ; Pension ; Pension Funds ; Private Sector Development ; Stock ; Stock Market ; Bank ; Banks and Banking Reform ; Bond ; Bond Markets ; Commercial Banks ; Corporate Law ; Debt Markets ; Emerging Markets ; Equity ; Equity Markets ; Finance ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Crises ; Financial Institutions ; Financial Intermediaries ; Financial Literacy ; Financial Sector ; Financial Systems ; Insurance ; Insurance Companies ; Law and Development ; Money ; Non Bank Financial Institutions ; Ownership ; Pension ; Pension Funds ; Private Sector Development ; Stock ; Stock Market
    Abstract: July 1999 - This new database of indicators of financial development and structure across countries and over time unites a range of indicators that measure the size, activity, and efficiency of financial intermediaries and markets. Beck, Demirgüç-Kunt, and Levine introduce a new database of indicators of financial development and structure across countries and over time. This database is unique in that it unites a variety of indicators that measure the size, activity, and efficiency of financial intermediaries and markets. It improves on previous efforts by presenting data on the public share of commercial banks, by introducing indicators of the size and activity of nonbank financial institutions, and by presenting measures of the size of bond and primary equity markets. The compiled data permit the construction of financial structure indicators to measure whether, for example, a country's banks are larger, more active, and more efficient than its stock markets. These indicators can then be used to investigate the empirical link between the legal, regulatory, and policy environment and indicators of financial structure. They can also be used to analyze the implications of financial structure for economic growth. Beck, Demirgüç-Kunt, and Levine describe the sources and construction of, and the intuition behind, different indicators and present descriptive statistics. This paper - a product of Finance, Development Research Group - is part of a broader effort in the group to understand the determinants of financial structure and its importance to economic development. The authors may be contacted at tbeckworldbank.org, ademirguckunt@worldbank.org, or rlevine@csom.umn.edu
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  • 13
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (36 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Ravallion, Martin Income Gains to the Poor from Workfare
    Keywords: Communities & Human Settlements ; Counterfactual ; Economic Theory and Research ; Evaluation ; Experimental Design ; Experimental Methods ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Health Systems Development and Reform ; Health, Nutrition and Population ; Household Income ; Housing and Human Habitats ; Impact Evaluation ; Income ; Income ; Inequality ; Intervention ; Labor Policies ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Matching Methods ; Outcomes ; Participation ; Poverty ; Poverty Impact Evaluation ; Poverty Measures ; Poverty Monitoring and Analysis ; Poverty Reduction ; Programs ; Projects ; Reflexive Comparisons ; Research ; Sampling ; Services and Transfers to Poor ; Social Protections and Labor ; Surveys ; Targeting ; Communities & Human Settlements ; Counterfactual ; Economic Theory and Research ; Evaluation ; Experimental Design ; Experimental Methods ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Health Systems Development and Reform ; Health, Nutrition and Population ; Household Income ; Housing and Human Habitats ; Impact Evaluation ; Income ; Income ; Inequality ; Intervention ; Labor Policies ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Matching Methods ; Outcomes ; Participation ; Poverty ; Poverty Impact Evaluation ; Poverty Measures ; Poverty Monitoring and Analysis ; Poverty Reduction ; Programs ; Projects ; Reflexive Comparisons ; Research ; Sampling ; Services and Transfers to Poor ; Social Protections and Labor ; Surveys ; Targeting
    Abstract: July 1999 - A workfare program was introduced in response to high unemployment in Argentina. An ex-post evaluation using matching methods indicates that the program generated sizable net income gains to generally poor participants. Jalan and Ravallion use propensity-score matching methods to estimate the net income gains to families of workers participating in an Argentinian workfare program. The methods they propose are feasible for evaluating safety net interventions in settings in which many other methods are not feasible. The average gain is about half the gross wage. Even allowing for forgone income, the distribution of gains is decidedly pro-poor. More than half the beneficiaries are in the poorest decile nationally and 80 percent of them are in the poorest quintile - reflecting the self-targeting feature of the program design. Average gains for men and women are similar, but gains are higher for younger workers. Women's greater participation would not enhance average income gains, and the distribution of gains would worsen. Greater participation by the young would raise average gains but would also worsen the distribution. This paper - a product of Poverty and Human Resources, Development Research Group - is part of a larger effort in the group to improve methods for evaluating the poverty impact of Bank-supported programs. The authors may be contacted at jjalanisid.ac.in or mravallion@worldbank.org
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  • 14
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (31 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Estache, Antonio Comparing the Performance of Public and Private Water Companies in the Asia and Pacific Region
    Keywords: E-Business ; Economic Theory and Research ; Education ; Ground Water ; Industry ; Infrastructure Economics and Finance ; Infrastructure Regulation ; Knowledge for Development ; Labor Policies ; Litres Per Day ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Number Of Connections ; Operational Costs ; Operational Expenses ; Performance Indicators ; Private Operators ; Private Sector Development ; Private Water Companies ; Public Utilities ; Raw Water ; Social Protections and Labor ; Surface Sources ; Surface Water ; Town ; Town Water Supply and Sanitation ; Urban Water Supply and Sanitation ; Utilities ; Water ; Water Conservation ; Water Distribution ; Water Production ; Water Resources ; Water Sector ; Water Services ; Water Supply and Sanitation ; Water Supply and Sanitation Governance and Institutions ; Water and Industry ; Wells ; E-Business ; Economic Theory and Research ; Education ; Ground Water ; Industry ; Infrastructure Economics and Finance ; Infrastructure Regulation ; Knowledge for Development ; Labor Policies ; Litres Per Day ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Number Of Connections ; Operational Costs ; Operational Expenses ; Performance Indicators ; Private Operators ; Private Sector Development ; Private Water Companies ; Public Utilities ; Raw Water ; Social Protections and Labor ; Surface Sources ; Surface Water ; Town ; Town Water Supply and Sanitation ; Urban Water Supply and Sanitation ; Utilities ; Water ; Water Conservation ; Water Distribution ; Water Production ; Water Resources ; Water Sector ; Water Services ; Water Supply and Sanitation ; Water Supply and Sanitation Governance and Institutions ; Water and Industry ; Wells
    Abstract: July 1999 - Efficiency indicators can be useful to regulators assessing the efficiency of an operation and the wedge between tariff and minimum costs. They allow regulators to control for factors over which the operators have no control (such as diversity of water sources, or water quality or user characteristics). Estache and Rossi estimate a stochastic costs frontier for a sample of Asian and Pacific water companies, comparing the performance of public and privatized companies based on detailed firm-specific information published by the Asian Development Bank in 1997. They find private operators of water companies to be more efficient than public operators. Costs in concessioned companies tend to be significantly lower than those in public companies. Estache and Rossi compare the ranking of these companies by efficiency performance (obtained from econometric estimates) with rankings by more standard qualitative and productivity indicators typically used to assess performance. They show that rankings based on standard indicators are not always very consistent. Productivity indicators recognize simple input-output relations, such as the number of workers per client or connection. Frontiers recognize the more complex nature of interactions between inputs and outputs. Cost frontiers show the costs as a function of the level of output (or outputs) and the prices of inputs, and are generally more useful to regulators assessing the wedge between tariff and minimum costs. Production frontiers reveal technical relations between firms' inputs and outputs and provide a useful backup when cost frontiers are difficult to assess for lack of data. 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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  • 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: Dinh, T. Hinh Fiscal Solvency and Sustainability in Economic Management
    Keywords: Banks and Banking Reform ; Budget ; Budget Defic Debt Service ; Currencies and Exchange Rates ; Debt Markets ; Developing Countries ; Economic Stabilization ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Exchange ; Exchange Rate ; External Debt ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Fiscal Adjustment ; Fiscal Defic Fiscal Effort ; Fiscal Policy ; Income Inequalities ; Income Levels ; International Financial Institutions ; Levy ; Long Term Debt ; Macroeconomic Policies ; Macroeconomic Stability ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Political Economy ; Poverty ; Private Sector Development ; Solvency ; Banks and Banking Reform ; Budget ; Budget Defic Debt Service ; Currencies and Exchange Rates ; Debt Markets ; Developing Countries ; Economic Stabilization ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Exchange ; Exchange Rate ; External Debt ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Fiscal Adjustment ; Fiscal Defic Fiscal Effort ; Fiscal Policy ; Income Inequalities ; Income Levels ; International Financial Institutions ; Levy ; Long Term Debt ; Macroeconomic Policies ; Macroeconomic Stability ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Political Economy ; Poverty ; Private Sector Development ; Solvency
    Abstract: October 1999 - In a financially integrated world, it is misleading to assess fiscal performance separate from other aspects of economic development. The framework proposed here can help assess fiscal performance over time and across countries and point to a pace of fiscal adjustment consistent with a country's economic and social objectives. Fiscal policy is central to a country's economic and social objectives, from macroeconomic stability to sustainable growth and poverty reduction. But evaluations of a country's fiscal performance, over time or relative to other countries, are often conducted independent of other development objectives, disregarding the links between fiscal, monetary, and exchange rate policies. A budget deficit of 4 percent of GDP, for example, may be acceptable in one country but not in another, because of different initial conditions and policy priorities. In the same country, a level of fiscal deficit may be acceptable one year but not the next, depending on developments and changes in policy objectives. Dinh argues for assessing fiscal performance (1) as part of the entire framework of economic policy, (2) against a policy objective, (3) by taking into account both short- and long-term considerations, and (4) with an eye to the quality of adjustment (whether there are income inequalities or other social issues, for example) as well as its magnitude. The approach he proposes for assessing country fiscal performance requires a minimum of data and takes into account flow and stock variables on internal and external debt. The approach addresses the shortcomings of conventional analysis by incorporating the debt dynamics and other macroeconomic targets of growth, inflation, and external and internal debt. While its theoretical foundation is well known in the literature, this approach has not been adapted for assessing fiscal performance either over time or across countries, and he discusses practical issues arising from this adaptation. Dinh proposes two indicators to measure fiscal adjustment efforts: · Fiscal solvency adjustment, which measures how far additional fiscal efforts must be taken to restore solvency to the fiscal sector. · Fiscal sustainability adjustment, which measures how far additional fiscal efforts must be taken to maintain the ratios of internal and external debt to output. Dinh applies the proposed framework to evaluate recent fiscal performance in three countries - Argentina, India, and Zambia - each with a different income level and located on a different continent. The countries were selected on the basis of recent World Bank economic work using the proposed approach or an equivalent. Dinh finds the proposed approach useful for identifying key fiscal issues, for assessing the adequacy and pace of fiscal adjustment consistent with the overall economic and social objectives, and for highlighting the tradeoffs between policy initiatives. Sound fiscal policy is crucial for macroeconomic stability. When fiscal issues are under control, it is easier to coordinate other policies. When fiscal issues are part of the problem, the tradeoffs between policy outcomes become pronounced, and economic management, including the management of capital flows, becomes much more difficult. This paper is a product of Macroeconomics 1, Africa Technical Families. The author may be contacted at hdinhworldbank.org
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  • 16
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (59 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Finger, Michael J Implementation of Uruguay Round Commitments
    Keywords: Agricultural Products ; Agricultural Sector ; Customs ; Customs Administration and Reform ; Customs Procedures ; Customs Valuation ; Debt Markets ; Differential Treatment ; Dispute Settlement ; E-Business ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Intellectual Property ; Intellectual Property Rights ; International Community ; International Conventions ; International Economics & Trade ; International Trade ; International Trading System ; Law and Development ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Market Access ; Private Sector Development ; Public Sector Development ; Quantitative Restrictions ; Rules of Origin ; Tariff Reductions ; Trade ; Trade Barriers ; Trade Law ; Trade Negotiations ; Trade Policy ; Trade Restrictions ; Trade and Regional Integration ; Agricultural Products ; Agricultural Sector ; Customs ; Customs Administration and Reform ; Customs Procedures ; Customs Valuation ; Debt Markets ; Differential Treatment ; Dispute Settlement ; E-Business ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Intellectual Property ; Intellectual Property Rights ; International Community ; International Conventions ; International Economics & Trade ; International Trade ; International Trading System ; Law and Development ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Market Access ; Private Sector Development ; Public Sector Development ; Quantitative Restrictions ; Rules of Origin ; Tariff Reductions ; Trade ; Trade Barriers ; Trade Law ; Trade Negotiations ; Trade Policy ; Trade Restrictions ; Trade and Regional Integration
    Abstract: October 1999 - At the Uruguay Round, developing countries took on obligations not only to reduce trade barriers but also to undertake significant reforms of regulations and trade procedures. The Round did not, however, take into account the cost of implementing these reforms - a full year's development budget for many of the least developed countries - nor did it ask whether the money might be more productive in other development uses. At the Uruguay Round, developing countries took on unprecedented obligations not only to reduce trade barriers but to implement significant reforms both of trade procedures (including import licensing procedures and customs valuation) and of many areas of regulation that establish the basic business environment in the domestic economy (including intellectual property law and technical, sanitary, and phytosanitary standards. This will cost substantial amounts of money. World Bank project experience in areas covered by the agreements suggests that an entire year's development budget is at stake in many of the least developed countries. Institutions in these areas are weak in developing countries, and would benefit from strengthening and reform. But Finger and Schuler's analysis indicates that the obligations reflect little awareness of development problems and little appreciation for the capacities of the least developed countries to carry out the functions that these reforms of regulations and trade procedures address. The content of these obligations can be characterized as the advanced countries saying to the others, Do it my way! Moreover, these developing countries had limited capacity to participate in the Uruguay Round negotiations, so the process has generated no sense of ownership of the reforms to which membership in the World Trade Organization obligates them. From their perspective, the implementation exercise has been imposed imperially, with little concern for what it will cost, how it will be carried out, or whether it will support their development efforts. This paper - a product of Trade, Development Research Group - is part of a larger effort in the group to support effective developing country participation in the WTO system. This research was supported by the global and regional trust fund component of the World Bank/Netherlands Partnership Program. Michael Finger may be contacted at jfingerworldbank.org
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  • 17
    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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  • 18
    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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  • 19
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (44 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Easterly, William How Did Highly Indebted Poor Countries Become Highly Indebted?
    Keywords: Amount Of Debt ; Banks and Banking Reform ; Commercial Banks ; Currencies and Exchange Rates ; Debt ; Debt Markets ; Debt Payment ; Debt Relief ; Debt Service ; Debt Servicing ; Debt-Service ; Default ; Discount ; Discount Rate ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; External Debt ; Finance ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Foreign Debt ; Foreign Loan ; Foreign Loans ; Forgiveness ; Good ; Indebted Countries ; International Economics & Trade ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Private Sector Development ; Productive Investments ; Strategic Debt Management ; Third World Debt ; Amount Of Debt ; Banks and Banking Reform ; Commercial Banks ; Currencies and Exchange Rates ; Debt ; Debt Markets ; Debt Payment ; Debt Relief ; Debt Service ; Debt Servicing ; Debt-Service ; Default ; Discount ; Discount Rate ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; External Debt ; Finance ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Foreign Debt ; Foreign Loan ; Foreign Loans ; Forgiveness ; Good ; Indebted Countries ; International Economics & Trade ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Private Sector Development ; Productive Investments ; Strategic Debt Management ; Third World Debt
    Abstract: November 1999 - Theoretical models predict that countries with unchanged long-run savings preferences will respond to debt relief by running up new debts or by running down assets. And there are some signs that incremental debt relief over the past two decades has fulfilled those predictions. Debt relief is futile for countries with unchanged long-run savings preferences. How did highly indebted poor countries become highly indebted after two decades of debt relief efforts? A set of theoretical models predict that countries with unchanged long-run savings preferences will respond to debt relief with a mixture of asset decumulation and new borrowing. A model also predicts that a high-discount-rate government will choose poor policies and impose its intertemporal preferences on the entire economy. Reviewing the experience of highly indebted poor countries, compared with that of other developing countries, Easterly finds direct and indirect evidence of asset decumulation and new borrowing associated with debt relief. The ratio of the net present value of debt to exports rose strongly over 1979-97 despite the debt relief efforts. Average policies in highly indebted poor countries were generally worse than those in other developing countries, controlling for income. The trend for terms of trade was no different in highly indebted poor countries than in other developing countries, not were wars more likely in highly indebted poor countries. Over time there has been an important shift in financing for highly indebted poor countries, away from private and bilateral nonconcessional sources to the International Development Association and other sources of multilateral concessional financing. But this implicit form of debt relief also failed to reduce debt in net present value terms. Although debt relief is done in the name of the poor, the poor are worse off if debt relief creates incentives to delay reforms needed for growth. This paper - a product of Macroeconomics and Growth, Development Research Group - is part of a larger effort in the group to study the effectiveness of aid for growth. The author may be contacted at weasterlyworldbank.org
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  • 20
    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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  • 21
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (44 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Barbone, Luca Reforming Tax Systems
    Keywords: Accountability ; Audits ; Bank ; Banks and Banking Reform ; Communities & Human Settlements ; Debt Markets ; E-Business ; Emerging Markets ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Governance ; Governance Capacity Building ; Housing and Human Habitats ; Institutional Development ; Law and Development ; Lending ; Loans ; Macroeconomic Stability ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Principal ; Private Sector Development ; Projects ; Public Sector Development ; Public Sector Economics and Finance ; Revenue ; Risk ; Services ; Social Services ; Structural Adjustment ; Tax Law ; Tax Policy and Administration ; Tax Reform ; Taxation ; Taxation and Subsidies ; Technical Assistance ; Value ; Accountability ; Audits ; Bank ; Banks and Banking Reform ; Communities & Human Settlements ; Debt Markets ; E-Business ; Emerging Markets ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Governance ; Governance Capacity Building ; Housing and Human Habitats ; Institutional Development ; Law and Development ; Lending ; Loans ; Macroeconomic Stability ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Principal ; Private Sector Development ; Projects ; Public Sector Development ; Public Sector Economics and Finance ; Revenue ; Risk ; Services ; Social Services ; Structural Adjustment ; Tax Law ; Tax Policy and Administration ; Tax Reform ; Taxation ; Taxation and Subsidies ; Technical Assistance ; Value
    Abstract: In efforts to reform the administration of tax systems, the World Bank can substantially improve project design, execution, and effectiveness by adopting a more concerted approach to institutional analysis. - The main constraint on World Bank operations in tax and customs administration is the Bank's inadequate institutional framework for accumulating knowledge from loan operations, concludes this review of the Bank's record on reform of tax systems in the 1990s. The Bank's theoretical basis for reforming tax and customs administration is still rudimentary. Recent theories stress the importance of institutions that harness voice and improve transparency and contestability, but there is little evidence that reform of these factors alone makes tax administration more effective. Improvements are needed in pre-project diagnosis and project design, especially for examining accountability, administration costs, managerial autonomy, performance incentives for staff, taxpayer equity and services, and environmental factors. Pre-project work could draw more systematically on lessons from previous experience. Institutional components of project design have been biased toward organization, manpower upgrading, and procedures related to information technology. Too little attention has been paid to improving accountability, administrative cost-effectiveness, and anticorruption institution-building. Projects have made inadequate use of different kinds of performance indicators, with little uniformity in those applied. Methods used to evaluate project outcomes could be better and more uniform. Suggestions for future Bank operations: · Doing better background work and articulating a strategy and comprehensive framework for Bank involvement in reform of tax administration. · Possibly supporting and strengthening regional tax administration associations, which could serve as catalysts for change. · Strengthening partnering and supporting private sector consultant organizations, so they can manage major components of administrative reform. · Institutionalizing the accumulation of knowledge about tax administration (which might require changing staff recruitment, the mix of staff skills, and training plans). The authors provide recommendations for improving project diagnosis, design, performance indicators, and appraisal, as well as a short list of projects that serve as guides to good practice. This paper - a product of the Public Sector Management Division, Poverty Reduction and Economic Management Network - is part of a larger effort in the network to draw on lessons of past Bank activity in order to pursue professional excellence and maximum client impact. The authors may be contacted at lbarboneworldbank.org, oldmonk87@yahoo.com, ldewulf@worldbank.org, or ahansson1@worldbank.org
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  • 22
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (38 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Byamugish, K.F. Frank How Land Registration Affects Financial Development and Economic Growth in Thailand
    Keywords: Banks and Banking Reform ; Climate Change ; Communities & Human Settlements ; Cred Development ; Debt Markets ; Economic Growth ; Economic Growth ; Economic Historians ; Economic Theory and Research ; Environment ; Equations ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Crisis ; GDP Per Capita ; Incentives ; Inequality ; Investment ; Land Use and Policies ; Liquidity ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Markets ; Natural Resources ; Poverty Reduction ; Private Property ; Pro-Poor Growth ; Productivity ; Property Rights ; Public Sector Economics and Finance ; Real GDP ; Regression Analysis ; Rural Development ; Rural Land Policies for Poverty Reduction ; Theory ; Value ; Variables ; Banks and Banking Reform ; Climate Change ; Communities & Human Settlements ; Cred Development ; Debt Markets ; Economic Growth ; Economic Growth ; Economic Historians ; Economic Theory and Research ; Environment ; Equations ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Crisis ; GDP Per Capita ; Incentives ; Inequality ; Investment ; Land Use and Policies ; Liquidity ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Markets ; Natural Resources ; Poverty Reduction ; Private Property ; Pro-Poor Growth ; Productivity ; Property Rights ; Public Sector Economics and Finance ; Real GDP ; Regression Analysis ; Rural Development ; Rural Land Policies for Poverty Reduction ; Theory ; Value ; Variables
    Abstract: November 1999 - Land registration in Thailand has significant positive long-run effects on financial development and economic growth. Using an economywide conceptual framework, the author analyzes how land registration affects financial development and economic growth in Thailand. He uses contemporary techniques, such as error correction and co-integration, to deal with such problems as time-series data not being stationary. He also uses the auto-regressive distributed lag model to analyze long lags in output response to changes in land registration. His key findings: -Land titling has significant positive long-run effects on financial development. -Economic growth responds to land titling following a J curve, by first registering a fall and recovering gradually, thereafter to post a long, strong rally. -The quality of land registration services, as measured by public spending on land registration, has strongly positive and significant long-run effects on economic growth. 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. The author may be contacted at fbyamugishaworldbank.org
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  • 23
    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: Canning, David Infrastructure's Contribution to Aggregate Output
    Keywords: Capital ; Economic Growth ; Economic Theory and Research ; Externalities ; Externality ; Human Capital ; Income ; Income Levels ; Inputs ; Investment ; Labor Policies ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Marginal Productivity ; Marginal Products ; Outcomes ; Prices ; Production ; Production Function ; Productivity ; Social Protections and Labor ; Taxation ; Telecommunications ; Theory ; Total Factor Productivity ; Transport ; Transport Economics, Policy and Planning ; Variables ; Capital ; Economic Growth ; Economic Theory and Research ; Externalities ; Externality ; Human Capital ; Income ; Income Levels ; Inputs ; Investment ; Labor Policies ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Marginal Productivity ; Marginal Products ; Outcomes ; Prices ; Production ; Production Function ; Productivity ; Social Protections and Labor ; Taxation ; Telecommunications ; Theory ; Total Factor Productivity ; Transport ; Transport Economics, Policy and Planning ; Variables
    Abstract: Of the major kinds of physical infrastructure, electricity generating capacity has roughly the same marginal productivity as physical capital as a whole. So have roads-plus-rail, globally and in lower-income countries. Telephones, however, and transport routes in higher-income countries, have higher marginal productivity than other kinds of capital. - Using panel data for a cross-section of countries, Canning estimates an aggregate production function that includes infrastructure capital. He finds that: · The productivity of physical and human capital is close to the levels suggested by microeconomic evidence on their private returns. · Electricity generating capacity and transportation networks have roughly the same marginal productivity as capital as a whole. · Telephone networks appear to show higher marginal productivity than other types of capital. Panel data cointegration methods used in estimation take account of the nonstationary nature of the data, are robust to reverse causation, and allow for different levels of productivity and different short-run business-cycle and multiplier relationships across countries. This paper - a product of Public Economics, Development Research Group - is part of a larger effort in the group to study the impact of public expenditures. The study was funded by the Bank's Research Support Budget under the research project Infrastructure and Growth: A Multicountry Panel Study (RPO 680-89). The author may be contacted at d.canningqub.ac.uk
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  • 24
    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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  • 25
    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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  • 26
    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: Venables, Anthony Infrastructure, Geographical Disadvantage, and Transport Costs
    Keywords: Elasticity ; Fixed Costs ; High Transport ; Infrastructure ; Infrastructure Investment ; International Transport ; Journey ; Journeys ; Quality Of Transport ; Rail ; Road ; Routes ; Trans Transit Routes ; Transport ; Transport ; Transport Costs ; Transport Economics ; Transport Economics, Policy and Planning ; Travel ; Trips ; True ; Elasticity ; Fixed Costs ; High Transport ; Infrastructure ; Infrastructure Investment ; International Transport ; Journey ; Journeys ; Quality Of Transport ; Rail ; Road ; Routes ; Trans Transit Routes ; Transport ; Transport ; Transport Costs ; Transport Economics ; Transport Economics, Policy and Planning ; Travel ; Trips ; True
    Abstract: December 1999 - The median landlocked country has only 30 percent of the trade volume of the median coastal economy. Halving transport costs increases that trade volume by a factor of five. Improving the standard of infrastructure from that of the bottom quarter of countries to that of the median country increases trade by 50 percent. Improving infrastructure in Sub-Saharan Africa is especially important for increasing African trade. Limão and Venables use three different data sets to investigate how transport depends on geography and infrastructure. Landlocked countries have high transport costs, which can be substantially reduced by improving the quality of their infrastructure and that of transit countries. Analysis of bilateral trade data confirms the importance of infrastructure. Limão and Venables estimate the elasticity of trade flows with regard to transport costs to be high, at about -2.5. This means that: · The median landlocked country has only 30 percent of the trade volume of the median coastal economy. · Halving transport costs increases the volume of trade by a factor of five. · Improving infrastructure from the 75th to the 50th percentile increases trade by 50 percent. Using their results and a basic gravity model to study Sub-Saharan African trade, both internally and with the rest of the world, Limão and Venables find that infrastructure problems largely explain the relatively low levels of African trade. This paper - a product of Trade, Development Research Group - is part of a larger effort in the group to investigate the effects of geography on economic performance. The authors may be contacted at ngl4columbia.edu or avenables@worldbank.org
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  • 27
    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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  • 28
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (50 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Xu, Lixin Surveying Surveys and Questioning Questions
    Keywords: Accounting ; Bankruptcy ; Banks and Banking Reform ; Capital Stock ; Corporate Governance ; Debt Markets ; Developing Countries ; E-Business ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Entry Barriers ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Firm Performance ; Future ; Goods ; Human Capital ; ICT Policy and Strategies ; Information and Communication Technologies ; Investment ; Labor Policies ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Market ; Market Environment ; Market Structure ; Micro Data ; Microfinance ; Political Economy ; Private Sector Development ; Share ; Social Protections and Labor ; Stock ; Transaction ; Transition Countries ; Transition Economies ; Accounting ; Bankruptcy ; Banks and Banking Reform ; Capital Stock ; Corporate Governance ; Debt Markets ; Developing Countries ; E-Business ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Entry Barriers ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Firm Performance ; Future ; Goods ; Human Capital ; ICT Policy and Strategies ; Information and Communication Technologies ; Investment ; Labor Policies ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Market ; Market Environment ; Market Structure ; Micro Data ; Microfinance ; Political Economy ; Private Sector Development ; Share ; Social Protections and Labor ; Stock ; Transaction ; Transition Countries ; Transition Economies
    Abstract: March 2000 - How to make firm-level surveys more consistent, yielding data more relevant to policy analysis. The World Bank has increasingly focused on firm-level surveys to build the data foundation needed for accurate policy analysis in developing and transition economies. Recanatini, Wallsten, and Xu take stock of some recent Bank surveys and discuss how to improve their results. Lessons on data issues and hypothesis testing: · Use panel data, if possible. · Have enough information about productivity to estimate a production function. · Avoid the paradigm of list the severity of the obstacle/problem on a scale of 1 to 5. Instead, ask for data on specific dimensions of the problem that will shed light on alternative hypotheses and policy recommendations. · Pick particular disaggregated industries and sample those industries in each survey. · Identify the most important policy interventions of interest and consider how you will empirically identify specific changes by picking instruments useful for doing so. Lessons on questionnaire design: · Incorporate only one idea or dimension in each question. Do not ask, in one question, about the quality, integrity, and efficiency of services, for example. · Consider the costs and benefits of numeric scales compared with adjectival scales. Scales in which each point is labeled may be more precise than numeric scales in which only the endpoints are labeled. But responses are very sensitive to the exact adjective chosen and it may be impossible to translate adjectives precisely across languages, making it impossible to compare responses across countries. · Recognize that the share of respondents expressing opinions will be biased upward if the survey does not include a middle (indifferent or don't know) category and downward if it does include the middle category. · When asking degree-of-concern and how-great-an-obstacle questions, consider first asking a filter question (such as Do you believe this regulation is an obstacle or not?). If the answer is yes, then ask how severe the obstacle is. · Be aware of the effects of context. The act of asking questions can affect the answers given on subsequent, related questions. · Think carefully about how to ask sensitive questions. Consider using a self-administered module for sensitive questions. Alternatively, a randomized response mechanism may be a useful, truth-revealing mechanism. This paper - a product of Regulation and Competition Policy, Development Research Group - is part of a larger effort in the group to develop consistent cross-country firm level surveys. The authors may be contacted at frecanatiniworldbank.org, wallsten@leland.stanford.edu, or lxu1@worldbank.org
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  • 29
    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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  • 30
    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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  • 31
    Online Resource
    Online Resource
    Washington, D.C : The World Bank
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (50 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Eskel, S. Gunnar Externalities and Production Efficiency
    Keywords: Commodity Taxes ; Economic Welfare ; Economics ; Efficiency ; Emission Standards ; Emission Tax ; Emissions ; Environment ; Environment ; Environmental ; Environmental Economics and Policies ; Environmental Management ; Environmental Protection ; Externalities ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Marginal Costs ; Polluters ; Pollution ; Pollution Abatement ; Pollution Management and Control ; Production ; Revenue ; Taxation ; Taxation and Subsidies ; Taxes ; Commodity Taxes ; Economic Welfare ; Economics ; Efficiency ; Emission Standards ; Emission Tax ; Emissions ; Environment ; Environment ; Environmental ; Environmental Economics and Policies ; Environmental Management ; Environmental Protection ; Externalities ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Marginal Costs ; Polluters ; Pollution ; Pollution Abatement ; Pollution Management and Control ; Production ; Revenue ; Taxation ; Taxation and Subsidies ; Taxes
    Abstract: April 2000 - Environmental improvements should be sought from different polluters (public or private, producer or consumer, rich or poor) at the same cost, regardless of the nature of the polluting activity. Under a plausible structure of monitoring costs, emissions standards play a central role. Eskeland brings together two of government's primary challenges: environmental protection and taxation to generate revenues. If negative externalities can be reduced not only by changes in consumption patterns but also by making each activity cleaner (abatement efforts), how shall inducements to various approaches be combined? If negative externalities are caused by agents as different as consumers, producers, and government, how does optimal policy combine inducements to reduce pollution? Intuitively it seems right to tax emissions neutrally, based on marginal damages - no matter which activity pollutes or whether the polluter is rich or poor, consumer or producer, private or public. Eskeland provides a theoretical basis for such simplicity. Three assumptions are critical to his analysis: · Returns to scale do not influence the traditional problem of revenue generation. · Consumers have equal access to pollution abatement opportunities (but he also relaxes this assumption). · Planners can differentiate policy instruments (emission taxes or abatement standards) by polluting good, and by whether the polluter is a consumer, producer, or government, but they cannot differentiate such instruments (or commodity taxes) by personal characteristics or make them nonlinear in individual emissions. Among Eskeland's findings and conclusions: Abatement efforts and consumption adjustments at all stages are optimally stimulated by a uniform emission tax levied simply where emissions occur. It simplifies things that optimal abatement is independent of whether the car is used by government, firms, or households - for weddings or for work. It also simplifies implementation that the stimulus to abatement at one stage (say, the factory) is independent of whether it yields emission reductions from the factory or from others (say, from car owners who buy the factory's products). Finally, ministers of finance and of the environment should coordinate efforts, but they need not engage in each other's business. The minister of environment need not know which commodities are elastic in demand and thus would bear a low commodity tax. The finance minister need not know which commodities or agents pollute or who pays emission taxes. This paper - a product of Public Economics, Development Research Group - is part of a larger effort in the group to establish principles for public intervention. The author may be contacted at geskelandworldbank.org
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  • 32
    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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  • 33
    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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  • 34
    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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  • 35
    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: Grigorian, A. David Ownership and Performance of Lithuanian Enterprises
    Keywords: Central Planning ; Debt Markets ; Economic Reforms ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Enterprise Performance ; Enterprise Restructuring ; Enterprises ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Crisis Management and Restructuring ; Financial Literacy ; Investment and Investment Climate ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Market Competition ; Microfinance ; Operational Efficiency ; Ownership Of Enterprises ; Performance Indicators ; Political Economy ; Private Firms ; Private Owners ; Private Ownership ; Private Sector Development ; Privatization ; Privatization ; Privatization Process ; Privatization Program ; Profit Maximization ; Share Ownership ; State Firms ; State Owned Enterprise Reform ; State Ownership ; State Property ; Central Planning ; Debt Markets ; Economic Reforms ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Enterprise Performance ; Enterprise Restructuring ; Enterprises ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Crisis Management and Restructuring ; Financial Literacy ; Investment and Investment Climate ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Market Competition ; Microfinance ; Operational Efficiency ; Ownership Of Enterprises ; Performance Indicators ; Political Economy ; Private Firms ; Private Owners ; Private Ownership ; Private Sector Development ; Privatization ; Privatization ; Privatization Process ; Privatization Program ; Profit Maximization ; Share Ownership ; State Firms ; State Owned Enterprise Reform ; State Ownership ; State Property
    Abstract: May 2000 - Does private ownership improve on corporate performance in a developing institutional environment? In Lithuania commercial transfer of state property to private owners has significantly improved enterprises' revenue and export performance. Grigorian presents some evidence of improved corporate performance in Lithuania for the period 1995-97. His question: Were these improvements in any way caused by privatization and changes in the environment in which enterprises operate? He presents evidence of correlation between ownership and enterprise performance as measured by increased revenues and improved export performance. Controlling for preselection bias increases the magnitude and significance of private share ownership, which indicates negative selection bias at privatization. On the other hand, (expected) subsidies seem to contribute negatively to enterprise performance. However, the study finds no clear evidence of the effect of market competition on performance indicators in the short run. Grigorian's is the first study to analyze the consequences of commercial (as opposed to mass) privatization in Central and Eastern European countries. This paper - a product of the Private and Financial Sectors Development Sector Unit, Europe and Central Asia Region - is part of a larger effort in the region to study enterprise restructuring in transition. The author may be contacted at dgrigorianworldbank.org
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  • 36
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (48 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Kennedy, W. Peter Environmental Policy and Time Consistency
    Keywords: Aggregate Emissions ; Damage Function ; Economics ; Efficiency ; Emission Standards ; Emission Taxes ; Emissions ; Environment ; Environmental ; Environmental Economics and Policies ; Environmental Policy ; Forest Management ; ICT Policy and Strategies ; Incentives ; Industry ; Information and Communication Technologies ; Policies ; Policy Instruments ; Pollution ; Pollution Control ; Pollution Management and Control ; Pollution Reduction ; Production ; Technological Change ; Technology ; Technology Adoption ; Technology Industry ; Aggregate Emissions ; Damage Function ; Economics ; Efficiency ; Emission Standards ; Emission Taxes ; Emissions ; Environment ; Environmental ; Environmental Economics and Policies ; Environmental Policy ; Forest Management ; ICT Policy and Strategies ; Incentives ; Industry ; Information and Communication Technologies ; Policies ; Policy Instruments ; Pollution ; Pollution Control ; Pollution Management and Control ; Pollution Reduction ; Production ; Technological Change ; Technology ; Technology Adoption ; Technology Industry
    Abstract: May 2000 - As instruments for controlling pollution, how do emissions taxes and emissions trading compare in terms of the incentives they create to adopt cleaner technologies? Emissions taxes may have a slight advantage over emissions trading. Kennedy and Laplante examine policy problems related to the use of emissions taxes and emissions trading, two market-based instruments for controlling pollution by getting regulated firms to adopt cleaner technologies. By attaching an explicit price to emissions, these instruments give firms an incentive to continually reduce their volume of emissions. Command-and-control emissions standards create incentives to adopt cleaner technologies only up to the point where the standards are no longer binding (at which point the shadow price on emissions falls to zero). But the ongoing incentives created by market-based instruments are not necessarily right, either. Time-consistency constraints on the setting of these instruments limit the regulator's ability to set policies that lead to efficiency in adopting technology options. After examining the time-consistency properties of a Pigouvian emissions tax and of emissions trading, Kennedy and Laplante find that: · If damage is linear, efficiency in adopting technologies involves either universal adoption of the new technology or universal retention of the old technology, depending on the cost of adoption. The first-best tax policy and the first-best permit-supply policy are both time-consistent under these conditions. · If damage is strictly convex, efficiency may require partial adoption of the new technology. In this case, the first-best tax policy is not time-consistent and the tax rate must be adjusted after adoption has taken place (ratcheting). Ratcheting will induce an efficient equilibrium if there is a very large number of firms. If there are relatively few firms, ratcheting creates too many incentives to adopt the new technology. · The first-best supply policy is time-consistent if there is a very large number of firms. If there are relatively few firms, the first-best supply policy may not be time-consistent, and the regulator must ratchet the supply of permits. With this policy, there are not enough incentives for firms to adopt the new technology. The results do not strongly favor one policy instrument over the other, but if the point of an emissions trading program is to increase technological efficiency, it is necessary to continually adjust the supply of permits in response to technological change, even when damage is linear. This continual adjustment is not needed for an emissions tax when damage is linear, which may give emissions taxes an advantage over emissions trading. This paper - a product of Infrastructure and Environment, Development Research Group - is part of a larger effort in the group to study the economics of pollution control. Copies of the paper are available free from the World Bank, 1818 H Street NW, Washington, DC 20433. Benoît Laplante may be contacted at blaplanteworldbank.org
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  • 37
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (48 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Chen, Yi When the Bureaucrats Move out of Business
    Keywords: Economic Growth ; Economic Theory and Research ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; High Wages ; Job ; Job Creation ; Jobs ; Labor ; Labor Force ; Labor Market ; Labor Markets ; Labor Policies ; Labor Productivity ; Labor Redeployment ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Municipal Financial Management ; Open Unemployment ; Previous Results ; Private Enterprise ; Private Sector ; Private Sector Activity ; Private Sectors ; Production Function ; Public Sector Economics and Finance ; Social Protections and Labor ; State Owned Enterprise Reform ; State-Owned Enterprises ; Unemployment ; Urban Development ; Worker ; Workers ; Economic Growth ; Economic Theory and Research ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; High Wages ; Job ; Job Creation ; Jobs ; Labor ; Labor Force ; Labor Market ; Labor Markets ; Labor Policies ; Labor Productivity ; Labor Redeployment ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Municipal Financial Management ; Open Unemployment ; Previous Results ; Private Enterprise ; Private Sector ; Private Sector Activity ; Private Sectors ; Production Function ; Public Sector Economics and Finance ; Social Protections and Labor ; State Owned Enterprise Reform ; State-Owned Enterprises ; Unemployment ; Urban Development ; Worker ; Workers
    Abstract: May 2000 - Reformers of China's state enterprises should realize that more could be realized from capital transfer than is being gained from labor retrenchment. And more efficient capital allocation, by reducing the pressure on labor, would bring larger gains at a lower social cost. Chen and Diwan estimate the costs and benefits of labor retrenchment in state-owned industrial enterprises in China. Their results indicate the prevalence of low and stagnant labor productivity, low capital productivity, and excessively high wages in the state sector for the period reviewed (1994-97). The private sector exhibited consistently greater productivity. The authors' most striking finding: A greater gain could be realized from capital transfer than is being gained from labor retrenchment. Their simulation results for 1996 estimate that 43 percent of the workers in state enterprises and 70 percent of the capital are redundant. By itself, a transfer of labor from the public to the private sector at the current magnitude (20 percent of the labor force) would secure only 2 percent gains in output. A transfer of 10 percent of both capital and labor would achieve a greater efficiency gain than transferring the full 43 percent of redundant workers. This is partly because the private sector uses capital more efficiently than the public sector and partly because it needs capital to hire workers transferred from the public sector. Their results suggest that reform in state enterprises should concentrate more on the efficiency of capital allocation, not just on labor retrenchment. More efficient capital allocation would reduce the pressure on labor and would bring larger gains at a lower social cost. This paper - a product of the Economic Policy and Poverty Reduction Division, World Bank Institute - is part of a larger effort in the institute to study the architecture of reform. The authors may be contacted at ychendol.eta.gov or idiwan@worldbank.org
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  • 38
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (34 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Chomitz, Kenneth Evaluating Carbon Offsets from Forestry and Energy Projects
    Keywords: Carbon ; Carbon Emissions ; Carbon Policy and Trading ; Clean Development Mechanism ; Climate Change ; Coal ; Developed Countries ; Economies ; Emissions ; Emissions Abatement ; Emissions Reduction ; Energy ; Energy Production and Transportation ; Energy and Environment ; Environment ; Environment and Energy Efficiency ; Environmental ; Environmental Economics and Policies ; Forestry ; Insurance ; Investment ; Joint Implementation ; Land ; Land Use ; Public Sector Development ; Risk ; Sustainable Development ; Taxes ; Technology ; Carbon ; Carbon Emissions ; Carbon Policy and Trading ; Clean Development Mechanism ; Climate Change ; Coal ; Developed Countries ; Economies ; Emissions ; Emissions Abatement ; Emissions Reduction ; Energy ; Energy Production and Transportation ; Energy and Environment ; Environment ; Environment and Energy Efficiency ; Environmental ; Environmental Economics and Policies ; Forestry ; Insurance ; Investment ; Joint Implementation ; Land ; Land Use ; Public Sector Development ; Risk ; Sustainable Development ; Taxes ; Technology
    Abstract: June 2000 - Under the Clean Development Mechanism, developing countries will be able to produce certified emissions reductions (CERs, sometimes called offsets) through projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions below business-as-usual levels. The challenges of setting up offset markets are considerable. Do forestry projects, as a class, have more difficulty than energy projects reducing greenhouse gas emissions in ways that are real, measurable, additional, and consistent with sustainable development? Under the Kyoto Protocol, industrial countries accept caps on their emissions of greenhouse gases. They are permitted to acquire offsetting emissions reductions from developing countries - which do not have emissions limitations - to assist in complying with these caps. Because these emissions reductions are defined against a hypothetical baseline, practical issues arise in ensuring that the reductions are genuine. Forestry-related emissions reduction projects are often thought to present greater difficulties in measurement and implementation than energy-related emissions reduction projects. Chomitz discusses how project characteristics affect the process for determining compliance with each of the criteria for qualifying. Those criteria are: · Additionality. Would the emissions reductions not have taken place without the project? · Baseline and systems boundaries (leakage). What would business-as-usual emissions have been without the project? And in this comparison, how broad should spatial and temporal system boundaries be? · Measurement (or sequestration). How accurately can we measure actual with-project emissions levels? · Duration or permanence. Will the project have an enduring mitigating effect? · Local impact. Will the project benefit its neighbors? For all the criteria except permanence, it is difficult to find generic distinctions between land use change and forestry and energy projects, since both categories comprise diverse project types. The important distinctions among projects have to do with such things as: · The level and distribution of the project's direct financial benefits. · How much the project is integrated with the larger system. · The project components' internal homogeneity and geographic dispersion. · The local replicability of project technologies. Permanence is an issue specific to land use change and forestry projects. Chomitz describes various approaches to ensure permanence or adjust credits for duration: the ton-year approach (focusing on the benefits from deferring climatic damage, and rewarding longer deferral); the combination approach (bundling current land use change and forestry emissions reductions with future reductions in the buyer's allowed amount); a technology-acceleration approach; and an insurance approach. This paper - a product of Infrastructure and Environment, Development Research Group - is part of a larger effort in the group to assess policies for mitigating climate change. The author may be contacted at kchomitzworldbank.org
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  • 39
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (22 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Eichengreen, Barry Would Collective Action Clauses Raise Borrowing Costs?
    Keywords: Borrowers ; Borrowing Costs ; Collective Action ; Collective Action Clauses ; Credit Ratings ; Crisis Country ; Debt ; Debt Markets ; Debt Restructuring ; Emerging Markets ; Emerging Markets ; Equity ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Financial Markets ; Financial Support ; Foreign Investors ; Holding ; International Financial Institutions ; International Financial System ; Investors ; Lenders ; Lending ; Moral Hazard ; Private Sector Development ; Borrowers ; Borrowing Costs ; Collective Action ; Collective Action Clauses ; Credit Ratings ; Crisis Country ; Debt ; Debt Markets ; Debt Restructuring ; Emerging Markets ; Emerging Markets ; Equity ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Financial Markets ; Financial Support ; Foreign Investors ; Holding ; International Financial Institutions ; International Financial System ; Investors ; Lenders ; Lending ; Moral Hazard ; Private Sector Development
    Abstract: June 2000 - Collective action clauses raise borrowing costs for low-rated borrowers and lower them for high-rated borrowers. This result holds for all developing country bonds and also for the subset of sovereign bond issuers. It is easy to say that the International Monetary Fund should not resort to financial rescue for countries in crisis; this is hard to do when there is no alternative. That is where collective action clauses come in. Collective action clauses are designed to facilitate debt restructuring by the principals - borrowers and lenders - with minimal intervention by international financial institutions. Despite much discussion of this option, there has been little action. Issuers of bonds fear that collective action clauses would raise borrowing costs. Eichengreen and Mody update earlier findings about the impact of collective action clauses on borrowing costs. It has been argued that only in the past year or so have investors focused on the presence of these provisions and that, given the international financial institutions' newfound resolve to bail in investors, they now regard these clauses with trepidation. Extending their data to 1999, Eichengreen and Mody find no evidence of such changes but rather the same pattern as before: Collective action clauses raise the costs of borrowing for low-rated issuers but reduce them for issuers with good credit ratings. Their results hold both for the full set of bonds and for bonds issued only by sovereigns. They argue that these results should reassure those who regard collective action clauses as an important element in the campaign to strengthen international financial architecture. This paper - a product of the Development Prospects Group - is part of a larger effort in the group to analyze international capital flows. The study was funded by the Bank's Research Support Budget under the research project Pricing of Bonds and Bank Loans in the Market for Developing Country Debt. The authors may be contacted at eichengrecon.berkeley.edu or amody@worldbank.org
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  • 40
    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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  • 41
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (30 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Finger, Michael J Market Access Bargaining in the Uruguay Round
    Keywords: Concessions ; Debt Markets ; Domestic Market ; Duty Reduction ; Export Industries ; Exports ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Foreign Markets ; Free Trade ; International Economics & Trade ; International Trade ; International Trade and Trade Rules ; Market Access ; Market Access Bargaining ; Public Sector Development ; Reciprocal Concessions ; Reciprocal Reduction ; Reciprocity ; Tariff ; Tariff Concessions ; Tariffs ; Trade Liberalization ; Trade Negotiations ; Trade Policy ; Trade Restrictions ; Unilateral Free Trade ; Unilateral Liberalization ; Concessions ; Debt Markets ; Domestic Market ; Duty Reduction ; Export Industries ; Exports ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Foreign Markets ; Free Trade ; International Economics & Trade ; International Trade ; International Trade and Trade Rules ; Market Access ; Market Access Bargaining ; Public Sector Development ; Reciprocal Concessions ; Reciprocal Reduction ; Reciprocity ; Tariff ; Tariff Concessions ; Tariffs ; Trade Liberalization ; Trade Negotiations ; Trade Policy ; Trade Restrictions ; Unilateral Free Trade ; Unilateral Liberalization
    Abstract: December 1999 - The Uruguay Round tariff negotiations did not achieve a country-by-country balancing of concessions given and concessions received. How governments bargained was determined less by their national interests than by the interests of their politically important industrial constituencies. How tightly are trade negotiators held to winning a dollar of concession for each dollar of concession granted? The outcome of the Uruguay Round tariff negotiations suggests that such constraints were not tight. None of the delegations interviewed by Finger, Reincke, and Castro had tried to calculate for themselves the extent of concessions received. And the surplus or deficit of concessions received (over concessions given) varied widely among countries. Measuring the percentage point dollar of concessions given and received (a percentage point dollar being a reduction of the tariff by one percentage point on
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  • 42
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (32 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Reinikka, Ritva How Inadequate Provision of Public Infrastructure and Services Affects Private Investment
    Keywords: Bottlenecks ; Capital Stock ; Debt Markets ; Emerging Markets ; Employment ; Equipment ; Finance ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; IRU ; Infrastructure ; Interest ; Interest Rates ; International Economics & Trade ; Investment ; Investment Rate ; Investment Rates ; Investment and Investment Climate ; Labor Policies ; M1 ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Non Bank Financial Institutions ; Prices ; Private Sector Development ; Prof Standard Errors ; Roads and Highways ; Social Protections and Labor ; Statistics ; Tax ; Taxes ; Trade and Regional Integration ; Transport ; Vdu ; Bottlenecks ; Capital Stock ; Debt Markets ; Emerging Markets ; Employment ; Equipment ; Finance ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; IRU ; Infrastructure ; Interest ; Interest Rates ; International Economics & Trade ; Investment ; Investment Rate ; Investment Rates ; Investment and Investment Climate ; Labor Policies ; M1 ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Non Bank Financial Institutions ; Prices ; Private Sector Development ; Prof Standard Errors ; Roads and Highways ; Social Protections and Labor ; Statistics ; Tax ; Taxes ; Trade and Regional Integration ; Transport ; Vdu
    Abstract: Evidence from Uganda shows that poor public provision of infrastructure services - proxied by an unreliable and inadequate power supply - significantly reduces productive private investment. - Lack of private investment is a serious policy problem in many developing countries, especially in Africa. Despite recent structural reform and stabilization, the investment response to date has been mixed, even among the strongest reformers. The role of poor infrastructure and deficient public services has received little attention in the economic literature, where the effect of public spending and investment on growth is shown to be at best ambiguous. Reinikka and Svensson use unique microeconomic evidence to show the effects of poor infrastructure services on private investment in Uganda. They find that poor public capital, proxied by an unreliable and inadequate power supply, significantly reduces productive private investment. Firms can substitute for inadequate provision of public capital by investing in it themselves. This comes at a cost, however: the installation of less productive capital. These results have clear policy implications. Although macroeconomic reforms and stabilization are necessary conditions for sustained growth and private investment, without an accompanying improvement in the public sector's performance, the private supply response to macroeconomic policy reform is likely to remain limited. This paper - a product of Public Economics and Macroeconomics and Growth, Development Research Group - is part of a larger effort in the group to study public service delivery and economic growth. The authors may be contacted at rreinikkaworldbank.org or jsvensson@worldbank.org
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  • 43
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (34 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Djankov, Simeon Disintegration and Trade Flows
    Keywords: LTC ; M1 ; Reform ; Roads and Highways ; Transport ; VD ; ZDV ; LTC ; M1 ; Reform ; Roads and Highways ; Transport ; VD ; ZDV ; Armenia ; Azerbaijan ; Belarus ; Estonia ; Georgia ; Iru ; Latvia ; Lithuania ; Moldova ; Tajikistan ; Turkmenistan ; Ukraine ; Uzbekistan ; Armenia ; Azerbaijan ; Belarus ; Estonia ; Georgia ; Iru ; Latvia ; Lithuania ; Moldova ; Tajikistan ; Turkmenistan ; Ukraine ; Uzbekistan
    Abstract: June 2000 - This study of trade flows among and between nine Russian regions and 14 republics of the former Soviet Union shows a bias toward domestic trade in the reform period that is primarily the result of tariffs. In addition, old linkages - such as infrastructure, business networks, and production and consumption chains - have limited the reorientation of trade. Djankov and Freund study the effects of trade barriers and the persistence of past linkages on trade flows in the former Soviet Union. Estimating a gravity equation on trade among and between nine Russian regions and 14 former Soviet republics, they find that Russian regions traded 60 percent more with each other than with republics in the reform period (1994-96). By contrast, the Russian regions did not trade significantly more with each other than with republics in the prereform period (1987-90). The results suggest that the bias toward domestic trade in the reform period is primarily the result of tariffs. In addition, past linkages - such as infrastructure, business networks, and production and consumption chains - have limited the reorientation of trade. This paper-a product of the Financial Sector Strategy and Policy Department-is part of a larger effort in the department to promote economic liberalization
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  • 44
    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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  • 45
    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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  • 46
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (44 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Knack, Stephen Aid Dependence and the Quality of Governance
    Keywords: Accountability ; Aid Dependence ; Bureaucracy ; Bureaucratic Quality ; Corruption ; Country Data ; Development Economics and Aid Effectiveness ; Disability ; Economic Growth ; Economic Theory and Research ; Education ; Emerging Markets ; Foreign Aid ; Gender ; Gender and Health ; Good Governance ; Governance ; Governance ; Governance Indicators ; Growth ; Health, Nutrition and Population ; Income ; Income Growth ; Institutional Quality ; Institutions ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; National Governance ; Natural Resources ; Per Capita Incomes ; Policy Implications ; Private Sector Development ; Public Sector Corruption and Anticorruption Measures ; Reverse Causality ; Rule Of Law ; School Health ; Social Protections and Labor ; Accountability ; Aid Dependence ; Bureaucracy ; Bureaucratic Quality ; Corruption ; Country Data ; Development Economics and Aid Effectiveness ; Disability ; Economic Growth ; Economic Theory and Research ; Education ; Emerging Markets ; Foreign Aid ; Gender ; Gender and Health ; Good Governance ; Governance ; Governance ; Governance Indicators ; Growth ; Health, Nutrition and Population ; Income ; Income Growth ; Institutional Quality ; Institutions ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; National Governance ; Natural Resources ; Per Capita Incomes ; Policy Implications ; Private Sector Development ; Public Sector Corruption and Anticorruption Measures ; Reverse Causality ; Rule Of Law ; School Health ; Social Protections and Labor
    Abstract: July 2000 - Do higher levels of aid erode the very quality of governance poor countries need for sustained and rapid income growth? Good governance-in the form of institutions that establish predictable, impartial, and consistently enforced rules for investors-is crucial for the sustained and rapid growth of per capita incomes in poor countries. Aid dependence can undermine institutional quality by weakening accountability, encouraging rent seeking and corruption, fomenting conflict over control of aid funds, siphoning off scarce talent from the bureaucracy, and alleviating pressures to reform inefficient policies and institutions. Knack's analyses of cross-country data provide evidence that higher aid levels erode the quality of governance, as measured by indexes of bureaucratic quality, corruption, and the rule of law. This negative relationship strengthens when instruments for aid are used to correct for potential reverse causality. It is robust to changes in the sample and to several alternative forms of estimation. Recent studies have concluded that aid's impact on economic growth and infant mortality is conditional on policy and institutional gaps. Knack's results indicate that the size of the institutional gap itself increases with aid levels. This paper-a product of Regulation and Competition Policy, Development Research Group-is part of a larger effort in the group to identify the determinants of good governance and institutions conducive to long-run economic development. The author may be contacted at sknackworldbank.org
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  • 47
    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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  • 48
    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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  • 49
    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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  • 50
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (46 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Halpern, Jonathan Information and Modeling Issues in Designing Water and Sanitation Subsidy Schemes
    Keywords: Administrative Procedures ; Consumption ; Consumption ; Consumption Patterns ; Cred Demand ; E-Business ; Economic Theory and Research ; Empirical Analysis ; Environment ; Environmental Economics and Policies ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Incentives ; Income ; Information ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Need ; Options ; Poverty ; Private Sector Development ; Revenue ; Standards ; Subsidies ; Tariffs ; Town Water Supply and Sanitation ; Values ; Water ; Water Conservation ; Water Resources ; Water Supply and Sanitation ; Water Supply and Sanitation Governance and Institutions ; Water Use ; Willingness To Pay ; Wtp ; Administrative Procedures ; Consumption ; Consumption ; Consumption Patterns ; Cred Demand ; E-Business ; Economic Theory and Research ; Empirical Analysis ; Environment ; Environmental Economics and Policies ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Incentives ; Income ; Information ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Need ; Options ; Poverty ; Private Sector Development ; Revenue ; Standards ; Subsidies ; Tariffs ; Town Water Supply and Sanitation ; Values ; Water ; Water Conservation ; Water Resources ; Water Supply and Sanitation ; Water Supply and Sanitation Governance and Institutions ; Water Use ; Willingness To Pay ; Wtp
    Abstract: May 2000 - Evaluating design alternatives is a first step in introducing optimal water subsidy schemes. The definition of appropriate targeting criteria and subsidy levels needs to be supported by empirical analysis, generally an informationally demanding exercise. An assessment carried out in Panama revealed that targeting individual households would be preferable to geographically based targeting. Empirical analysis also showed that only a small group of very poor households needed a subsidy to pay their water bill. In designing a rational scheme for subsidizing water services, it is important to support the choice of design parameters with empirical analysis that simulates the impact of subsidy options on the target population. Otherwise, there is little guarantee that the subsidy program will meet its objectives. But such analysis is informationally demanding. Ideally, researchers should have access to a single, consistent data set containing household-level information on consumption, willingness to pay, and a range of socioeconomic characteristics. Such a comprehensive data set will rarely exist. G-mez-Lobo, Foster, and Halpern suggest overcoming this data deficiency by collating and imaginatively manipulating different sources of data to generate estimates of the missing variables. The most valuable sources of information, they explain, are likely to be the following: · Customer databases of the water company, which provide robust information on the measured consumption of formal customers but little information on unmeasured consumption, informal customers, willingness to pay, or socioeconomic variables. · General socioeconomic household surveys, which are an excellent source of socioeconomic information but tend to record water expenditure rather than physical consumption. · Willingness-to-pay surveys, which are generally tailored to a specific project, are very flexible, and may be the only source of willingness-to-pay data. However, they are expensive to undertake and the information collected is based on hypothetical rather than real behavior. Where such surveys are unavailable, international benchmark values on willingness to pay may be used. Combining data sets requires some effort and creativity, and creates difficulties of its own. But once a suitable data set has been constructed, a simulation model can be created using simple spreadsheet software. The model used to design Panama's water subsidy proposal addressed these questions: · What are the targeting properties of different eligibility criteria for the subsidy? · How large should the subsidy be? · How much will the subsidy scheme cost, including administrative costs? Armed with the above information, policymakers should be in a position to design a subsidy program that reaches the intended beneficiaries, provides them with the level of financial support that is strictly necessary, meets the overall budget restrictions, and does not waste an excessive amount of funding on administrative costs. 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 the access of the poor to these basic services. The authors may be contacted at vfosterworldbank.org or jhalpern@worldbank.org
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  • 51
    Online Resource
    Online Resource
    Washington, D.C : The World Bank
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (50 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Saggi, Kamal Trade, Foreign Direct Investment, and International Technology Transfer
    Keywords: Attributes ; Basic ; E-Business ; E-Mail ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Foreign Direct Investment ; High Technology ; ICT Policy and Strategies ; Industry ; Information ; Information and Communication Technologies ; International Economics & Trade ; Inventors ; Know-How ; Knowledge Economy ; Labor Policies ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Microfinance ; New Technologies ; Outsourcing ; Private Sector Development ; Semiconductor ; Semiconductor Industry ; Social Protections and Labor ; Systems ; Technological Change ; Technologies ; Technology ; Technology Industry ; Technology Licensing ; Technology Spillovers ; Technology Transfer ; Trade and Regional Integration ; Attributes ; Basic ; E-Business ; E-Mail ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Foreign Direct Investment ; High Technology ; ICT Policy and Strategies ; Industry ; Information ; Information and Communication Technologies ; International Economics & Trade ; Inventors ; Know-How ; Knowledge Economy ; Labor Policies ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Microfinance ; New Technologies ; Outsourcing ; Private Sector Development ; Semiconductor ; Semiconductor Industry ; Social Protections and Labor ; Systems ; Technological Change ; Technologies ; Technology ; Technology Industry ; Technology Licensing ; Technology Spillovers ; Technology Transfer ; Trade and Regional Integration
    Abstract: May 2000 - How much a developing country can take advantage of technology transfer from foreign direct investment depends partly on how well educated and well trained its workforce is, how much it is willing to invest in research and development, and how much protection it offers for intellectual property rights. Saggi surveys the literature on trade and foreign direct investment - especially wholly owned subsidiaries of multinational firms and international joint ventures - as channels for technology transfer. He also discusses licensing and other arm's-length channels of technology transfer. He concludes: How trade encourages growth depends on whether knowledge spillover is national or international. Spillover is more likely to be national for developing countries than for industrial countries. · Local policy often makes pure foreign direct investment infeasible, so foreign firms choose licensing or joint ventures. The jury is still out on whether licensing or joint ventures lead to more learning by local firms. · Policies designed to attract foreign direct investment are proliferating. Several plant-level studies have failed to find positive spillover from foreign direct investment to firms competing directly with subsidiaries of multinationals. (However, these studies treat foreign direct investment as exogenous and assume spillover to be horizontal - when it may be vertical.) All such studies do find the subsidiaries of multinationals to be more productive than domestic firms, so foreign direct investment does result in host countries using resources more effectively. · Absorptive capacity in the host country is essential for getting significant benefits from foreign direct investment. Without adequate human capital or investments in research and development, spillover fails to materialize. · A country's policy on protection of intellectual property rights affects the type of industry it attracts. Firms for which such rights are crucial (such as pharmaceutical firms) are unlikely to invest directly in countries where such protections are weak, or will not invest in manufacturing and research and development activities. Policy on intellectual property rights also influences whether technology transfer comes through licensing, joint ventures, or the establishment of wholly owned subsidiaries. This paper - a product of Trade, Development Research Group - is part of a larger effort in the group to study microfoundations of international technology diffusion. The study was funded by the Bank's Research Support Budget under the research project Microfoundations of International Technology Diffusion. The author may be contacted at ksaggimail.smu.edu
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  • 52
    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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  • 53
    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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  • 54
    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: World Bank Group President, James Wolfensohn addressed the Board of Governors. In the past year the Bank launched a new initiative-the Comprehensive Development Framework (CDF). The aim was to bring the social and the structural aspects of development together with the macroeconomic and the financial so as to establish a much more balanced and effective approach. The Bank will work with the broad development community-the United Nations, the European Union, bilaterals, regional development banks, civil society, and the private sector-to build genuine partnerships. The CDF is now being piloted in 13 countries. The general experience reviewed that strengthening the organization, human capacity, and the structure of the state, both at central and local levels, is the first priority to reduce poverty. The speaker also called for a coalition for change in the new international development architecture in the face of globalization
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  • 55
    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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  • 56
    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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  • 57
    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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  • 58
    Online Resource
    Online Resource
    Washington, D.C : The World Bank
    ISBN: 0821343688 , 9780821343685
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (650 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Abstract: Global Development Finance was formerly published as World Debt Tables. The new name reflects the report's expanded scope and greater coverage of private financial flows. The report consists of two volumes:a) Analysis and Summary Tables contains analysis and commentary on recent developments in international finance for developing countries, with particular focus on the global financial crisis. Summary statistical tables are included for 150 countries. b) Country Tables contains statistical tables on the external debt of the 138 countries that report public and public guaranteed debt under the Debtor Reporting System (DRS). Also included are tables of selected debt and resource flow statistics for individual reporting countries as well as summary tables for regional and income groups. This year's report includes the external debt obligations of the Republic of Korea, a high-income country. Charts on pages xx to xxii summarize graphically the relation between debt stock and its components; the computation of net flows, aggregate net resource flow, and aggregate net transfers; and the relation between net resource flow and the balance of payments. Exact definitions of these and other terms are found in the Sources and Definitions section
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  • 59
    ISBN: 0821344757 , 9780821344750
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (56 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Abstract: This is the tenth annual edition of "Trends in Private Investment in Developing Countries." To mark this event, this report includes figures for each of the countries for which data are available as well as the first country-specific results of a worldwide survey on obstacles to doing business perceived by executives in 74 countries (including several industrial countries for comparison). The first part of this report documents trends in private and public fixed investment. The second part presents country-specific results of a 1996/97 worldwide survey of business executives. The discussion focus on obstacles to doing business and their relationship to levels of private investment. A few factors emerge as being of particular importance to private investment decisions:the real exchange rate, the rule of law, predictability of judiciary systems, and the extent to which financing is available to enterprises
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  • 60
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (88 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Lehmann, Hartmut Active Labor Market Policies in the OECD and in Selected Transition Economies
    Keywords: Active Labor ; Active Labor Market ; Active Labor Market Policies ; Active Labor Policies ; Employment Programs ; Finding Work ; Jobs ; Labor Demand ; Labor Markets ; Labor Policies ; Labor Policies ; Labor Supply ; Labour ; Labour Market ; Labour Market Policy ; Open Unemployment ; Private Sector ; Public Employment ; Rising Unemployment ; Social Protections and Labor ; Unemployed ; Unemployed Workers ; Workers ; Active Labor ; Active Labor Market ; Active Labor Market Policies ; Active Labor Policies ; Employment Programs ; Finding Work ; Jobs ; Labor Demand ; Labor Markets ; Labor Policies ; Labor Policies ; Labor Supply ; Labour ; Labour Market ; Labour Market Policy ; Open Unemployment ; Private Sector ; Public Employment ; Rising Unemployment ; Social Protections and Labor ; Unemployed ; Unemployed Workers ; Workers
    Abstract: August 1995 - Applying mechanically active OECD labor policies in Hungary, Poland, and Russia makes no sense because the economies are so different. Which labor policies are realistic there? Training able workers in scarce, needed skills; easing credit for (and thereby encouraging) the self-employed; giving public jobs to problem workers and the long-term unemployed; and improving consultation services for the unemployed. Transition economies have introduced a range of OECD active labor market policies to combat unemployment - albeit often on paper only, as with rising unemployment passive policies have crowded out active ones. But even in the Czech Republic, active labor market policies have contributed only marginally to reducing unemployment. One task for policymakers in Central and Eastern Europe must be to convey the message that, even under the best circumstances, active labor policies can play only a marginal role in reducing unemployment. OECD labor policies cannot be applied mechanically in Central and Eastern Europe because the situation there is different. Severe and persistent shortages in capital and managerial ability are sure to keep labor demand weak in the medium term, while labor supply will be abundant. As enterprises are restructured and liquidated, the newly unemployed workers cannot be absorbed by the weak private sector and must compete for scarce jobs. Women and older, less educated men have particular trouble finding work. Which active labor policies does Lehmann suggest might be effective? Limited funds for active labor policies might best be spent retraining the most able unemployed workers to develop skills needed in the private sector. Public employment programs might be targeted especially to problem groups of workers and to the long-term unemployed - more for reasons of equity than of efficiency. The point is to have a clear idea whether both aims of efficiency and equity can be pursued and, if efficiency gains are unrealistic, whether equity considerations are politically indispensable. Because nontradable services are underdeveloped, Central and Eastern European countries might eliminate credit rationing that discourages self-employment (the self-employed have trouble getting financing). Improving consulting services for the unemployed in Hungary, Poland, and Russia makes more sense than applying a broad menu of OECD programs. The labor market in the Russian Federation appears to be more dynamic than in Hungary and Poland, but this is probably because of massive labor hoarding in Russian enterprises. Once they start shedding labor in earnest, their employment figures will look more like those in the other Central and Eastern European countries. This paper - a product of the Office of the Vice President, Development Economics - was prepared as a background paper for World Development Report 1995 on labor
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  • 61
    Online Resource
    Online Resource
    Washington, D.C : The World Bank
    ISBN: 0821345508 , 9780821345504
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (192 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Series Statement: Global Economic Prospects
    Abstract: Developing countries are now recovering from the worst ravages of the financial crisis of 1997-98. However, the recovery is both uneven and fragile, and many countries continue to struggle in the aftermath. In addition to a review of international economic developments, this report considers three areas where the crisis has had a major impact on growth and welfare in the developing world. First, the crisis has increased poverty in the East Asian crisis countries, Brazil, and the Russian Federation, and elsewhere. Chapter 2 reviews the evidence on the crisis' social impact on East Asia and other developing countries, and addresses the broader issue of the impact of external shocks on poverty in developing countries. Second, though the East Asian crisis countries are experiencing a strong cyclical recovery, severe structural problems remain. Chapter 3 outlines the depth of the problems faced by the corporate and financial sectors of these economies, analyzes the challenges facing the restructuring process, and discusses the appropriate role of government in supporting restructuring and reducing systemic risk. Third, exchange rate depreciations and declines in demand in East Asia exacerbated the fall in primary commodity prices that began in 1996. Chapter 4 examines how the most commodity-dependent economies in the world--the major oil exporting countries and the non-oil exporters of Sub-Saharan Africa--have adjusted to the commodity price cycle
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  • 62
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (32 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Kanbur, Ravi The Dynamics of Poverty
    Keywords: Chronically Poor ; Communities & Human Settlements ; Debt Markets ; Economic Policies ; Economic Theory and Research ; Farm Size ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Household Income ; Household Size ; Household Welfare ; Housing and Human Habitats ; Human Capital ; Incidence Of Poverty ; Income ; Investment and Investment Climate ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; New Poor ; Nonfarm Income ; Old Age ; Poor People ; Poverty ; Poverty Diagnostics ; Poverty Incidence ; Poverty Lines ; Poverty Monitoring and Analysis ; Poverty Reduction ; Rural ; Rural Areas ; Rural Development ; Rural Poverty Reduction ; Targeting ; Temporarily Poor ; Transfers ; Chronically Poor ; Communities & Human Settlements ; Debt Markets ; Economic Policies ; Economic Theory and Research ; Farm Size ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Household Income ; Household Size ; Household Welfare ; Housing and Human Habitats ; Human Capital ; Incidence Of Poverty ; Income ; Investment and Investment Climate ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; New Poor ; Nonfarm Income ; Old Age ; Poor People ; Poverty ; Poverty Diagnostics ; Poverty Incidence ; Poverty Lines ; Poverty Monitoring and Analysis ; Poverty Reduction ; Rural ; Rural Areas ; Rural Development ; Rural Poverty Reduction ; Targeting ; Temporarily Poor ; Transfers
    Abstract: August 1995 - In urban areas of Côte d'Ivoire, human capital is the endowment that best explains welfare changes over time. In rural areas, physical capital - especially the amount of land and farm equipment owned - matters most. Empirical investigations of poverty in developing countries tend to focus on the incidence of poverty at a particular point in time. If the incidence of poverty increases, however, there is no information about how many new poor have joined the existing poor and how many people have escaped poverty. Yet this distinction is of crucial policy importance. The chronically poor may need programs to enhance their human and physical capital endowments. Invalids and the very old may need permanent (targeted) transfers. The temporarily poor, on the other hand, may best be helped with programs that complement their own resources and help them bridge a difficult period. Results from analyses of panel surveys show significant mobility into and out of poverty and reveal a dynamism of the poor that policy should stimulate. Understanding what separates chronic from temporary poverty requires knowing which characteristics differentiate those who escape poverty from those who don't. In earlier work, Grootaert, Kanbur, and Oh found that region of residence and socioeconomic status were important factors. In this paper they investigate the role of other household characteristics, especially such asset endowments as human and physical capital, in the case of Côte d'Ivoire. In urban areas of Côte d'Ivoire, human capital is the most important endowment explaining welfare changes over time. Households with well-educated members suffered less loss of welfare than other households. What seems to have mattered, though, is the skills learned through education, not the diplomas obtained. Diplomas may even have worked against some households in having oriented workers too much toward a formal labor market in a time when employment growth came almost entirely from small enterprises. In rural areas, physical capital - especially the amount of land and farm equipment owned - mattered most. Smallholders were more likely to suffer welfare declines. Households with diversified sources of income managed better, especially if they had an important source of nonfarm income. In both rural and urban areas, larger households suffered greater declines in welfare and households that got larger were unable to increase income enough to maintain their former welfare level. Households whose heads worked in the public sector maintained welfare better than other households, a finding that confirms earlier observations. The results also suggest that government policies toward certain regions or types of household can outweigh the effects of household endownments. Surprisingly, migrant non-Ivorian households tended to be better at preventing welfare losses than Ivorian households, while households headed by women did better than those headed by men (after controlling for differences in or changes in endowment). The implications for policymakers? First, education is associated with higher welfare levels and helps people cope better with economic decline. Second, targeting the social safety net to larger households - possibly through the schools, to reach children - is justified in periods of decline. Third, smallholders might be targeted in rural areas, and ways found to encourage diversification of income there. This paper - a joint product of the Social Policy and Resettlement Division, Environment Department, and the Africa Regional Office, Office of the Chief Economist - is the result of a research project on The Dynamics of Poverty: Why Some People Escape Poverty and Others Don't, A Panel Analysis for Côte d'Ivoire (RPO 678-70)
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  • 63
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (54 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Lopez, Ramon Adjustment and Poverty in Mexican Agriculture
    Keywords: Access To Irrigation ; Agricultural Activities ; Agriculture ; Agriculture and Farming Systems ; Commercial Bank ; Credit Markets ; Crops and Crop Management Systems ; Economic Theory and Research ; Farm Decisions ; Farm Households ; Farm Income ; Farm Work ; Farmer ; Farmers ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Investment and Investment Climate ; Irrigation ; Landholdings ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Markets and Market Access ; Natural Disaster ; Poor Farmer ; Poor Farmers ; Poverty ; Poverty Reduction ; Rural Development ; Rural Development Knowledge and Information Systems ; Rural Financial Markets ; Rural Poverty ; Rural Poverty Reduction ; Rural Sector ; Small Farms ; Access To Irrigation ; Agricultural Activities ; Agriculture ; Agriculture and Farming Systems ; Commercial Bank ; Credit Markets ; Crops and Crop Management Systems ; Economic Theory and Research ; Farm Decisions ; Farm Households ; Farm Income ; Farm Work ; Farmer ; Farmers ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Investment and Investment Climate ; Irrigation ; Landholdings ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Markets and Market Access ; Natural Disaster ; Poor Farmer ; Poor Farmers ; Poverty ; Poverty Reduction ; Rural Development ; Rural Development Knowledge and Information Systems ; Rural Financial Markets ; Rural Poverty ; Rural Poverty Reduction ; Rural Sector ; Small Farms
    Abstract: August 1995 - By and large, it appears that the goals of agricultural reform are being met in Mexico. But measures such as decoupling income supports and price supports or reorienting research and extension could help farmers who cannot afford access to machinery and purchased inputs and services. López, Nash, and Stanton report the results of a study of Mexican farm households using 1991 survey data and a smaller resurvey of some of the same households in 1993. One study goal was to empirically examine the relationship between assets and the output supply function. Using a production model focusing on capital as a productive input, they found that both the supply level and the responsiveness (elasticities) to changing input and output prices tend to depend on the farmer's net assets and on how productive assets are used. Regression analysis using data from the surveys shows that farmers who use productive assets such as machinery tend to be positively responsive to price changes, while those with no access to such assets are not. Another study goal was to monitor the condition of Mexican farmers in a rapidly changing policy environment. The 1991 survey data suggest that farmers with more limited use of capital inputs (the low-CI group) were more likely to grow principally corn and to grow fewer crops, on average, than the others. They also had more problems getting credit and were less likely to use purchased inputs, such as seeds, fertilizer, and pesticides, or to use a tractor to prepare the soil. They tended to be less well-educated, and their land tended to be of lower quality. Results from the panel data showed conditions generally improving for the average farmer in the sample area between 1991 and 1993, during a period when agricultural reforms were implemented. Cropping patterns were more diversified, the average size of landholdings increased, the average farmer received more credit (in real terms), more farm households earned income from off-farm work, and more farmers used purchased inputs. Asset ownership and educational attainment also improved modestly. The very small low-CI group in this sample fared as well as, or better than, the other groups. True, their level of educational achievement fell, and fewer of them had off-farm income than in 1991. But their use of credit, irrigation, machinery, and purchased inputs increased more than for other groups. The limited data are not proof of a causal link, but the fact that the goals are being met should at least ensure that adverse conditions are not undermining reform. Farmers that lacked access to productive assets did not respond as well to incentives or take advantage of the opportunities presented by reform and may need assistance, particularly to get access to credit markets. There may be a good argument for decoupling income supports from price supports for farmers, since income payments that are independent of the vagaries of production could provide a more stable signal of creditworthiness than price supports do. Possibly reorienting research and extension services more to the needs of low-CI producers could also improve the efficiency with which the sector adjusts to new incentives. Hypotheses and tentative conclusions from this study will be explored further when more data are collected in 1995. This paper - a product of the International Trade Division, International Economics Department---is part of a larger effort in the department to investigate the effects of international trade policy on individual producers. The study was funded by the Bank's Research Support Budget under the research project Rural Poverty and Agriculture in Mexico: An Analysis of Farm Decisions and Supply Responsiveness (RPO 678-23)
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  • 64
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (44 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Yeats, J. Alexander Are Partner-Country Statistics Useful for Estimating Missing Trade Data?
    Keywords: Bilateral Trade ; Common Carriers Industry ; Country Strategy and Performance ; Customs ; Customs Union ; Developing Countries ; Development Economics and Aid Effectiveness ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Export Processing ; Export Processing Zones ; Export Value ; Exports ; Free Trade ; Free Trade ; Free Trade Agreement ; Import Data ; Import Statistics ; Import Value ; Imports ; Industry ; International Economics ; International Economics & Trade ; International Trade ; International Trade Statistics ; Law and Development ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Private Sector Development ; Public Sector Development ; Science and Technology Development ; Statistical and Mathematical Sciences ; Tariffs ; Trade ; Trade Data ; Trade Law ; Trade Policy ; Transport ; Transport Economics, Policy and Planning ; Bilateral Trade ; Common Carriers Industry ; Country Strategy and Performance ; Customs ; Customs Union ; Developing Countries ; Development Economics and Aid Effectiveness ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Export Processing ; Export Processing Zones ; Export Value ; Exports ; Free Trade ; Free Trade ; Free Trade Agreement ; Import Data ; Import Statistics ; Import Value ; Imports ; Industry ; International Economics ; International Economics & Trade ; International Trade ; International Trade Statistics ; Law and Development ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Private Sector Development ; Public Sector Development ; Science and Technology Development ; Statistical and Mathematical Sciences ; Tariffs ; Trade ; Trade Data ; Trade Law ; Trade Policy ; Transport ; Transport Economics, Policy and Planning
    Abstract: Because many developing countries fail to report trade statistics to the United Nations, there has been an interest in using partner-country data to fill these information gaps. The author used partner-country statistics for 30 developing countries to estimate actual (concealed) trade data and analyzed the magnitude of the resulting errors. The results indicate that partner-country data are unreliable even for estimating trade in broad aggregate product groups such as foodstuffs, fuels, or manufactures. Moreover, tests show that the reliability of partner-country statistics degenerates sharply as one moves to more finely distinguished trade categories (lower-level SITCs). Equally disturbing, about one-quarter of the partner-country comparisons take the wrong sign. That is, one country's reported free-on-board (f.o.b.) exports exceed the reported cost-insurance-freight (c.i.f.) value of partners' imports. Aside from product composition, tests show that partner-country data are equally inaccurate for estimating the direction of trade. Why are partner-country data so unreliable for approximating missing data? Evidence shows: 1) problems in reporting or processing COMTRADE data; 2) valuation differences (f.o.b. versus c.i.f.) for imports and exports; 3) problems relating to entrepot trade, or exports originating in export processing zones; 4) problems associated with exchange-rate changes; 5) intentional or unintentional misclassification of products; 6) efforts to conceal trade data for proprietary reasons; and 7) financial incentives to purposely falsify trade data. The author concludes that efforts to improve the general quality, or availability, of trade statistics using partner-country data holds little or no promise, although this information may be useful in specific cases where the trade statistics of a certain country are known to incorporate major errors. Significant progress in ugrading the accuracy, and coverage, of trade statistics can be achieved only by improving each country's procedures for data collection
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  • 65
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (77 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Ng, Francis Good Governance and Trade Policy
    Keywords: Consumers ; Debt Markets ; Development ; Economic Growth ; Economic Performance ; Economic Theory and Research ; Economy ; Emerging Markets ; Exports ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Free Trade ; GDP ; GDP Per Capita ; Governance ; Governance Indicators ; Growth Rate ; Industrialization ; Influence ; International Economics & Trade ; International Trade ; Investment ; Law and Development ; Low Tariffs ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Markets ; Monopoly ; Private Sector Development ; Public Sector Development ; Trade ; Trade Barriers ; Trade Law ; Trade Policies ; Trade Policy ; Trade Policy ; Consumers ; Debt Markets ; Development ; Economic Growth ; Economic Performance ; Economic Theory and Research ; Economy ; Emerging Markets ; Exports ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Free Trade ; GDP ; GDP Per Capita ; Governance ; Governance Indicators ; Growth Rate ; Industrialization ; Influence ; International Economics & Trade ; International Trade ; Investment ; Law and Development ; Low Tariffs ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Markets ; Monopoly ; Private Sector Development ; Public Sector Development ; Trade ; Trade Barriers ; Trade Law ; Trade Policies ; Trade Policy ; Trade Policy
    Abstract: Turning the economies of Sub-Saharan Africa around requires badly needed national policy reform-abandoning the region's restrictive fiscal, monetary, property, and wage policies and trade barriers. - Economists often argue that the level and structure of a country's trade barriers and the quality of its governance policies (for example, regulating foreign investment or limiting commercial activity with red tape) have a major influence on its economic growth and performance. One problem testing those relations empirically was the unavailability of objective cross-country indices of the quality of governance and statistics on developing countries' trade barriers. Ng and Yeats use new sources of empirical information to test the influence of trade and governance policies on economic performance. They use a model similar to those used in the literature on causes and implications of economic growth but focus more heavily on the World Bank's index of the speed with which countries are integrating into the world economy. Their results show that countries that adopted less restrictive governance and trade policies achieved significantly higher levels of per capita GDP; experienced higher growth rates for exports, imports, and GDP; and were more successful integrating with the world economy. Regression results indicate that national trade and governance regulations explain over 60 percent of the variance in some measures of economic performance, implying that a country's own national policies shape its rate of development, industrialization, and growth. Their tests provide new insights into the phenomenon of economic convergence, showing that poorer open countries are integrating more rapidly into the global economy than others. This finding parallels what others have observed about economic growth rates. They test their empirical results in a case study asking whether inappropriate national policies have caused Sub-Saharan Africa's dismal economic performance. The evidence strongly supports this proposition. Indices of the quality of national governance show that African countries have generally adopted the most inappropriate (restrictive) fiscal, monetary, property, and wage policies and that their own trade barriers (including customs procedures constraining commercial activity) are among the world's highest. Improving African trade and governance policies to levels currently prevailing in such (non-exceptional) countries as Jordan, Panama, and Sri Lanka would be consistent with a sevenfold increase in per capita GDP (to about
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  • 66
    Online Resource
    Online Resource
    Washington, D.C : The World Bank
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (100 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Stephenson, M. Sherry Approaches to Liberalizing Services
    Keywords: Barriers ; Commodities ; Common Market ; Communities & Human Settlements ; Developing Countries ; Developing Country ; Developing Economies ; Economic Development ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Foreign Competition ; Free Trade ; Free Trade ; Free Trade Agreement ; Free Trade Agreements ; Future ; Housing and Human Habitats ; ICT Policy and Strategies ; Information and Communication Technologies ; Intangible ; Interest ; International Economics & Trade ; Investment ; Law and Development ; Liberalization ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Market Access ; Output ; Private Sector Development ; Public Sector Corruption and Anticorruption Measures ; Public Sector Development ; Regional Integration ; Share ; Trade ; Trade Law ; Trade Policy ; Trade and Services ; Barriers ; Commodities ; Common Market ; Communities & Human Settlements ; Developing Countries ; Developing Country ; Developing Economies ; Economic Development ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Foreign Competition ; Free Trade ; Free Trade ; Free Trade Agreement ; Free Trade Agreements ; Future ; Housing and Human Habitats ; ICT Policy and Strategies ; Information and Communication Technologies ; Intangible ; Interest ; International Economics & Trade ; Investment ; Law and Development ; Liberalization ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Market Access ; Output ; Private Sector Development ; Public Sector Corruption and Anticorruption Measures ; Public Sector Development ; Regional Integration ; Share ; Trade ; Trade Law ; Trade Policy ; Trade and Services
    Abstract: May 1999 - Liberalization of services at the subregional level has followed two broad approaches-the GATS model and the NAFTA model-neither of which automatically guarantees the full liberalization of trade in services. The question that participants in integration efforts at both the subregional and the broader regional level must ask is what kind of approach to liberalizing services offers both maximum transparency and the greatest degree of nondiscrimination for service suppliers. Only since completion of the Uruguay Round have developing countries in East Asia and the Western Hemisphere shown interest in liberalizing services. Ambitious efforts are now being made to incorporate services in liberalization objectives of both subregional and regional integration efforts, including in the Asia-Pacific region under APEC and in the Western Hemisphere under the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) process. At the subregional level, member countries of both ASEAN (in East Asia) and MERCOSUR (in Latin America) have chosen to follow the liberalization model set forth in the World Trade Organization's (WTO) General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS), and to open their services markets gradually and piecemeal. In the Western Hemisphere, Mexico has successfully promoted the NAFTA model of a more comprehensive liberalization of services markets-and several Latin American countries have adopted the same approach. Regionally, APEC has chosen a concerted voluntary approach to liberalizing services markets. Within the Western Hemisphere, participants are defining which approach they will use in the negotiations on services launched as part of the FTAA in April 1998. In all these efforts, a stated desire to promote more efficient services markets is often hindered by reluctance to open services markets rapidly or comprehensively because of historically entrenched protectionism in the sector and ignorance of the regulatory measures that impede trade in services. Presumably it would be easier to liberalize services at the subregional level, among countries at similar stages of development (although liberalization's economic value there might be questioned). Liberalizing services at the broader regional level is a difficult and ambitious goal, given the diversity of countries involved in such efforts. Thus liberalization will probably move more slowly at the regional than at the subregional level-perhaps even more slowly than at the multilateral level. It is possible that the new round of multilateral talks on services scheduled to begin under the WTO in 2000 may well eclipse the recently begun regional efforts. This paper-a product of Trade, Development Research Group-is part of a larger effort in the group to assist developing countries in the multilateral trade negotiations. The author may be contacted at sstephensonoas.org
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  • 67
    Online Resource
    Online Resource
    Washington, D.C : The World Bank
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (37 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Basu, Kaushik Interlinkage, Limited Liability, and Strategic Interaction
    Keywords: Amount Of Cred Borrower ; Contract Law ; Contracts ; Contractual Obligations ; Credit Contract ; Debt Markets ; Default ; Discount ; Discount Rates ; Economic Theory and Research ; Finance ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Instrument ; Instruments ; Labor Policies ; Law and Development ; Limited Liability ; Loan ; Loan Contracts ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Moneylender ; Moral Hazard ; Option ; Risk Aversion ; Risk Neutral ; Social Protections and Labor ; Unlimited Liability ; Amount Of Cred Borrower ; Contract Law ; Contracts ; Contractual Obligations ; Credit Contract ; Debt Markets ; Default ; Discount ; Discount Rates ; Economic Theory and Research ; Finance ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Instrument ; Instruments ; Labor Policies ; Law and Development ; Limited Liability ; Loan ; Loan Contracts ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Moneylender ; Moral Hazard ; Option ; Risk Aversion ; Risk Neutral ; Social Protections and Labor ; Unlimited Liability
    Abstract: June 1999 - When will a landlord prefer to supply both land and credit to a tenant rather than allow the lender to borrow from a separate moneylender? The paper shows that if tenancy contracts are obtained prior to contracting with the moneylender, and the tenant has limited liability, interlinked deals will predominate over the alternative situation where the landlord and the moneylender act as noncooperative principals. Basu, Bell, and Bose analyze the example of a landlord, a moneylender, and a tenant (the landlord having access to finance on the same terms as the moneylender). It is natural to assume that the landlord has first claim on the tenant's output (as a rule, if they live in the same village, he may have some say in when the crop is harvested). The moneylender is more of an outsider, not well placed to exercise such a claim. A landless, assetless tenant will typically not get a loan unless he has a tenancy. Without interlinkage, the landlord is likely to move first. In the noncooperative sequential game where the landlord is the first mover and also enjoys seniority of claims if the tenant defaults, interlinkage is superior, even if contracts are nonlinear - a result unchanged with the incorporation of moral hazard. The main result is that if a passive principal - one whose decisions are limited to exercising his property rights to determine his share of returns - is the first mover, allocative efficiency is impaired unless his equilibrium payoffs are uniform across states of nature. The limited liability of the tenant creates the strict superiority of interlinkage by making uniform rents nonoptimal when, with noncollusive principals, the landlord (the passive principal) is the first mover. A change in seniority of claims from the first to the second mover (the moneylender) further strengthens this result. But uniform payoffs for the first mover are not essential for allocative efficiency if he is the only principal with a continuously variable instrument of control. So, the main result is sensitive to changes in the order of play but not to changes in the priority of claims. This paper - a product of the Office of the Senior Vice President and Chief Economist, Development Economics - is part of a larger effort in the Bank to understand the institutional structure of rural markets and its welfare implications. The authors may be contacted at kbasuworldbank.org, clive.bell@urz.uni-heidelberg.de, or psbose@cc.memphis.edu
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  • 68
    Online Resource
    Online Resource
    Washington, D.C : The World Bank
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (29 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Schiff, Maurice Will the Real Natural Trading Partner Please Stand Up?
    Keywords: Currencies and Exchange Rates ; Customs Unions ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; External Trade ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Free Trade ; Free Trade ; Free Trade Agreements ; Free Trade Areas ; International Economics & Trade ; International Trade ; Law and Development ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Markets and Market Access ; Perfect Competition ; Preferential Trade ; Preferential Trade Agreement ; Private Sector Development ; Public Sector Development ; Regional Integration ; Regional Trade ; Tariff ; Tariff Revenues ; Trade ; Trade Creation ; Trade Diversion ; Trade Law ; Trade Policy ; Trade Policy ; Trade and Regional Integration ; Transport Costs ; Volume Of Trade ; World Trade ; Currencies and Exchange Rates ; Customs Unions ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; External Trade ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Free Trade ; Free Trade ; Free Trade Agreements ; Free Trade Areas ; International Economics & Trade ; International Trade ; Law and Development ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Markets and Market Access ; Perfect Competition ; Preferential Trade ; Preferential Trade Agreement ; Private Sector Development ; Public Sector Development ; Regional Integration ; Regional Trade ; Tariff ; Tariff Revenues ; Trade ; Trade Creation ; Trade Diversion ; Trade Law ; Trade Policy ; Trade Policy ; Trade and Regional Integration ; Transport Costs ; Volume Of Trade ; World Trade
    Abstract: August 1999 - Adherents of the natural trading partner hypothesis argue that preferential trade agreements are more likely to improve welfare if participating countries already trade disproportionately with each other. Opponents argue the opposite. Neither side is right. The hypothesis holds up only if two countries are natural trading partners in the sense that one country tends to import what the other exports. Adherents of the natural trading partner hypothesis argue that preferential trade agreements (PTAs) are more likely to improve welfare if participating countries already trade disproportionately with each other. Opponents of the hypothesis claim that the opposite is true: welfare gains are likely to be greater if participating countries trade less with each other. Schiff shows that neither analysis is correct. The natural trading partner hypothesis can be rescued if it is redefined in terms of complementarity or substitutability in the trade relations of countries, rather than in terms of their volume of trade. Schiff asks not whether a country should form or join a trading bloc but which partner or partners it should select if it does join such a bloc. He shows that the pre-PTA volume of trade is not a useful criterion for selecting a partner. The pre-PTA volume is equal to zero if the partner is an importer of the good sold to the home country and it is indeterminate if the partner is an exporter of that good. Among Schiff's conclusions: ° The home country is better off with a large partner country. First, a large partner is more likely to satisfy the home country's import demand at the world price. Second, the home country is likely to gain more on its exports to a large partner country, because that partner is likely to continue importing from the world market after formation of the trading bloc. And since the partner charges a tariff on imports from the world market, the home country is more likely to improve its terms of trade by selling to the partner at the higher tariff-inclusive price if the partner is large. ° The PTA as a whole is likely to be better off if each country imports what the other exports (rather than each country importing what the other imports). Losses are similar but less likely, while gains are both more likely and the same or larger. This paper - a product of Trade, Development Research Group - is part of a larger effort in the group to understand the economics of regional integration. The author may be contacted at mschiffworldbank.org
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  • 69
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (42 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Ezemenari, Kene Jamaica's Food Stamp Program
    Keywords: Agricultural Sector ; Dates ; Debt Markets ; Farm-Gate ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Food ; Food Consumption ; Food Policy ; Food Price ; Food Stamps ; Food Subsidies ; Food Subsidy ; Food and Beverage Industry ; Health, Nutrition and Population ; Incidence Of Poverty ; Industry ; Milk ; Population Policies ; Poverty ; Poverty Gap ; Poverty Impact ; Poverty Lines ; Poverty Reduction ; Poverty Reduction ; Poverty Reduction Strategies ; Poverty Severity ; Pro-Poor Growth ; Rice ; Rural Development ; Rural Poverty Reduction ; Safety Net ; Safety Nets ; Services and Transfers to Poor ; Small Area Estimation Poverty Mapping ; Urban Partnerships and Poverty ; Agricultural Sector ; Dates ; Debt Markets ; Farm-Gate ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Food ; Food Consumption ; Food Policy ; Food Price ; Food Stamps ; Food Subsidies ; Food Subsidy ; Food and Beverage Industry ; Health, Nutrition and Population ; Incidence Of Poverty ; Industry ; Milk ; Population Policies ; Poverty ; Poverty Gap ; Poverty Impact ; Poverty Lines ; Poverty Reduction ; Poverty Reduction ; Poverty Reduction Strategies ; Poverty Severity ; Pro-Poor Growth ; Rice ; Rural Development ; Rural Poverty Reduction ; Safety Net ; Safety Nets ; Services and Transfers to Poor ; Small Area Estimation Poverty Mapping ; Urban Partnerships and Poverty
    Abstract: Without the food stamp program, the poverty gap in Jamaica would have been much worse during the early 1990s, when the Jamaican dollar was being devalued. Households with elderly members and young children benefited most from the program. - Ezemenari and Subbarao examine how the food stamp program affected measures of poverty during devaluation of the Jamaican dollar in the early 1990s. They find that without the food stamp program, the poverty gap in Jamaica would have been much worse, especially in 1990 and 1991. For the country as a whole, not having a food stamp program wouldn't have affected the incidence of poverty significantly, but particular groups among the poor would have fared worse. Households with elderly residents benefited most from the program. Households with young children benefited more than households without, in terms of the poverty headcount and gap. The program also appears to have had more effect on extremely poor households than on those of the transient poor (people who move in and out of poverty). Explicitly incorporating behavioral responses into the model reduces the contribution of food stamps to household consumption and poverty, but the poorest benefited most from the program even after accounting for behavioral responses. The program contributed more to reducing poverty than to smoothing consumption. This paper - a product of the Poverty Division, Poverty Reduction and Economic Management Network - was presented at the World Bank Institute workshop Evaluating the Impact of Development Interventions: Concepts, Methods and Cases, December 9-10, 1998. The authors may be contacted at kezemenariworldbank.org or ksubbarao@worldbank.org
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  • 70
    Online Resource
    Online Resource
    Washington, D.C : The World Bank
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (26 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Pack, Howard Is African Manufacturing Skill-Constrained?
    Keywords: Access and Equity in Basic Education ; Agriculture ; Capital ; Costs ; Development ; Distribution ; E-Business ; Economic Theory and Research ; Education ; Emerging Markets ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Foreign Competition ; Foreign Direct Investment ; GDP ; Goods ; Human Capital ; ICT Policy and Strategies ; Incentives ; Industry ; Information and Communication Technologies ; Inputs ; International Economics & Trade ; Macroeconomic Policies ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Microfinance ; National Economy ; Private Sector Development ; Production ; Production Function ; Productivity Growth ; Real Exchange Rates ; Small Scale Enterprises ; Technology Industry ; Theory ; Total Factor Productivity ; Variables ; Access and Equity in Basic Education ; Agriculture ; Capital ; Costs ; Development ; Distribution ; E-Business ; Economic Theory and Research ; Education ; Emerging Markets ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Foreign Competition ; Foreign Direct Investment ; GDP ; Goods ; Human Capital ; ICT Policy and Strategies ; Incentives ; Industry ; Information and Communication Technologies ; Inputs ; International Economics & Trade ; Macroeconomic Policies ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Microfinance ; National Economy ; Private Sector Development ; Production ; Production Function ; Productivity Growth ; Real Exchange Rates ; Small Scale Enterprises ; Technology Industry ; Theory ; Total Factor Productivity ; Variables
    Abstract: October 1999 - Continued efforts to develop high-level industrial skills in Sub-Saharan African countries may be wasteful without a more competitive environment in the industrial sector. But lack of such skills may limit the benefits to the industrial sector from future liberalization. As a result, the supply response to improved incentives may be weak. Total factor productivity has been low in most of Sub-Saharan Africa. It is often said that the binding constraint on African industrial development is the inadequate supply of technologically capable workers. And many cross-country studies imply that the low level of human capital in Africa is an important source of low growth in per capita income. The results of Pack and Paxson's study do not necessarily conflict with this view. They indicate that in noncompetitive industrial sectors with little inflow of new technology, the contribution of technological abilities, however it is measured, is limited. If liberalization of the economy generated greater competition, or if export growth were accelerated - permitting the import of inputs embodying new technology - local skills could contribute significantly more in raising output. The experience of other countries also suggests that as the economy opens to flows of international knowledge - whether through technology transfers or through informal transfers from purchasers of exports - the technological capacity of local industry becomes important. The policy implications of this analysis are clear: Without the prospect of a more competitive environment, continued efforts to develop high-level industrial skills may be wasteful. But the absence of such skills may limit the benefits to the industrial sector from future liberalization, as a result of which the supply response to improved incentives may be weak. This paper - a product of Public Economics, Development Research Group - is part of a larger effort in the group to analyze the effect of public policies on industrial productivity. The authors may be contacted at packhwharton.upenn.edu or cpaxson@wws.princeton.edu
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  • 71
    Online Resource
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    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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  • 72
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (86 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Okrasa, Wlodzimierz The Dynamics of Poverty and the Effectiveness of Poland's Safety Net (1993 96)
    Keywords: Chronically Poor ; Economic Growth ; Health, Nutrition and Population ; Household Budget ; Household Income ; Human Development ; Income ; Measures ; Poor ; Poor Households ; Population Policies ; Poverty ; Poverty Dynamics ; Poverty Index ; Poverty Profile ; Poverty Reduction ; Rural ; Rural Areas ; Rural Development ; Rural Poverty Reduction ; Safety Nets and Transfers ; Savings ; Services and Transfers to Poor ; Social Policies ; Social Programs ; Social Protections and Labor ; Temporarily Poor ; Unemployment ; Chronically Poor ; Economic Growth ; Health, Nutrition and Population ; Household Budget ; Household Income ; Human Development ; Income ; Measures ; Poor ; Poor Households ; Population Policies ; Poverty ; Poverty Dynamics ; Poverty Index ; Poverty Profile ; Poverty Reduction ; Rural ; Rural Areas ; Rural Development ; Rural Poverty Reduction ; Safety Nets and Transfers ; Savings ; Services and Transfers to Poor ; Social Policies ; Social Programs ; Social Protections and Labor ; Temporarily Poor ; Unemployment
    Abstract: November 1999 - Changes in Poland's family allowances and unemployment benefits have significant but different effects on different groups of households. In deciding on strategies to address long-term poverty, policymakers must take such differences into account. Okrasa analyzes how the incidence of household endowments and the allocation of social benefits affect families' transitions into and out of poverty. Using panel data for 1993-96 from Poland's Household Budget Survey, and a framework based on sample survival analysis techniques, Okrasa evaluates how various policies will affect households with specific characteristics that make them likely to become poor or to move out of poverty under different scenarios (including whether or not they receive a given amount of a particular type of social transfer). He also discusses how nonincome sources of welfare, such as savings, credits, and loans, affect the likelihood that families will become or stop being poor. He concludes that family allowances and unemployment benefits, the two major social programs analyzed, have significant but different effects on different groups of households (characterized in terms of the age, gender, marital status, and educational attainment of the head of household; the size, type, location, and sector of employment of the family or household; and the year in which the household fell into poverty). If the share of family allowances in total household income were reduced by 1 percent, for example, the average length of poverty would be increased by roughly 2 percent. But a 1 percent change in unemployment benefits would yield a 3 percent change in the average duration of poverty. Differences in hazard rates for various subgroups would be even greater. Households in villages were much more likely to fall into poverty than households in cities and large towns, but the poor in towns and cities had more difficulty exiting poverty. There was generally less poverty mobility among households headed by public sector employees than among those headed by employees in the private sector. Families with three or more children and one-parent families (and grandparents with children) faced the greatest risk of being poor; single-person households and childless married couples were the least endangered. Small nuclear families with one or two children and families without children fell between these two extremes. This paper - a product of Poverty and Human Resources, Development Research Group - is part of a larger effort in the group to analyze the dynamics of poverty and the effectiveness of the safety net. The study was funded by the Bank's Research Support Budget under the research project Household Welfare Change during the Transition (RPO 681-21). The author may be contacted at wokrasaworldbank.org
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  • 73
    Online Resource
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    Washington, D.C : The World Bank
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (52 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Rama, Martin The Sri Lankan Unemployment Problem Revisited
    Keywords: Educational Attainment ; Export Processing Zones ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; High Unemployment ; High Unemployment Rate ; Job ; Job Security ; Labor ; Labor Force ; Labor Market ; Labor Market Participants ; Labor Market Policies ; Labor Markets ; Labor Study ; Management ; Private Sector ; Private Sector Activities ; Public Sector Jobs ; Social Protections and Labor ; Unemployed ; Unemployment ; Unemployment Problem ; Unemployment Rates ; Educational Attainment ; Export Processing Zones ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; High Unemployment ; High Unemployment Rate ; Job ; Job Security ; Labor ; Labor Force ; Labor Market ; Labor Market Participants ; Labor Market Policies ; Labor Markets ; Labor Study ; Management ; Private Sector ; Private Sector Activities ; Public Sector Jobs ; Social Protections and Labor ; Unemployed ; Unemployment ; Unemployment Problem ; Unemployment Rates
    Abstract: November 1999 - Unemployment in Sri Lanka is largely voluntary. The underlying problem is not a shortage of jobs but the artificial gap between good jobs and bad ones. Policy efforts should be aimed at reducing the gap between good and bad jobs by making product markets more competitive, reducing excessive job security, and reforming government policies on pay and employment. Sri Lanka's high unemployment rate has been attributed to a mismatch of skills, to queuing for public sector jobs, and to stringent job security regulations. But the empirical evidence supporting these explanations is weak. Rama takes a fresh look at the country's unemployment problem, using individual records from the 1995 Labor Force Survey and time series for wages in the economy's formal and informal sectors. He assesses, and rejects, the skills mismatch hypothesis by comparing the impact of educational attainment on the actual wages of those who have a job with the effect on the lowest acceptable wages of the unemployed. However, he finds substantial rents associated with jobs in the public sector and in private sector activities protected by high tariffs or covered by job security regulations. A time-series analysis of the impact of unemployment on wage increases across sectors supports the hypothesis that most of the unemployed are waiting for good job openings but are not interested in readily available bad jobs. In short, unemployment in Sri Lanka is largely voluntary. The problem is not a shortage of jobs but the artificial gap between good and bad jobs. Policy efforts should be aimed at reducing the gap between good and bad jobs by making product markets more competitive, by reducing excessive job security, and by reforming government policies on pay and employment. This paper was written as part of a broader labor study undertaken by the Poverty Reduction and Economic Management Sector Unit, South Asia Region. The study was also supported by the Bank's Research Support Budget under the research project The Impact of Labor Market Policies and Institutions on Economic Performance (RPO 680-96). The author may be contacted at mramaworldbank.org
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  • 74
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (40 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Schady, Norbert Do School Facilities Matter?
    Keywords: Access To Schooling ; Attendance Rate ; Attendance Rates ; Classrooms ; Communities & Human Settlements ; Disability ; Education ; Education ; Education for All ; Educational Infrastructure ; Educational Inputs ; Educational Outcomes ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Gender ; Gender and Education ; Health, Nutrition and Population ; Housing and Human Habitats ; Illiteracy ; Investments In Education ; Population Policies ; Poverty Monitoring and Analysis ; Poverty Reduction ; Primary Education ; Public School ; Rural Development ; Rural Poverty Reduction ; Sanitation ; School ; School Attendance ; School Breakfast ; School Facilities ; School Level ; Schoolchildren ; Social Protections and Labor ; Tertiary Education ; Textbooks ; Values ; Access To Schooling ; Attendance Rate ; Attendance Rates ; Classrooms ; Communities & Human Settlements ; Disability ; Education ; Education ; Education for All ; Educational Infrastructure ; Educational Inputs ; Educational Outcomes ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Gender ; Gender and Education ; Health, Nutrition and Population ; Housing and Human Habitats ; Illiteracy ; Investments In Education ; Population Policies ; Poverty Monitoring and Analysis ; Poverty Reduction ; Primary Education ; Public School ; Rural Development ; Rural Poverty Reduction ; Sanitation ; School ; School Attendance ; School Breakfast ; School Facilities ; School Level ; Schoolchildren ; Social Protections and Labor ; Tertiary Education ; Textbooks ; Values
    Abstract: A revised version was published as The Allocation and Impact of Social Funds: Spending on School Infrastructure in Peru (with Christina Paxson). World Bank Economic Review 16 (2): 297-319, 2002. - Education projects of the Peruvian Social Fund (FONCODES) have reached poor districts and, to the extent they live in those districts, poor households. FONCODES has had a positive effect on school attendance rates for young children, but not on the likelihood that children will be at an appropriate school level for their age. Since its creation in 1991, the Peruvian Social Fund (FONCODES) has spent about US
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  • 75
    Online Resource
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    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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  • 76
    Online Resource
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    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: Dasgupta, Susmita Opportunities for Improving Environmental Compliance in Mexico
    Keywords: Economics ; Economies ; Emissions ; Environment ; Environmental ; Environmental Economics and Policies ; Environmental Information ; Environmental Management ; Environmental Performance ; Environmental Quality ; Environmental Regulations ; Information ; Metals ; Monitoring ; Options ; Policy Makers ; Polluters ; Pollution ; Pollution Control ; Regulation ; Regulations ; Technology ; Economics ; Economies ; Emissions ; Environment ; Environmental ; Environmental Economics and Policies ; Environmental Information ; Environmental Management ; Environmental Performance ; Environmental Quality ; Environmental Regulations ; Information ; Metals ; Monitoring ; Options ; Policy Makers ; Polluters ; Pollution ; Pollution Control ; Regulation ; Regulations ; Technology
    Abstract: One of the main reasons for noncompliant firms' poor environmental performance is the information gap on Mexico's environmental policy. Pollution control could be improved through systematically fuller communication targeted to noncompliant firms - including more environmental education, especially of senior managers. - Survey evidence from Mexico reveals large observed differences in pollution from factories in the same industry, or the same area, or operating under the same regulatory regime. Many factories have adopted significant measures for pollution control and are in compliance with environmental regulations, but some have made little or no such effort. For lack of data, systematic research on the reasons behind such variations in plant-level environmental performance (especially on how impediments to pollution control affect plant behavior) is rare, even in industrial societies. Drawing on a recent plant-level survey of Mexican factories, Dasgupta identifies a number of performance variables characteristic of compliant and noncompliant plants, as well as factors that non-compliant plants perceive to be obstacles to pollution control. Noncompliant firms made less effort than compliant firms to change materials used, to change production processes, or to install end-of-pipe treatment equipment. They had significantly fewer programs to train their general workers in environmental responsibilities. They lagged behind in environmental training, waste management, and transportation training. They received less technical training, especially about the environment, environmental policy and administration, and clean technology and audits. Responses about obstacles to better environmental performance included scarcity of training resources, government bureaucracy, high interest rates, and Mexico's lack of an environmental protection culture. Respondents said that senior managers did not emphasize the environment, assigned more priority to economic considerations, and were not trained in the subject. There were too few suitable programs, training was not recognized, and workers were not interested in the subject. Most important, however, little information was available about Mexico's environmental policy. These findings suggest the importance of technical assistance - especially training and information. In Mexico, the information gap on policy is a major problem. Mexican environmental agencies should invest more in technical assistance and environmental training targeted to noncompliant enterprises. Environmental education, especially of senior managers, could significantly improve pollution control. Maintaining close contact with noncompliant firms, designing programs targeted to them, and pursuing them systemically should increase their responsiveness to regulations. This paper - a product of Infrastructure and Environment, Development Research Group - is part of a larger effort in the group to understand the determinants of environmental performance in developing countries. The study was funded by the Bank's Research Support Budget under the research project The Economics of Industrial Pollution Control in Developing Countries (RPO 680-20). The author may be contacted at sdasguptaworldbank.org
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  • 77
    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: Dollar, David Aid Allocation and Poverty Reduction
    Keywords: Development Efforts ; Domestic Poverty ; Economic Growth ; Elimination Of Poverty ; Emergencies ; Health, Nutrition and Population ; Level Of Poverty ; Living Standards ; National Policy ; Policies ; Policy Level ; Poor People ; Population Policies ; Poverty ; Poverty Reduction ; Poverty Reduction ; Pro-Poor Growth ; Quantitative Measures ; Recipient Countries ; Respect ; Rule Of Law ; Rural Development ; Rural Poverty Reduction ; Sectoral Policies ; Services and Transfers to Poor ; Sustainable Growth ; War ; Development Efforts ; Domestic Poverty ; Economic Growth ; Elimination Of Poverty ; Emergencies ; Health, Nutrition and Population ; Level Of Poverty ; Living Standards ; National Policy ; Policies ; Policy Level ; Poor People ; Population Policies ; Poverty ; Poverty Reduction ; Poverty Reduction ; Pro-Poor Growth ; Quantitative Measures ; Recipient Countries ; Respect ; Rule Of Law ; Rural Development ; Rural Poverty Reduction ; Sectoral Policies ; Services and Transfers to Poor ; Sustainable Growth ; War
    Abstract: In the efficient allocation of aid, aid is targeted disproportionately to countries with severe poverty and adequate policies. For a given level of poverty, aid tapers in with policy reform. In the actual allocation of aid, aid tapers out with reform. - Aid now lifts about 30 million people a year out of absolute poverty. With a poverty-efficient allocation, the same amount of aid would lift about 80 million people out of poverty. Collier and Dollar derive a poverty-efficient allocation of aid and compare it with actual aid allocations. They build the poverty-efficient allocation in two stages. First they use new World Bank ratings of 20 different aspects of national policy to establish the current relationship between aid, policies, and growth. Onto that, they add a mapping from growth to poverty reduction, which reflects the level and distribution of income. They compare the effects of using headcount and poverty-gap measures of poverty. They find the actual allocation of aid to be radically different from the poverty-efficient allocation. In the efficient allocation, for a given level of poverty, aid tapers in with policy reform. In the actual allocation, aid tapers out with reform. In the efficient allocation, aid is targeted disproportionately to countries with severe poverty and adequate policies - the type of country where 74 percent of the world's poor live. In the actual allocation, such countries receive a much smaller share of aid (56 percent) than their share of the world's poor. With the present allocation, aid is effective in sustainably lifting about 30 million people a year out of absolute poverty. With a poverty-efficient allocation, this would increase to about 80 million people. Even with political constraints introduced to keep allocations for India and China constant, poverty reduction would increase to about 60 million. Reallocating aid is politically difficult, but it may be considerably less difficult than quadrupling aid budgets, which is what the authors estimate would be necessary to achieve the same impact on poverty reduction with existing aid allocations. This paper - a joint product of the Office of the Director, and Macroeconomics and Growth, Development Research Group - is part of a larger effort in the group to examine aid effectiveness. The authors may be contacted at pcollierworldbank.org or ddollar@worldbank.org
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  • 78
    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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  • 79
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    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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  • 80
    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: Ravallion, Martin Is Knowledge Shared within Households?
    Keywords: Access and Equity in Basic Education ; Bank ; Brochure ; Budget ; Conflict of Interest ; Earnings ; Education ; Education for All ; Family Member ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Gender ; Gender and Law ; Household Expenditure ; Income ; Incomes ; Information ; Interest ; Interests ; Knowledge ; Law and Development ; Literacy ; Pamphlets ; Primary Education ; Public Goods ; Unemployment ; Wage ; Welfare ; Access and Equity in Basic Education ; Bank ; Brochure ; Budget ; Conflict of Interest ; Earnings ; Education ; Education for All ; Family Member ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Gender ; Gender and Law ; Household Expenditure ; Income ; Incomes ; Information ; Interest ; Interests ; Knowledge ; Law and Development ; Literacy ; Pamphlets ; Primary Education ; Public Goods ; Unemployment ; Wage ; Welfare
    Abstract: December 1999: Yes - and more efficiently by women than by men, according to this analysis of household survey data for Bangladesh. An illiterate adult earns significantly more in the nonfarm economy when living in a household with at least one literate member. According to theory, a member of a collective-action household may or may not share knowledge with others in that household. Shared income gains from shared knowledge may well be offset by a shift in the balance of power within the family. But do literate members of the household share the benefits of literacy with other members of the household in practice? Using household survey data for Bangladesh, Basu, Narayan, and Ravallion find that education has strong external effects on individual earnings. When a range of personal attributes is held constant, an illiterate adult earns significantly more in the nonfarm economy when living in a household with at least one literate member. That is, a literate person is likely to share some of the benefits of his or her literacy with other members of the household. It is better to be an illiterate in a household where someone is literate than in a household of illiterates only. It is widely noted that a literate mother confers greater benefits on her children than a literate father does. But what about differences between male and female recipients of knowledge? The empirical results suggest that women are more efficient recipients, too. This paper - a joint product of the Office of the Senior Vice President and Chief Economist, Development Economics, and Poverty and Human Resources, Development Research Group - is part of a larger effort in the Bank to understand the relationship between literacy and balance of power in the household. This paper was funded by the Bank's Research Support Budget under the research project Intrahousehold Decisionmaking, Literacy, and Child Labor (RPO 683-07). The authors may be contacted at kb40cornell.edu, anarayan@worldbank.org, or mravallion@worldbank.org
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  • 81
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (38 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Loayza, Norman What Drives Private Saving around the World?
    Keywords: Capital Gains ; Central Bank ; Currencies and Exchange Rates ; Debt Markets ; Demographic ; Developing Countries ; Developing Country ; Disposable Income ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Fiscal Policy ; Housing Lending ; Income ; Inequality ; Inflation Episodes ; Interest ; Interest Rate ; Interest Rates ; Liberalization ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Pension ; Pension System ; Poverty Reduction ; Prices ; Private Saving ; Private Sector Development ; Pro-Poor Growth ; Public Policies ; Trade ; Capital Gains ; Central Bank ; Currencies and Exchange Rates ; Debt Markets ; Demographic ; Developing Countries ; Developing Country ; Disposable Income ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Fiscal Policy ; Housing Lending ; Income ; Inequality ; Inflation Episodes ; Interest ; Interest Rate ; Interest Rates ; Liberalization ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Pension ; Pension System ; Poverty Reduction ; Prices ; Private Saving ; Private Sector Development ; Pro-Poor Growth ; Public Policies ; Trade
    Abstract: March 2000 - Saving rates vary considerably across countries and over time. Policies that spur development are an indirect but effective way to raise private saving rates - which rise with the level and growth rate of real per capita income. Loayza, Schmidt-Hebbel, and Servén investigate the policy and nonpolicy factors behind saving disparities, using a large panel data set and an encompassing approach including several relevant determinants of private saving. They extend the literature in several dimensions by: · Using the largest data set on aggregate saving assembled to date. · Using panel instrumental variable techniques to correct for endogeneity and heterogeneity. · Performing robustness checks on changes in estimation procedures, data samples, and model specification. Their main empirical findings: · Private saving rates show considerable inertia (are highly serially correlated even after controlling for other relevant factors). · Private saving rates rise with the level and growth rate of real per capita income. So policies that spur development are an indirect but effective way to raise private saving rates. · Predictions of the life-cycle hypothesis are supported in that dependency ratios generally have a negative effect on private saving rates. · The precautionary motive for saving is supported by the finding that inflation - conventionally taken as a summary measure of macroeconomic volatility - has a positive impact on private saving, holding other facts constant. · Fiscal policy is a moderately effective tool for raising national saving. · The direct effects of financial liberalization are largely detrimental to private saving rates. Greater availability of credit reduces the private saving rate; financial depth and higher real interest rates do not increase saving. This paper - a product of Macroeconomics and Growth, Development Research Group - is part of a larger effort in the group to understand the determinants of saving in developing countries. The study was funded by the Bank's Research Support Budget under the research project Saving in the World: Puzzles and Policies (RPO 681-36). The authors may be contacted at nloayzaworldbank.org or lserven@worldbank.org
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  • 82
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (56 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Honohan, Patrick How Interest Rates Changed under Financial Liberalization
    Keywords: Asset Prices ; Bank Interest Rates ; Bank Lending ; Bank Spreads ; Borrowers ; Currencies and Exchange Rates ; Debt Markets ; Depos Developing Countries ; Developing Country ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Liberalization ; Financial Literacy ; Insurance and Risk Mitigation ; Interest ; Interest Rate ; Interest Rates ; Lending ; Macroeconomic Management ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Market Interest Rates ; Money Market ; Private Sector Development ; Real Interest ; Real Interest Rates ; Treasury ; Treasury Bill ; Treasury Bill Rates ; Asset Prices ; Bank Interest Rates ; Bank Lending ; Bank Spreads ; Borrowers ; Currencies and Exchange Rates ; Debt Markets ; Depos Developing Countries ; Developing Country ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Liberalization ; Financial Literacy ; Insurance and Risk Mitigation ; Interest ; Interest Rate ; Interest Rates ; Lending ; Macroeconomic Management ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Market Interest Rates ; Money Market ; Private Sector Development ; Real Interest ; Real Interest Rates ; Treasury ; Treasury Bill ; Treasury Bill Rates
    Abstract: April 2000 - As financial liberalization progressed, the general level of real interest rates increased more in developing countries than it did in industrial countries. Volatility in wholesale interest rates also jumped, often markedly, in most liberalizing countries. Treasury bill rates and bank spreads showed the greatest increase in developing countries, shifting substantial rents from the public sector and from favored borrowers. Financial liberalization was expected to make interest rates and asset prices more volatile, with distributional consequences such as reduced or relocated rents and increased competition in financial services. Honohan examines available data on money market and bank interest rates for evidence of whether these things happened. He shows that as more and more countries liberalized, the level and dynamic behavior of developing-country interest rates converged to industrial-country norms. In the short term, volatility increased in both real and nominal money market interest rates. Treasury bill rates and bank spreads, evidently the most repressed, showed the greatest increase as liberalization progressed - shifting substantial rents from the public sector and from favored borrowers. Whereas quoted bank spreads in industrial countries contracted somewhat in the late 1990s, spreads in developing countries remained much higher, presumably reflecting both market power and the higher risks of lending in the developing world. There was no clear-cut change in mean rates of inflation, monetary depth, or GDP growth. If anything, there was a small average improvement in inflation, but a decline in monetary depth and economic growth, relative to trends in industrial countries. This paper - a product of Finance, Development Research Group - is part of a larger effort in the group to explore optimal policy under financial liberalization. The author may be contacted atphonohanworldbank.org
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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: Galasso, Emanuela Distributional Outcomes of a Decentralized Welfare Program
    Keywords: Anti-Poverty ; Community Groups ; Community Organizations ; Conflict ; Food-For-Education ; Income ; Irrigation ; Land Inequality ; Local Farmers ; Local Irrigation Facility ; Participatory Poverty Assessments ; Poor ; Poor Families ; Poor Farmers ; Poor Households ; Poverty Programs ; Poverty Reduction ; Public Spending ; Rural ; Rural Development ; Rural Families ; Rural Poverty Reduction ; Services and Transfers to Poor ; Targeting ; Anti-Poverty ; Community Groups ; Community Organizations ; Conflict ; Food-For-Education ; Income ; Irrigation ; Land Inequality ; Local Farmers ; Local Irrigation Facility ; Participatory Poverty Assessments ; Poor ; Poor Families ; Poor Farmers ; Poor Households ; Poverty Programs ; Poverty Reduction ; Public Spending ; Rural ; Rural Development ; Rural Families ; Rural Poverty Reduction ; Services and Transfers to Poor ; Targeting
    Abstract: April 2000 - Community-level targeting of antipoverty programs is now common. Do local community organizations target the poor better than the central government? In one program in Bangladesh, the answer tends to be yes, but performance varies from village to village. The authors try to explain why. It is common for central governments to delegate authority over the targeting of welfare programs to local community organizations - which may be better informed about who is poor, though possibly less accountable for getting the money to the local poor - while the center retains control over how much goes to each local region. Galasso and Ravallion outline a theoretical model of the interconnected behavior of the various actors in such a setting. The model's information structure provides scope for econometric identification. Applying data for a specific program in Bangladesh, they find that overall targeting was mildly pro-poor, mostly because of successful targeting within villages. But this varied across villages. Although some village characteristics promoted better targeting, these were generally not the same characteristics that attracted resources from the center. Galasso and Ravallion observe that the center's desire for broad geographic coverage appears to have severely constrained the scope for pro-poor village targeting. However, poor villages tended not to be better at reaching their poor. They find some evidence that local institutions matter. The presence of cooperatives for farmers and the landless appears to be associated with more pro-poor program targeting. The presence of recreational clubs has the opposite effect. Sometimes the benefits of decentralized social programs are captured by local elites, depending on the type of spending being decentralized. When public spending is on a private (excludable) good, and there is no self-targeting mechanism to ensure that only the poor participate, there is ample scope for local mistargeting. This paper - a product of Poverty and Human Resources, Development Research Group - is part of a larger effort in the group to assess the performance of alternative means of reaching the poor through public programs. The study was funded by the Bank's Research Support Budget under the research project Policies for Poor Areas (RPO 681-39). The authors may be contacted at egalassoworldbank.org or mravallion@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 (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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  • 85
    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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  • 86
    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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  • 87
    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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  • 88
    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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  • 89
    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: Schiff, Maurice Labor Market Integration in the Presence of Social Capital
    Keywords: Bonds ; Capital ; Cred Economic Performance ; Debt Markets ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Equilibrium ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Free Trade ; Goods ; Health, Nutrition and Population ; Human Capital ; Labor Markets ; Labor Policies ; Liquidity ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Markets and Market Access ; Negative Externalities ; Population Policies ; Private Sector Development ; Production Function ; Production Functions ; Public Good ; Social Capital ; Social Development ; Social Protections and Labor ; Trade Barriers ; Transactions Costs ; Transport ; Transport Economics, Policy and Planning ; Unemployment ; Utility ; Utility Function ; Voters ; Welfare ; Bonds ; Capital ; Cred Economic Performance ; Debt Markets ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Equilibrium ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Free Trade ; Goods ; Health, Nutrition and Population ; Human Capital ; Labor Markets ; Labor Policies ; Liquidity ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Markets and Market Access ; Negative Externalities ; Population Policies ; Private Sector Development ; Production Function ; Production Functions ; Public Good ; Social Capital ; Social Development ; Social Protections and Labor ; Trade Barriers ; Transactions Costs ; Transport ; Transport Economics, Policy and Planning ; Unemployment ; Utility ; Utility Function ; Voters ; Welfare
    Abstract: November 1999 - Social capital raises productivity and falls with labor mobility. Because labor mobility generates a negative externality, integration of labor markets results in too much mobility, too low a level of social capital, and an ambiguous effect on welfare. Trade liberalization is superior to labor market integration because it reduces mobility and the negative externality associated with it. Labor market integration is typically assumed to improve welfare in the absence of distortions, because it allows labor to move to where returns are highest. Schiff examines this result in a simple general equilibrium model in the presence of a common property resource: social capital. Drawing on evidence that social capital raises productivity and falls with labor mobility, Schiff's main findings are that: · Labor market integration imposes a negative externality and need not raise welfare. · The welfare impact is more beneficial (or less harmful) the greater the difference in endowments is between the integrating regions. · Whether positive or negative, the welfare impact is larger the more similar the levels of social capital of the integrating regions are and the lower the migration costs are. · Trade liberalization generates an additional benefit-over and above the standard gains from trade - by reducing labor mobility and the negative externality associated with it. Trade liberalization is superior to labor market integration. · The creation of new private or public institutions in response to labor market integration may reduce welfare. Schiff shows that the welfare implications depend on two parameters of the model, the curvature of the utility function and the cost of private migration. This paper - a product of Trade, Development Research Group - is part of a larger effort in the group to understand the link between market performance and welfare. The author may be contacted at mschiffworldbank.org
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  • 90
    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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  • 91
    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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  • 92
    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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  • 93
    Online Resource
    Online Resource
    Washington, D.C : The World Bank
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (114 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Madani, Dorsati A Review of the Role and Impact of Export Processing Zones
    Keywords: Banks and Banking Reform ; Capital Goods ; Debt Markets ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Environment ; Environment ; Environmental ; Environmental Economics and Policies ; Environmental Issues ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Imports ; Incentives ; Income ; International Economics & Trade ; Investment ; Investments ; Knowledge ; Labor ; Labor Markets ; Labor Policies ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Markets ; Policy Instruments ; Private Sector Development ; Production ; Public Sector Development ; Revenue ; Social Protections and Labor ; Subsidies ; Technology ; Trade ; Trade Policy ; Unemployment ; Wages ; Banks and Banking Reform ; Capital Goods ; Debt Markets ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Environment ; Environment ; Environmental ; Environmental Economics and Policies ; Environmental Issues ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Imports ; Incentives ; Income ; International Economics & Trade ; Investment ; Investments ; Knowledge ; Labor ; Labor Markets ; Labor Policies ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Markets ; Policy Instruments ; Private Sector Development ; Production ; Public Sector Development ; Revenue ; Social Protections and Labor ; Subsidies ; Technology ; Trade ; Trade Policy ; Unemployment ; Wages
    Abstract: As instruments for encouraging economic development, export processing zones have only limited usefulness. A better policy choice is general liberalization of a country's economy. - Traditional export processing zones are fenced-in industrial estates specializing in manufacturing for exports. Modern ones have more flexible rules, such as permitting more liberal domestic sales. They provide a free-trade and liberal regulatory environment for the firms involved. Their primary goals: to provide foreign exchange earnings by promoting nontraditional exports, to provide jobs and create income, and to attract foreign direct investment and attendant technology transfer and knowledge spillover. Domestic, international, or joint venture firms operating in export processing zones typically benefit from reduced red tape, flexible labor laws, generous long-term tax holidays and concessions, above-average communications services and infrastructure (and often subsidized utilities and rental rates), and unlimited duty-free imports of raw and intermediate inputs and capital goods needed for production. In this review of experience, Madani concludes that export processing zones have limited applications; the better policy choice is to liberalize a country's entire economy. Under certain conditions - including appropriate setup and good management - export processing zones can play a dynamic role in a country's development, but only as a transitional step in an integrated movement toward general liberalization of the economy (with revisions as national economic conditions change). The World Bank, writes Madani, should be cautious about supporting export processing zone projects, doing so only on a case-by-case basis, only with expert guidance, and only as part of a general reform package. It should not support isolated export processing zone projects in unreformed or postreform economies (in the last case they might encourage backsliding on trade policy). In general, if a policy is good for the economy as a whole, it is likely to be good for an export processing zone. Sound policy will encourage: · Sound, stable monetary and fiscal policies, clear private property and investment laws, and a business-friendly economic environment. · Moderate, simplified (but not overfriendly) corporate tax schedules, and generally liberal tariffs and other trade taxes. · Private development and management of export processing zones and their infrastructure and unsubsidized utilities. · Labor laws that are business-friendly but do not abuse workers' safety and labor rights. · A better understanding of the impact of industrial refuse on the quality of air, soil, water, and human health. This paper - a product of Trade, Development Research Group - is part of a larger effort in the group to understand the impact of trade policy and trade policy tools on development. The author may be contacted at dmadaniworldbank.org
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  • 94
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (40 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Reinikka, Ritva Confronting Competition Investment Response and Constraints in Uganda
    Keywords: Banks and Banking Reform ; Capital Investment ; Debt Markets ; Economic Liberalization ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Finance ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Financial Support ; Future ; Good ; Infrastructure Economics and Finance ; Investing ; Investment ; Investment Rates ; Investment and Investment Climate ; Labor Policies ; Liquidity ; Liquidity Constraint ; Macroeconomic Management ; Macroeconomic Policies ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Microfinance ; Non Bank Financial Institutions ; Private Investment ; Private Participation in Infrastructure ; Private Sector Development ; Prof Profits ; Public Investment ; Return ; Share ; Social Protections and Labor ; Tax ; Banks and Banking Reform ; Capital Investment ; Debt Markets ; Economic Liberalization ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Finance ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Financial Support ; Future ; Good ; Infrastructure Economics and Finance ; Investing ; Investment ; Investment Rates ; Investment and Investment Climate ; Labor Policies ; Liquidity ; Liquidity Constraint ; Macroeconomic Management ; Macroeconomic Policies ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Microfinance ; Non Bank Financial Institutions ; Private Investment ; Private Participation in Infrastructure ; Private Sector Development ; Prof Profits ; Public Investment ; Return ; Share ; Social Protections and Labor ; Tax
    Abstract: November 1999 - While macroeconomic reforms are necessary, firms' investment response is likely to remain limited without an accompanying improvement in public sector performance. Investment rates in Uganda are similar to others in Africa - averaging slightly more than 10 percent annually, with a median value of just under 1 percent. But the country's profit rates are considerably lower. These results are consistent with the view that Ugandan firms display more confidence in the economy than their counterparts in other African countries. Thus, for given profit rates, Ugandan firms invest more. At the same time, increased competition (because of economic liberalization) has exerted pressure on firms to cut costs. Many of those costs are not under the firms' control, however, so their profits have suffered. Using firm-level data, Reinikka and Svensson identify and quantify a number of cost factors, including those associated with transport, corruption, and utility services. Several factors - including crime, erratic infrastructure services, and arbitrary tax administration - not only increase firms' operating costs but affect their perceptions of the risks of investing in (partly) irreversible capital. The empirical analysis suggests that firms - especially small firms - are liquidity-constrained in the sense that they invest only when sufficient internal funds are available. But given the firms' profit-capital ratio, it is hard to argue that the liquidity constraint is binding in most cases, even though the cost of capital is perceived as a problem. This paper - a joint product of Macroeconomics 2, Africa Region, and Public Economics and Macroeconomics and Growth, Development Research Group - is part of a larger effort in the Bank to study economic policy, public service delivery, and growth. The authors may be contacted at rreinikkaworldbank.org or jsvensson@worldbank.org
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  • 95
    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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  • 96
    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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  • 97
    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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  • 98
    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: Honohan, Patrick Perverse Effects of a Ratings-Related Capital Adequacy System
    Keywords: Bank ; Bank Failure ; Bank Failures ; Banking Supervision ; Banks ; Banks and Banking Reform ; Capital ; Capital Adequacy ; Capital Requirement ; Capital Requirements ; Debt ; Debt Markets ; Deposit Insurance ; Deposits ; Emerging Markets ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Interest ; Lending ; Loans ; Private Sector Development ; Projects ; Rating Agencies ; Risk ; Risk Factors ; Systemic Risk ; Bank ; Bank Failure ; Bank Failures ; Banking Supervision ; Banks ; Banks and Banking Reform ; Capital ; Capital Adequacy ; Capital Requirement ; Capital Requirements ; Debt ; Debt Markets ; Deposit Insurance ; Deposits ; Emerging Markets ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Interest ; Lending ; Loans ; Private Sector Development ; Projects ; Rating Agencies ; Risk ; Risk Factors ; Systemic Risk
    Abstract: June 2000 - Allowing banks to hold less capital against loans to borrowers who have received a favorable rating by an approved rating agency may result in a rating system that neither reveals risk information about borrowers nor protects the deposit insurance fund. Part of the problem is the very idea of basing portfolio risk evaluation on the sum of individual loan risks, but there are also important incentive issues. It has recently been proposed that banks be allowed to hold less capital against loans to borrowers who have received a favorable rating by an approved rating agency. But a plausible model of rating-agency behavior shows that this strategy could have perverse results, actually increasing the risk of deposit insurance outlays. First, there is an issue of signaling, with low-ability borrowers possibly altering their behavior to secure a lower capital requirement for their borrowing. Second, establishing a regulatory cut-off may actually reduce the amount of risk information made available by raters. Besides, the credibility of rating agencies may not be damaged by neglect of the risk of unusual systemic shocks, although deposit insurers greatest outlays come chiefly at times of systemic crisis. And using agencies' individual ratings is unlikely to be an effective early-warning system for the risk of systemic failure, so use of the ratings could lull policymakers into a false sense of security. It is important to harness market information to improve bank safety (for example, by increasing the role of large, well-informed, but uninsured claimants), but this particular approach could be counterproductive. Relying on ratings could induce borrowers to increase their exposure to systemic risk even if they reduce exposure to specific risk. This paper - a product of Finance, Development Research Group - is part of a larger effort in the group to examine the effects of financial sector regulation. The author may be contacted at phonohanworldbank.org
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  • 99
    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
    URL: Volltext  (Deutschlandweit zugänglich)
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  • 100
    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
    URL: Volltext  (Deutschlandweit zugänglich)
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