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  • 1995-1999  (158)
  • Washington, D.C : The World Bank  (158)
  • Debt Markets  (110)
  • Financial Literacy  (107)
  • Social Protections and Labor  (53)
  • 1
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (36 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Schady, Norbert Seeking Votes
    Keywords: Allocation ; Business Cycles ; Business Environment ; Business in Development ; Competitiveness and Competition Policy ; Data On Expenditures ; Data Requirements ; Debt Markets ; Discretionary Funds ; Distribution Of Expenditures ; E-Government ; Econometric Techniques ; Expenditures ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Governance ; Health Systems Development and Reform ; Health, Nutrition and Population ; Outcomes ; Parliamentary Government ; Politicians ; Poverty Reduction ; Private Sector Development ; Public Expenditure ; Public Expenditures ; Public Sector Development ; Public Sector Expenditure Analysis and Management ; Social Expenditures ; Social Funds ; Social Policy ; Social Programs ; Social Services ; Stated Objectives ; Structural Adjustment ; Allocation ; Business Cycles ; Business Environment ; Business in Development ; Competitiveness and Competition Policy ; Data On Expenditures ; Data Requirements ; Debt Markets ; Discretionary Funds ; Distribution Of Expenditures ; E-Government ; Econometric Techniques ; Expenditures ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Governance ; Health Systems Development and Reform ; Health, Nutrition and Population ; Outcomes ; Parliamentary Government ; Politicians ; Poverty Reduction ; Private Sector Development ; Public Expenditure ; Public Expenditures ; Public Sector Development ; Public Sector Expenditure Analysis and Management ; Social Expenditures ; Social Funds ; Social Policy ; Social Programs ; Social Services ; Stated Objectives ; Structural Adjustment
    Abstract: A revised version was published as The Political Economy of Expenditures by the Peruvian Social Fund (FONCODES), 1991-95. American Political Science Review 94 (2, June): 289-304, 2000. - As the literature on political influences on the allocation of discretionary funds predicts, spending by the Peruvian Social Fund, FONCODES, increased significantly before elections. FONCODES projects were also directed at provinces where the marginal political impact of expenditures was likely to be greatest. President Alberto Fujimori created the Peruvian Social Fund (FONCODES) in 1991 with the stated objectives of generating employment, helping to alleviate poverty, and improving access to social services. Schady uses province-level data on monthly expenditures, socioeconomic indicators, and electoral outcomes to analyze political influences on the timing and geographic distribution of FONCODES expenditures between 1991 and 1995. He finds that: ° FONCODES expenditures increased significantly before elections. ° FONCODES projects were directed at poor provinces, as well as provinces in which the marginal political impact of expenditures was likely to be greatest. The results are robust to many specifications and controls. The Peruvian data thus support predictions made in the literature on political business cycles as well as the literature on political influences on the allocation of discretionary funds. This paper - a product of the Poverty Division, Poverty Reduction and Economic Management Network - is part of a larger effort in the network to understand the functioning and impact of social funds
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  • 2
    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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  • 3
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (34 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Hoekman, Bernard Competition Policy, Developing Countries, and the World Trade Organization
    Keywords: Access to Markets ; Barriers ; Competition ; Competition Policies ; Competition Policy ; Developing Countries ; Developing Country ; Domestic Competition ; Economic Development ; Economic Theory and Research ; Education ; Emerging Markets ; Export Markets ; Foreign Competition ; Free Trade ; ICT Policy and Strategies ; Information and Communication Technologies ; Interest ; Interests ; International Cooperation ; International Economics & Trade ; Investment ; Investment Policies ; Jurisdictions ; Knowledge for Development ; Labor Policies ; Law and Development ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Market Access ; Markets and Market Access ; Monopoly ; Private Sector Development ; Public Sector Development ; Social Protections and Labor ; Trade Law ; Trade Policy ; Traditional Market ; World Trade ; Access to Markets ; Barriers ; Competition ; Competition Policies ; Competition Policy ; Developing Countries ; Developing Country ; Domestic Competition ; Economic Development ; Economic Theory and Research ; Education ; Emerging Markets ; Export Markets ; Foreign Competition ; Free Trade ; ICT Policy and Strategies ; Information and Communication Technologies ; Interest ; Interests ; International Cooperation ; International Economics & Trade ; Investment ; Investment Policies ; Jurisdictions ; Knowledge for Development ; Labor Policies ; Law and Development ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Market Access ; Markets and Market Access ; Monopoly ; Private Sector Development ; Public Sector Development ; Social Protections and Labor ; Trade Law ; Trade Policy ; Traditional Market ; World Trade
    Abstract: October 1999 - Developing countries have a great interest in pursuing active domestic competition policy but should do so independent of the World Trade Organization - which they should use to improve market access through further reduction in direct barriers to trade in goods and services. Hoekman and Holmes discuss developing country interests in including competition law disciplines in the World Trade Organization (WTO). Developing countries have a great interest in pursuing active domestic competition policy, they conclude, but should do so independent of the WTO. Given the mercantilist basis of multilateral trade negotiations, the WTO is less likely to be a powerful instrument for encouraging adoption of welfare-enhancing competition rules than it is to be a forum for abolishing cross-border measures. Developing countries should therefore give priority to using the WTO to improve market access - to further reduce direct barriers to trade in goods and services. This paper - a product of Trade, Development Research Group - is part of a larger effort in the group to analyze issues that may be the subject of WTO negotiations. The authors may be contacted at bhoekmanworldbank.org or p.holmes@sussex.ac.uk
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  • 4
    Online Resource
    Online Resource
    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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  • 5
    Online Resource
    Online Resource
    Washington, D.C : The World Bank
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (38 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Kaminski, Bartlomiej The EU Factor in the Trade Policies of Central European Countries
    Keywords: Applied Tariff ; Autonomy ; Border Protection ; Currencies and Exchange Rates ; Debt Markets ; Domestic Producers ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Exchange Rates ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Foreign Trade ; Foreign Trade Policy ; Free Trade ; Free Trade ; International Economics & Trade ; International Trade ; International Trade Policies ; Law and Development ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Market Access ; Private Sector Development ; Public Sector Development ; Regional Integration ; Tariff ; Tariff Barriers ; Tariff Rates ; Tariffs ; Trade ; Trade Law ; Trade Liberalization ; Trade Policies ; Trade Policy ; Trade Regimes ; Trade and Regional Integration ; Applied Tariff ; Autonomy ; Border Protection ; Currencies and Exchange Rates ; Debt Markets ; Domestic Producers ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Exchange Rates ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Foreign Trade ; Foreign Trade Policy ; Free Trade ; Free Trade ; International Economics & Trade ; International Trade ; International Trade Policies ; Law and Development ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Market Access ; Private Sector Development ; Public Sector Development ; Regional Integration ; Tariff ; Tariff Barriers ; Tariff Rates ; Tariffs ; Trade ; Trade Law ; Trade Liberalization ; Trade Policies ; Trade Policy ; Trade Regimes ; Trade and Regional Integration
    Abstract: Despite strong protectionist sentiments, trade regimes have remained open in Central European countries invited to negotiate their accession to the European Union. Regional disciplines (the EU factor), combined with the legacy of low tariffs under GATT commitments, appear to have offset domestic protectionist impulses. - Kaminski examines the development of foreign trade institutions and policies in Central European countries invited to negotiate their accession to the European Union. With the dismantling of state trading, conditions of market access have been dramatically liberalized. However, except for Estonia and, to a lesser extent, the Czech Republic, most Central European countries have followed a policy of bilateral rather than multilateral trade liberalization. The fall in tariff rates on preferential imports has prompted a search for nontariff barriers, but these countries' trade regimes have remained open - which is surprising, considering the strong protectionist sentiments in economic administration. Regional disciplines (the EU factor), combined with the legacy of low tariffs under GATT commitments, appear to have been responsible for this openness. Foreign trade policy has been shaped by tensions between domestic protectionist impulses and pressures from the European Union (and other World Trade Organization members) to improve conditions of market access. This paper - a product of Trade, Development Research Group - is part of a larger effort in the group to examine trade and integration issues. The author may be contacted at bkaminskiworldbank.org
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  • 6
    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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  • 7
    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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  • 8
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (32 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Estache, Antonio Universal Service Obligations in Utility Concession Contracts and the Needs of the Poor in Argentina's Privatizations
    Keywords: Bank ; Communities & Human Settlements ; Consumer ; Consumers ; Customers ; Debt Markets ; Demand ; Disabilities ; E-Business ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Energy ; Energy Production and Transportation ; Expenses ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Housing and Human Habitats ; Income ; Income Level ; Industry ; Investment ; Lack Of Interest ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Markets and Market Access ; Pensioners ; Population ; Private Sector Development ; Profits ; Public Sector Economics and Finance ; Savings ; Subsidies ; Supply ; Technology Industry ; Valuable ; Valuation ; Worth ; Bank ; Communities & Human Settlements ; Consumer ; Consumers ; Customers ; Debt Markets ; Demand ; Disabilities ; E-Business ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Energy ; Energy Production and Transportation ; Expenses ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Housing and Human Habitats ; Income ; Income Level ; Industry ; Investment ; Lack Of Interest ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Markets and Market Access ; Pensioners ; Population ; Private Sector Development ; Profits ; Public Sector Economics and Finance ; Savings ; Subsidies ; Supply ; Technology Industry ; Valuable ; Valuation ; Worth
    Abstract: The structural changes that come with privatization may induce a reconsideration of the regulations defined during the early stages of privatization. - Chisari and Estache summarize the main lessons emerging from Argentina's experience, including universal service obligations in concession contracts. They discuss free-riding risks, moral hazard problems, and other issues that arise when social concerns are delegated to private operators. After reporting on Argentina's experience, Chisari and Estache suggest some guidelines: · Anticipate interjurisdictional externalities. Users' mobility makes targeting service obligations difficult. · Minimize the risks imposed by elusive demand. In providing new services, a gradual policy may work better than a shock. · Realize that unemployment leads to delinquency and lower expected tariffs. Elasticity of fixed and usage charges is important. · Deal with the fact that the poor have limited access to credit. Ultimately, plans that included credit for the payment of infrastructure charges were not that successful. · Coordinate regulatory, employment, and social policy. One successful plan to provide universal service involved employing workers from poor families in infrastructure extension works. · Beware of the latent opportunism of users who benefit from special programs. Special treatment of a sector may encourage free-riding (for example, pensioners overused the telephone until a limit was placed on the number of subsidized phone calls they could make). · Fixed allocations for payment of services do not ensure that universal service obligations will be met. How do you deal with the problem that many pensioners do not pay their bills? · Anticipate that operators will have more information than regulators do. If companies exaggerate supply costs in remote areas, direct interaction with poor users there may lead to the selection of more cost-effective technologies. · Tailored programs are often much more effective than standardized programs. They are clearly more expensive but, when demand-driven, are also more effective. This paper - a product of Governance, Regulation, and Finance, World Bank Institute - is part of a larger effort in the institute to increase understanding of infrastructure regulation. The authors may be contacted at ochisariuade.edu or aestache@worldbank.org
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  • 9
    Online Resource
    Online Resource
    Washington, D.C : The World Bank
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (40 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Laeven, Luc Risk and Efficiency in East Asian Banks
    Keywords: Bank ; Bank Risk ; Banking ; Banks ; Banks and Banking Reform ; Cred Deposits ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Crisis Management and Restructuring ; Financial Institutions ; Financial Intermediation ; Financial Literacy ; Financial Services ; Governance ; Interest ; Lending ; Nonperforming Loans ; Operating Costs ; Principal ; Real Sector ; Risk ; Risk Factors ; Risk Management ; Risk Taking ; Services ; Bank ; Bank Risk ; Banking ; Banks ; Banks and Banking Reform ; Cred Deposits ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Crisis Management and Restructuring ; Financial Institutions ; Financial Intermediation ; Financial Literacy ; Financial Services ; Governance ; Interest ; Lending ; Nonperforming Loans ; Operating Costs ; Principal ; Real Sector ; Risk ; Risk Factors ; Risk Management ; Risk Taking ; Services
    Abstract: Banks restructured after East Asia's crisis of 1997 - most of them family-owned or company-owned and almost never foreign-owned - tended to be heavy risk takers. Most of them had excessive credit growth. - Laeven uses a linear programming technique (data envelopment analysis) to estimate the inefficiencies of banks in Indonesia, the Republic of Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Thailand. He applies this technique to the precrisis period 1992-96. Assessing a bank's overall performance requires assessing both efficiency and risk factors, so Laeven also introduces a measure of risk taking. This risk measure helps predict which banks were restructured after the crisis of 1997. Laeven finds that foreign-owned banks took little risk relative to other banks in East Asia, and that family-owned and company-owned banks were among the highest risk takers. Banks restructured after the 1997 crisis had excessive credit growth, were mostly family-owned or company-owned, and were almost never foreign-owned. This paper - a product of the Financial Sector Strategy and Policy Department - is part of a larger effort in the department to study the causes and resolution of financial distress. The author may be contacted at llaevenworldbank.org
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  • 10
    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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  • 11
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (44 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Hoekman, Bernard Deep Integration, Nondiscrimination, and Euro-Mediterranean Free Trade
    Keywords: Bilateral Free Trade Agreement ; Competition Laws ; Currencies and Exchange Rates ; Customs Clearance ; Debt Markets ; Domestic Regulatory Policies ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Foreign Suppliers ; Free Trade ; Free Trade ; International Economics & Trade ; Law and Development ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Market Access ; Market Access Costs ; Market Segmentation ; Market Segmenting ; Market Segmenting Effect ; Preferential Trade ; Preferential Trade Agreements ; Private Sector Development ; Public Sector Development ; Regional Integration ; Regionalism ; Regulatory Barriers ; Regulatory Stance ; Safety Regulations ; Tariff ; Tariff Barriers ; Trade Law ; Trade Policy ; Trade and Regional Integration ; Bilateral Free Trade Agreement ; Competition Laws ; Currencies and Exchange Rates ; Customs Clearance ; Debt Markets ; Domestic Regulatory Policies ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Foreign Suppliers ; Free Trade ; Free Trade ; International Economics & Trade ; Law and Development ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Market Access ; Market Access Costs ; Market Segmentation ; Market Segmenting ; Market Segmenting Effect ; Preferential Trade ; Preferential Trade Agreements ; Private Sector Development ; Public Sector Development ; Regional Integration ; Regionalism ; Regulatory Barriers ; Regulatory Stance ; Safety Regulations ; Tariff ; Tariff Barriers ; Trade Law ; Trade Policy ; Trade and Regional Integration
    Abstract: May 1999 - Preferential trade agreements that are limited to the elimination of tariffs for merchandise trade flows are of limited value at best and may be as easily welfare-reducing as welfare-enhancing. It is important that preferential trade agreements go beyond eliminating tariffs and quotas to eliminating regulatory and red tape costs and opening up service markets to foreign competition. Deep integration-explicit government actions to reduce the market-segmenting effect of domestic regulatory policies through coordination and cooperation-is becoming a major dimension of some regional integration agreements, led by the European Union. Health and safety regulations, competition laws, licensing and certification regimes, and administrative procedures such as customs clearance can affect trade (in ways analogous to nontariff barriers) even though their underlying intent may not be to discriminate against foreign suppliers of goods and services. Whether preferential trade agreements (PTAs) can be justified in a multilateral trading system depends on the extent to which formal intergovernmental agreements are technically necessary to achieve the deep integration needed to make markets more contestable. The more need for formal cooperation, the stronger the case for regional integration. Whether PTAs are justified regionally also depends on whether efforts to reduce market segmentation are applied on a nondiscriminatory basis. If innovations to reduce transaction or market access costs extend to both members and nonmembers of a PTA, regionalism as an instrument of trade and investment becomes more attractive. Using a standard competitive general equilibrium model of the Egyptian economy, Hoekman and Konan find that the static welfare impact of a deep free trade agreement is far greater than the impact that can be expected from a classic shallow agreement. Under some scenarios, welfare may increase by more than 10 percent of GDP, compared with close to zero under a shallow agreement. Given Egypt's highly diversified trading patterns, a shallow PTA with the European Union could be merely diversionary, leading to a small decline in welfare. Egypt already has duty-free access to the European Union for manufactures, so the loss in tariff revenues incurred would outweigh any new trade created. Large gains in welfare from the PTA are conditional on eliminating regulatory barriers and red tape-in which case welfare gains may be substantial: 4 to 20 percent growth in real GNP. This paper-a product of the Development Research Group-is part of a larger effort in the group to analyze regional integration agreements. The authors may be contacted at bhoekmanworldbank.org or konan@hawaii.edu
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  • 12
    Online Resource
    Online Resource
    Washington, D.C : The World Bank
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (38 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Walle, devan Dominique Sources of Ethnic Inequality in Vietnam
    Keywords: Agricultural Knowledge and Information Systems ; Agriculture ; Basic Infrastructure ; Cash Crops ; Communities & Human Settlements ; Debt Markets ; Development Policies ; Disability ; Discrimination ; Ethnic Groups ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Health Care ; Health, Nutrition and Population ; Housing and Human Habitats ; Ill-Health ; Income Inequality ; Indigenous Practices ; Knowledge ; Land Tenure ; Large Population ; Living Standards ; Minority ; Policies ; Policy ; Population Policies ; Poverty ; Poverty Reduction ; Public Services ; Rural Areas ; Rural Development ; Rural Development ; Rural Development Knowledge and Information Systems ; Rural Poverty Reduction ; Social Protections and Labor ; Urban Development ; Urban Housing ; Agricultural Knowledge and Information Systems ; Agriculture ; Basic Infrastructure ; Cash Crops ; Communities & Human Settlements ; Debt Markets ; Development Policies ; Disability ; Discrimination ; Ethnic Groups ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Health Care ; Health, Nutrition and Population ; Housing and Human Habitats ; Ill-Health ; Income Inequality ; Indigenous Practices ; Knowledge ; Land Tenure ; Large Population ; Living Standards ; Minority ; Policies ; Policy ; Population Policies ; Poverty ; Poverty Reduction ; Public Services ; Rural Areas ; Rural Development ; Rural Development ; Rural Development Knowledge and Information Systems ; Rural Poverty Reduction ; Social Protections and Labor ; Urban Development ; Urban Housing
    Abstract: March 2000 - To redress ethnic inequality in Vietnam, it is not enough to target poor areas. Policies must be designed to reach minority households in poor areas, to open up options by ensuring that minority groups are not disadvantaged (in labor markets, for example), to change the conditions that have caused their isolation and social exclusion, and to explicitly recognize behavior patterns (including compensating behavior) that have served the minorities well but intensify ethnic inequalities in the longer term. Vietnam's ethnic minorities, who tend to live mostly in remote rural areas, typically have lower living standards than the ethnic majority. How much is this because of differences in economic characteristics (such as education levels and land) rather than low returns to characteristics? Is there a self-reinforcing culture of poverty in the minority groups, reflecting patterns of past discrimination? Van de Walle and Gunewardena find that differences in levels of living are due in part to the fact that the minorities live in less productive areas characterized by difficult terrain, poor infrastructure, less access to off-farm work and the market economy, and inferior access to education. Geographic disparities tend to persist because of immobility and regional differences in living standards. But the authors also find large differences within geographical areas even after controlling for household characteristics. They find differences in returns to productive characteristics to be the most important explanation for ethnic inequality. But the minorities do not obtain lower returns to all characteristics. There is evidence of compensating behavior. For example, pure returns to location - even in remote, inhospitable areas - tend to be higher for minorities, though not high enough to overcome the large consumption difference with the majority. The majority ethnic group's model of income generation is a poor guide on how to fight poverty among ethnic minority groups. Nor is it enough to target poor areas to redress ethnic inequality. Policies must be designed to reach minority households in poor areas and to explicitly recognize behavior patterns (including compensating behavior) that have served the minorities well in the short term but intensify ethnic inequalities in the longer term. It will be important to open up options for minority groups both by ensuring that they are not disadvantaged (in labor markets, for example), and by changing the conditions that have caused their isolation and social exclusion. This paper - a product of Public Economics and Rural Development, Development Research Group - is part of a larger effort in the group to understand the determinants of poverty and the policy implications. Dominique van de Walle may be contacted at dvandewalleworldbank.org
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  • 13
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (66 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Levine, Ross Banking Systems Around the Globe
    Keywords: Bank ; Banking ; Banking Crises ; Banking Reform ; Banking Sector ; Banking Sector Development ; Banking System ; Banking Systems ; Banks and Banking Reform ; Commercial Banks ; Debt Markets ; Emerging Markets ; Finance ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Crises ; Financial Crisis Management and Restructuring ; Financial Intermediation ; Financial Literacy ; Financial Stability ; Financial Systems ; Governments ; Industry ; Insurance ; Investment Banking ; Markets ; Private Sector Development ; Projects ; Public Policy ; Bank ; Banking ; Banking Crises ; Banking Reform ; Banking Sector ; Banking Sector Development ; Banking System ; Banking Systems ; Banks and Banking Reform ; Commercial Banks ; Debt Markets ; Emerging Markets ; Finance ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Crises ; Financial Crisis Management and Restructuring ; Financial Intermediation ; Financial Literacy ; Financial Stability ; Financial Systems ; Governments ; Industry ; Insurance ; Investment Banking ; Markets ; Private Sector Development ; Projects ; Public Policy
    Abstract: April 2000 - Empirical results highlight the downside of imposing certain regulatory restrictions on commercial bank activities. Regulations that restrict banks' ability to engage in securities activities and to own nonfinancial firms are closely associated with more instability in the banking sector. And keeping commercial banks from engaging in investment banking, insurance, and real estate activities does not appear to produce positive benefits. Barth, Caprio, and Levine report cross-country data on commercial bank regulation and ownership in more than 60 countries. They evaluate the links between different regulatory/ownership practices in those countries and both financial sector performance and banking system stability. They document substantial variation in response to these questions: Should it be public policy to limit the powers of commercial banks to engage in securities, insurance, and real estate activities? Should the mixing of banking and commerce be restricted by regulating commercial bank's ownership of nonfinancial firms and nonfinancial firms' ownership of commercial banks? Should states own commercial banks, or should those banks be privatized? They find: · There is no reliable statistical relationship between restrictions on commercial banks' ability to engage in securities, insurance, and real estate transactions and a) how well-developed the banking sector is, b) how well-developed securities markets and nonbank financial intermediaries are, or c) the degree of industrial competition. Based on the evidence, it is difficult to argue confidently that restricting commercial banking activities benefits - or harms - the development of financial and securities markets or industrial competition. · There are no positive effects from mixing banking and commerce. · Countries that more tightly restrict and regulate the securities activities of commercial banks are substantially more likely to suffer a major banking crisis. Countries whose national regulations inhibit banks' ability to engage in securities underwriting, brokering, and dealing - and all aspects of the mutual fund business - tend to have more fragile financial systems. · The mixing of banking and commerce is associated with less financial stability. The evidence does not support admonitions to restrict the mixing of banking and commerce because mixing them will increase financial fragility. · On average, greater state ownership of banks tends to be associated with more poorly developed banks, nonbanks, and stock markets and more poorly functioning financial systems. 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 authors may be contacted at jbarthbusiness.auburn.edu, gcaprio@worldbank.org, or rlevine@csom.umn.edu
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  • 14
    Online Resource
    Online Resource
    Washington, D.C : The World Bank
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (22 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Gatti, Roberta Corruption and Trade Tariffs, or a Case for Uniform Tariffs
    Keywords: Accounting ; Currencies and Exchange Rates ; Customs Administration and Reform ; Debt Markets ; Developing Countries ; Economic Efficiency ; Economic Theory and Research ; Exchange ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Free Trade ; Future ; Good ; Goods ; Government Revenue ; Government Revenues ; International Economics & Trade ; International Trade and Trade Rules ; Law and Development ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Market ; Market Prices ; Open Economy ; Public Sector Corruption and Anticorruption Measures ; Public Sector Development ; Returns ; Revenue ; Share ; Tariff ; Tariffs ; Tax ; Tax Law ; Taxes ; Trade Policy ; Transparency ; Accounting ; Currencies and Exchange Rates ; Customs Administration and Reform ; Debt Markets ; Developing Countries ; Economic Efficiency ; Economic Theory and Research ; Exchange ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Free Trade ; Future ; Good ; Goods ; Government Revenue ; Government Revenues ; International Economics & Trade ; International Trade and Trade Rules ; Law and Development ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Market ; Market Prices ; Open Economy ; Public Sector Corruption and Anticorruption Measures ; Public Sector Development ; Returns ; Revenue ; Share ; Tariff ; Tariffs ; Tax ; Tax Law ; Taxes ; Trade Policy ; Transparency
    Abstract: November 1999 - A highly diversified trade tariff menu may fuel bribe-taking behavior. Setting trade tariff rates at a uniform level limits public officials' ability to extract bribes from importers. By explicitly accounting for the interaction between importers and corrupt customs officials, Gatti argues that setting trade tariff rates at a uniform level limits public officials' ability to extract bribes from importers. If the government's main objective is to raise revenues at the minimum cost to welfare, optimally-set tariff rates will be inversely proportional to the elasticity of demand for imports. So they will generally differ across goods. Such a menu of tariff rates endows customs officials with the opportunity to extract rent from importers. If officials have enough discretionary power, they might threaten to misclassify goods into more heavily taxed categories unless importers pay them a bribe. Because of the bribe, the effective tariff rate for the importing firm increases, so demand for the good decreases. The resulting drop in import demand implies an efficiency loss as well as lower government revenues, compared with the optimal taxation benchmark without corruption. A similar argument applies when customs officials offer to classify goods into low-tariff categories in exchange for a bribe. Setting trade tariffs at a uniform level eliminates officials' opportunities to extract rents. Thus, when corruption is pervasive, a uniform tariff can deliver more government revenues and welfare than the optimally set (Ramsey) tariff benchmark. The empirical evidence confirms that these considerations are relevant to policymaking, since a robust association between the standard deviation of trade tariffs - a measure of the diversification of tariff menus - and corruption emerges across countries. This paper - a product of Macroeconomics and Growth, Development Research Group - is part of a larger effort in the group to study corruption. Please contact Roberta Gatti, Internet address rgattiworldbank.org
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  • 15
    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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  • 16
    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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  • 17
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (46 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Klingebiel, Daniela Why Infrastructure Financing Facilities Often Fall Short of Their Objectives
    Keywords: Banks and Banking Reform ; Capital Flows ; Debt Markets ; Emerging Markets ; Emerging Markets ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Government Support ; Guarantees ; Infrastructure Development ; Infrastructure Financing ; Instruments ; Investor ; Investors ; Loans ; Political Risks ; Portfolio ; Portfolio Diversification ; Private Capital ; Private Investment ; Private Sector Development ; Soft Loans ; Stock ; Transaction ; Transaction Costs ; Transparency ; Banks and Banking Reform ; Capital Flows ; Debt Markets ; Emerging Markets ; Emerging Markets ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Government Support ; Guarantees ; Infrastructure Development ; Infrastructure Financing ; Instruments ; Investor ; Investors ; Loans ; Political Risks ; Portfolio ; Portfolio Diversification ; Private Capital ; Private Investment ; Private Sector Development ; Soft Loans ; Stock ; Transaction ; Transaction Costs ; Transparency
    Abstract: June 2000 - To encourage the private funding and provision of infrastructure services, governments have used specialized financing facilities to offer financial support to investors. A study of five cases shows that these facilities have often fallen short of their objectives, for two main sets of reasons. First, the environment was not conducive to private participation in infrastructure. And second, the facility was faulty in design. To encourage the private funding and provision of infrastructure services, governments have used specialized financing facilities to offer financial support to investors, often in the form of grants, soft loans, or guarantees. Klingebiel and Ruster present case studies of infrastructure financing facilities in various stages of development in Colombia, India, and Pakistan. They also present case studies of government-sponsored financing facilities (not of infrastructure) in Argentina and Moldova. They find that these facilities have often fallen short of their objectives for two main sets of reasons. First, the environment was not conducive to private participation in infrastructure because of poor sector policies, an unstable macroeconomic environment, and inadequate financial sector policies, among other reasons. Second, the facility was faulty in design - in terms of sectors targeted, pricing of instruments, and consistency of objectives and instruments. This paper - a product of Private Participation in Infrastructure, Private Sector Development Department - is part of a larger effort in the department to examine government policies in infrastructure. Daniela Klingebiel may be contacted at dklingebielworldbank.org
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  • 18
    Online Resource
    Online Resource
    Washington, D.C : The World Bank
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (58 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Clarke, George A Transitory Regime Water Supply in Conakry, Guinea
    Keywords: Banks and Banking Reform ; Cost Of Water ; Debt Markets ; Drinking Water ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Households ; Industry ; Mortality Rate ; Pipeline ; Pit Latrines ; Population Growth ; Price Of Water ; Private Operator ; Private Participation ; Public Sector Corruption and Anticorruption Measures ; Raw Water ; Town Water Supply and Sanitation ; Urban Areas ; Urban Water ; Urban Water Supply and Sanitation ; Water ; Water Conservation ; Water Resources ; Water Resources ; Water Sector ; Water Supply ; Water Supply and Sanitation ; Water Supply and Sanitation Governance and Institutions ; Water System ; Water Systems ; Water Use ; Water and Industry ; Wells ; Banks and Banking Reform ; Cost Of Water ; Debt Markets ; Drinking Water ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Households ; Industry ; Mortality Rate ; Pipeline ; Pit Latrines ; Population Growth ; Price Of Water ; Private Operator ; Private Participation ; Public Sector Corruption and Anticorruption Measures ; Raw Water ; Town Water Supply and Sanitation ; Urban Areas ; Urban Water ; Urban Water Supply and Sanitation ; Water ; Water Conservation ; Water Resources ; Water Resources ; Water Sector ; Water Supply ; Water Supply and Sanitation ; Water Supply and Sanitation Governance and Institutions ; Water System ; Water Systems ; Water Use ; Water and Industry ; Wells
    Abstract: June 2000 - In several ways, the reform introduced to the water sector in Conakry, Guinea, in 1989 under a World Bank-led project was remarkable. It showed that even in a weak institutional environment, where contracts are hard to enforce and political interference is common, private sector participation can improve sector performance. Why did the sector improve as much as it did, and what has inhibited reform? Both consumers and the government benefited from reform of the water system in Conakry, Guinea, whose deterioration since independence had become critical by the mid-1980s. Less than 40 percent of Conakry's population had access to piped water - low even by regional standards - and service was intermittent, at best, for the few who had connections. The public agency in charge of the sector was inefficient, overstaffed, and virtually insolvent. In several ways, the reform introduced to the sector in 1989 under a World Bank-led project was remarkable. It showed that even in a weak institutional environment, where contracts are hard to enforce and political interference is common, private sector participation can improve sector performance. Ménard and Clarke discuss the mechanisms that made progress possible and identify factors that inhibit the positive effects of reform. Water has become very expensive, the number of connections has increased very slowly, and conflicts have developed between SEEG (the private operator) and SONEG (the state agency). Among the underlying problems: · The lack of strong, stable institutions. · The lack of an independent agency capable of restraining arbitrary government action, regulating the private operator, and enforcing contractual arrangements. · The lack of adequate conflict resolution mechanisms for contract disputes. · Weak administrative capacity. This paper - a joint product of Public Economics and Regulation and Competition Policy, Development Research Group - is part of a larger effort in the group to promote competition and private sector development. The study was funded by the Bank's Research Support Budget under the research project Institutions, Politics, and Contracts: Private Sector Participation in Urban Water Supply (RPO 681-87). The authors may be contacted at menarduniv-paris1.fr or gclarke@worldbank.org
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  • 19
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (48 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Newman, Constance Gender, Poverty, and Nonfarm Employment in Ghana and Uganda
    Keywords: Agricultural Output ; Cash Crops ; Communities & Human Settlements ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Gender ; Gender and Development ; Gender and Health ; Gender and Law ; Health, Nutrition and Population ; Household Income ; Household Income Diversification ; Housing and Human Habitats ; Human Capital ; Human Development ; Income ; Income Shares ; Income-Generating Activities ; Inequality ; Law and Development ; Poor ; Population Policies ; Poverty ; Poverty Levels ; Poverty Monitoring and Analysis ; Poverty Reduction ; Poverty Reduction ; Rural ; Rural Areas ; Rural Development ; Rural Development ; Rural Development Knowledge and Information Systems ; Rural Economy ; Rural Poverty ; Rural Poverty Reduction ; Rural Residents ; Agricultural Output ; Cash Crops ; Communities & Human Settlements ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Gender ; Gender and Development ; Gender and Health ; Gender and Law ; Health, Nutrition and Population ; Household Income ; Household Income Diversification ; Housing and Human Habitats ; Human Capital ; Human Development ; Income ; Income Shares ; Income-Generating Activities ; Inequality ; Law and Development ; Poor ; Population Policies ; Poverty ; Poverty Levels ; Poverty Monitoring and Analysis ; Poverty Reduction ; Poverty Reduction ; Rural ; Rural Areas ; Rural Development ; Rural Development ; Rural Development Knowledge and Information Systems ; Rural Economy ; Rural Poverty ; Rural Poverty Reduction ; Rural Residents
    Abstract: June 2000 - For women in Ghana and Uganda, nonfarm activities play an important role in yielding the lowest - and the most rapidly declining - rural poverty rates. In both countries rural poverty declined fastest for female heads of household engaged in nonfarm work (which tended to be a secondary activity). But patterns vary between the two countries. Newman and Canagarajah provide evidence that women's nonfarm activities help reduce poverty in two economically and culturally different countries, Ghana and Uganda. In both countries rural poverty rates were lowest - and fell most rapidly - for female heads of household engaged in nonfarm activities. Participation in nonfarm activities increased more rapidly for women, especially married women and female heads of household, than for men. Women were more likely than men to combine agriculture and nonfarm activities. In Ghana it was nonfarm activities (for which income data are available) that provided the highest average incomes and the highest shares of income. Bivariate probit analysis of participation shows that in Uganda female heads of household and in Ghana women in general are significantly more likely than men to participate in nonfarm activities and less likely to participate in agriculture. This paper - a joint product of Rural Development, Development Research Group, and the Social Protection Team, Human Development Network- is part of a larger effort in the Bank to discuss gender, employment, and poverty linkages. The authors may be contacted at cnewman1worldbank.orgor scanagarajah@worldbank.org
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  • 20
    Online Resource
    Online Resource
    Washington, D.C : The World Bank
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (36 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Venables, Anthony Regional Integration Agreements
    Keywords: Agriculture ; Comparative Advantage ; Consumers ; Country Strategy and Performance ; Development Economics ; Economic Integration ; Economic Performance ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Free Trade ; Free Trade ; Human Capital ; Income ; Income ; Income Levels ; Inequality ; International Economics & Trade ; Law and Development ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Outcomes ; Per Capita Income ; Per Capita Incomes ; Poverty Reduction ; Private Sector Development ; Production ; Public Sector Development ; Real Income ; Social Protections and Labor ; Theory ; Trade Diversion ; Trade Law ; Trade Policy ; Trade and Regional Integration ; Value ; Value Added ; Welfare ; Agriculture ; Comparative Advantage ; Consumers ; Country Strategy and Performance ; Development Economics ; Economic Integration ; Economic Performance ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Free Trade ; Free Trade ; Human Capital ; Income ; Income ; Income Levels ; Inequality ; International Economics & Trade ; Law and Development ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Outcomes ; Per Capita Income ; Per Capita Incomes ; Poverty Reduction ; Private Sector Development ; Production ; Public Sector Development ; Real Income ; Social Protections and Labor ; Theory ; Trade Diversion ; Trade Law ; Trade Policy ; Trade and Regional Integration ; Value ; Value Added ; Welfare
    Abstract: December 1999 - Developing countries may be better served by north-south than by south-south free trade agreements. Free trade agreements between low-income countries tend to lead to divergence in member country incomes, while agreements between high-income countries tend to lead to convergence. Venables examines how benefits - and costs - of a free trade area are divided among member countries. Outcomes depend on the member countries' comparative advantage, relative to one another and to the rest of the world. Venables finds that free trade agreements between low-income countries tend to lead to divergence in member country incomes, while agreements between high-income countries tend to lead to convergence. Changes induced by comparative advantage may be amplified by the effects of agglomeration. The results suggest that developing countries may be better served by north-south than by south-south free trade agreements, because north-south agreements increase their prospects for convergence with high-income members of the free trade area. In north-south free trade agreements, additional forces are likely to operate. The agreement may be used, for example, as a commitment mechanism to lock in economic reforms (as happened in Mexico with the North American Free Trade Agreement and in Eastern European countries with the European Union). A free trade agreement may also - through its effect on trade and through foreign direct investment - promote technology transfer to lower-income members. This paper - a product of Trade, Development Research Group - is part of a larger effort in the group to study the effects of regional integration. The author may be contacted at avenablesworldbank.org
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  • 21
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (38 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Beckerman, Paul How Small Should an Economy's Fiscal Deficit Be?
    Keywords: Bank Assets ; Banks and Banking Reform ; Central Bank ; Currencies and Exchange Rates ; Debt Markets ; Economic Stabilization ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Exchange ; Exchange Rate ; External Debt ; Finance ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial System ; Fiscal Defic Future ; Government Borrowing ; Government Defic Inflation ; Instruments ; Interest ; Interest Rates ; Levy ; Liabilities ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Private Sector Development ; Prof Reserve ; Public Sector Corruption and Anticorruption Measures ; Stocks ; Bank Assets ; Banks and Banking Reform ; Central Bank ; Currencies and Exchange Rates ; Debt Markets ; Economic Stabilization ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Exchange ; Exchange Rate ; External Debt ; Finance ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial System ; Fiscal Defic Future ; Government Borrowing ; Government Defic Inflation ; Instruments ; Interest ; Interest Rates ; Levy ; Liabilities ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Private Sector Development ; Prof Reserve ; Public Sector Corruption and Anticorruption Measures ; Stocks
    Abstract: March 2000 - A spreadsheet planning model to help determine the government deficit consistent with a specified vector of country macroeconomic objectives. Beckerman describes a spreadsheet planning model to help determine the government deficit consistent with a policymaker's vector of principal macroeconomic objectives (including real GDP growth, inflation, exchange rate, and international reserve accumulation). The model focuses on the monetary accounts, applying balance-of-payments forecasts formulated separately but based on the same macroeconomic objectives. The model is a consistency exercise, intended as part of a broader consistency exercise for a given macroeconomy. It offers one more perspective on the question of how large a government deficit should be - a perspective that can be used in conjunction with others. For each forecast period, the model determines consistent period-end and period-average stocks for the economy's outstanding central bank assets and liabilities and government obligations. It applies forecasting assumptions about interest rates to forecast central bank profit-and-loss flows, and takes account of these in determining the overall flow of resources that would be available to finance the government deficit. An annex describes a (purely illustrative) simulation carried out during 1999 for Ecuador. This paper - a product of the Poverty Reduction and Economic Management Sector Unit, Latin America and the Caribbean Region - is part of a larger effort in the region to strengthen the tools for macroeconomic policy analysis and planning in the region's economies. The author may be contacted at pbeckermanworldbank.org
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  • 22
    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: Venables, Anthony The Geography of International Investment
    Keywords: Debt Markets ; Development ; Economic Geography ; Economic Size ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Exports ; Externalities ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Fixed Costs ; Foreign Direct Investment ; GDP ; Goods ; Income ; Industrial Economies ; Inputs ; International Economics & Trade ; Investment ; Investment and Investment Climate ; Labor Policies ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Markets ; Mergers ; Non Bank Financial Institutions ; Private Sector Development ; Production ; Social Protections and Labor ; Theory ; Trade ; Trade and Regional Integration ; Transition Economies ; Transport ; Transport Economics, Policy and Planning ; Value ; Variable Costs ; Debt Markets ; Development ; Economic Geography ; Economic Size ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Exports ; Externalities ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Fixed Costs ; Foreign Direct Investment ; GDP ; Goods ; Income ; Industrial Economies ; Inputs ; International Economics & Trade ; Investment ; Investment and Investment Climate ; Labor Policies ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Markets ; Mergers ; Non Bank Financial Institutions ; Private Sector Development ; Production ; Social Protections and Labor ; Theory ; Trade ; Trade and Regional Integration ; Transition Economies ; Transport ; Transport Economics, Policy and Planning ; Value ; Variable Costs
    Abstract: May 2000 - Multinationals have become increasingly important to the world economy. Overseas production by U.S. affiliates is three times U.S. exports, for example. Who is investing where, for sales where? Much foreign direct investment is between high-income countries, but investment in some developing and transition regions, while still modest, grew rapidly in the 1990s. Adjusting for market size, much investment stays close to home; adjusting for distance, much heads toward the countries with the biggest markets. Foreign direct investment is more geographically concentrated than either exports or production. Thus U.S. affiliate production in Europe is 7 times U.S. exports to Europe; that ratio drops to 4 for all industrial countries and to 1.6 for developing countries. Multinational activity in high-income countries is overwhelmingly horizontal, involving production for sale to the host country market. In developing countries, a greater proportion of multinational activity is vertical, involving manufacturing at intermediate stages of production. Thus only 4 percent of U.S. affiliate production in the European Union is sold back to the United States, whereas for developing countries the figure is 18 percent, rising to 40 percent for Mexico. Similarly, less than 10 percent of Japan's affiliate production in the EU is sold back to Japan, compared with more than 20 percent in developing countries. In models of horizontal activity, the decision to go multinational is a tradeoff between the additional fixed costs involved in setting up a new plant and the savings in variable costs (transport costs and tariffs) on exports. In models of vertical activity, direct investment is motivated by differences in factor costs. Tariffs and transport costs both encourage vertical multinational activity (by magnifying differences in factor prices) and discourage it (by making trade between headquarters and an affiliate more expensive). The major outward investors carry out much horizontal investment in large markets. For U.S. investors, this means Europe, especially the United Kingdom; for Japan and Europe, it means the United States. Most EU investments, however, stay within the EU. The major outward investors carry out much of their vertical investment closer to home: the United States, in Mexico; the EU, in Central and Eastern Europe; Japan, in Asia. 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. Anthony J. Venables may be contacted at a.j.venableslse.ac.uk
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  • 23
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (54 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Keefer, Philip Bureaucratic Delegation and Political Institutions
    Keywords: Banks and Banking Reform ; Central Bank ; Central Bank Independence ; Central Banks ; Checks ; Contracts ; Credibility ; Credibility Problem ; Currencies and Exchange Rates ; Debt Markets ; Default ; Discount ; Economic Stabilization ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Finance ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Fixed Investments ; Future ; Futures ; Holding ; ICT Applications ; Inflation ; Inflation Rate ; Information and Communication Technologies ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Monetary Policy ; Money Supply ; Option ; Political Economy ; Private Sector Development ; Shocks To Income ; Banks and Banking Reform ; Central Bank ; Central Bank Independence ; Central Banks ; Checks ; Contracts ; Credibility ; Credibility Problem ; Currencies and Exchange Rates ; Debt Markets ; Default ; Discount ; Economic Stabilization ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Finance ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Fixed Investments ; Future ; Futures ; Holding ; ICT Applications ; Inflation ; Inflation Rate ; Information and Communication Technologies ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Monetary Policy ; Money Supply ; Option ; Political Economy ; Private Sector Development ; Shocks To Income
    Abstract: March 2000 - Does delegation of policymaking authority to independent agencies improve policy outcomes? This paper reports new theory and tests related to delegation of monetary policy to an independent central bank. The authors find that delegation reduces inflation only under specific institutional and political conditions. The government's ability to credibly commit to policy announcements is critical to the successful implementation of economic policies as diverse as capital taxation and utilities regulation. One frequently advocated means of signaling credible commitment is to delegate authority to an agency that will not have an incentive to opportunistically change policies once the private sector has taken such steps as signing wage contracts or making irreversible investments. Delegating authority is suggested as a government strategy particularly for monetary policy. And existing work on the independence of central banks generally assumes that government decisions to delegate are irrevocable. But delegation - in monetary policy as elsewhere - is inevitably a political choice, and can be reversed, contend Keefer and Stasavage. They develop a model of monetary policy that relaxes the assumption that monetary delegation is irreversible. Among the testable predictions of the model are these: · The presence of an independent central bank should reduce inflation only in the presence of political checks and balances. This effect should be evident in both developing and industrial countries. · Political actions to interfere with the central bank should be more apparent when there are few checks and balances. · The effects of checks and balances should be more marked when political decisionmakers are more polarized. The authors test these predictions and find extensive empirical evidence to support each of the observable implications of their model: Central banks are associated with better inflation outcomes in the presence of checks and balances. The turnover of central bank governors is reduced when governors have tenure protections supported by political checks and balances. And the effect of checks and balances is enhanced in more polarized political environments. This paper - a product of Regulation and Competition Policy, Development Research Group - is part of a larger effort in the group to identify the conditions under which regulatory reforms can be effective. The authors may be contacted at pkeeferworldbank.org or d.stasavage@lse.ac.uk
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  • 24
    Online Resource
    Online Resource
    Washington, D.C : The World Bank
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (42 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Waly, Waly Tax Evasion, Corruption, and the Remuneration of Heterogeneous Inspectors
    Keywords: Bank ; Corruption ; Debt Markets ; Discretion ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Income Tax ; Insurance and Risk Mitigation ; Law and Development ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Poverty Impact Evaluation ; Poverty Reduction ; Private Sector Development ; Public Sector Corruption and Anticorruption Measures ; Strategy ; Tax ; Tax Administration ; Tax Base ; Tax Collection ; Tax Compliance ; Tax Enforcement ; Tax Evasion ; Tax Law ; Tax Liabilities ; Tax Liability ; Tax Policies ; Tax Receipts ; Tax Revenue ; Tax Revenues ; Taxation and Subsidies ; Taxes ; Taxpayers ; Bank ; Corruption ; Debt Markets ; Discretion ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Income Tax ; Insurance and Risk Mitigation ; Law and Development ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Poverty Impact Evaluation ; Poverty Reduction ; Private Sector Development ; Public Sector Corruption and Anticorruption Measures ; Strategy ; Tax ; Tax Administration ; Tax Base ; Tax Collection ; Tax Compliance ; Tax Enforcement ; Tax Evasion ; Tax Law ; Tax Liabilities ; Tax Liability ; Tax Policies ; Tax Receipts ; Tax Revenue ; Tax Revenues ; Taxation and Subsidies ; Taxes ; Taxpayers
    Abstract: July 2000 - Wane develops a general model for addressing the question of how to compensate tax inspectors in an economy where corruption is pervasive-a model that considers the existence of strategic transmission of information. Most of the literature on corruption assumes that the taxpayer and the tax inspector jointly decide on the income to report, which also determines the size of the bribe. In contrast, Wane's model considers the more realistic case in which the taxpayer unilaterally chooses the income to report. The tax inspector cannot change the report and is faced with a binary choice: either he negotiates the bribe on the basis of the income report or he denounces the tax evader and therefore renounces the bribe. In his model, the optimal compensation scheme must take into account the strategic interaction between taxpayers and tax inspectors: · Pure tax farming (paying tax inspectors a share of their tax collections) is optimal only when all tax inspectors are corruptible. · When there are both honest and corruptible inspectors, the optimal compensation scheme lies between pure tax farming and a pure wage scheme. · Paradoxically, when inspectors are hired beforehand, it may be optimal to offer contracts that attract corruptible inspectors but not honest ones. This paper-a product of Public Economics, Development Research Group-is part of a larger effort in the group to understand how the existence of corruption affects the remuneration schemes tax administrations should offer their inspectors
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  • 25
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (44 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Loayza, Norman Determinants of Current Account Deficits in Developing Countries
    Keywords: Buffer ; Business Cycle ; Central Bank ; Consumption ; Cross-Country Studies ; Currencies and Exchange Rates ; Current Account ; Current Account Balance ; Current Account Defic Current Account Deficits ; Current Account Position ; Debt Markets ; Demand ; Economy ; Emerging Markets ; Explanatory Variables ; External Debt ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Interest Rates ; International Economics ; International Economics & Trade ; Macroeconomic Management ; Macroeconomic Variables ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; National Income ; Private Saving ; Private Sector Development ; Surplus ; World Economy ; Buffer ; Business Cycle ; Central Bank ; Consumption ; Cross-Country Studies ; Currencies and Exchange Rates ; Current Account ; Current Account Balance ; Current Account Defic Current Account Deficits ; Current Account Position ; Debt Markets ; Demand ; Economy ; Emerging Markets ; Explanatory Variables ; External Debt ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Interest Rates ; International Economics ; International Economics & Trade ; Macroeconomic Management ; Macroeconomic Variables ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; National Income ; Private Saving ; Private Sector Development ; Surplus ; World Economy
    Abstract: July 2000 - In developing countries, increases in current account deficits tend to be associated with a rise in domestic output growth and shocks that increase the terms of trade and cause the real exchange rate to appreciate. Higher savings rates, higher growth rates in industrial economies, and higher international interest rates tend to have the opposite effect. Calderón, Chong, and Loayza examine the empirical links between current account deficits and a broad set of economic variables proposed in the literature. To accomplish this, they complement and extend previous research by using a large, consistent set of macroeconomic data on public and private domestic savings, external savings, and national income variables; focusing on developing economies by drawing on a panel data set for 44 developing countries and annual information for the period 1966-95; adopting a reduced-form approach rather than holding to a particular structural model; distinguishing between within-country and cross-country effects; and employing a class of estimators that controls for the problems of simultaneity and reverse causation. Among their findings: · Current account deficits in developing countries are moderately persistent. · A rise in domestic output growth generates a larger current account deficit. · Increases in savings rates have a positive effect on the current account. · Shocks that increase the terms of trade or cause the real exchange rate to appreciate are linked with higher current account deficits. · Either higher growth rates in industrial economies or higher international interest rates reduce the current account deficit in developing economies. This paper-a product of the Regional Studies Program, Latin America and the Caribbean Region-is part of an effort in the region to understand the determinants of external sustainability. The authors may be contacted at crcntroi.cc.rochester.edu, achong@worldbank.org, or nloayza@condor.bcentral.cl
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  • 26
    Online Resource
    Online Resource
    Washington, D.C : The World Bank
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (56 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Laeven, Luc Does Financial Liberalization Relax Financing Constraints on Firms?
    Keywords: Administrative Controls ; Allocation Of Cred Banking Sector ; Banks and Banking Reform ; Barriers To Entry ; Credit Programs ; Currencies and Exchange Rates ; Debt Markets ; Deposits ; Developing Countries ; Directed Cred Emerging Economies ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Intermediation ; Financial Liberalization ; Financial Literacy ; Financial Market ; Financial System ; Household Savings ; Informational Asymmetries ; Interest ; Interest Rate ; Interest Rates ; Investment ; Investment and Investment Climate ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Non Bank Financial Institutions ; Private Sector Development ; Securities ; Securities Markets ; Administrative Controls ; Allocation Of Cred Banking Sector ; Banks and Banking Reform ; Barriers To Entry ; Credit Programs ; Currencies and Exchange Rates ; Debt Markets ; Deposits ; Developing Countries ; Directed Cred Emerging Economies ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Intermediation ; Financial Liberalization ; Financial Literacy ; Financial Market ; Financial System ; Household Savings ; Informational Asymmetries ; Interest ; Interest Rate ; Interest Rates ; Investment ; Investment and Investment Climate ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Non Bank Financial Institutions ; Private Sector Development ; Securities ; Securities Markets
    Abstract: October 2000 - Financial liberalization reduces imperfections in financial markets by reducing the agency costs of financial leverage. Small firms gain most from liberalization, because the favoritism of preferential credit directed to large firms tends to disappear under liberalization. Laeven uses panel data on 394 firms in 13 developing countries for the years 1988–98 to learn whether financial liberalization relaxes financing constraints on firms. He finds that liberalization affects small and large firms differently. Small firms are financially constrained before liberalization begins but become less so after liberalization. The financing constraints on large firms, however, are low both before and after liberalization. The initial difference between small and large firms disappears over time. Laeven hypothesizes that financial liberalization has little effect on the financing constraints of large firms because they have better access to preferential directed credit in the period before liberalization.Financial liberalization also reduces imperfections in financial markets, especially the asymmetric information costs of firms’ financial leverage. Countries that liberalize their financial sectors tend to see dramatic improvements in political climate as well. Successful financial liberalization seems to require both the political will and the ability to stop the preferential treatment of well-connected, usually large, firms. This paper—a product of the Financial Sector Strategy and Policy Department—is part of a larger effort in the department to study the benefits and risks of financial liberalization. The author may be contacted at llaevenworldbank.org
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  • 27
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (38 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Agénor, Pierre-Richard The Credit Crunch in East Asia
    Keywords: Bank Cred Bank Lending ; Bank Loans ; Banks and Banking Reform ; Central Bank ; Commercial Banks ; Credit Rationing ; Currencies and Exchange Rates ; Debt Markets ; Demand For Cred Domestic Cred Finance ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Intermediation ; Financial Literacy ; Fiscal Policies ; Future ; Interest ; Interest Rates ; Law and Development ; Liquid Assets ; Liquidity ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Monetary Fund ; Private Sector Development ; Profits ; Reserves ; Risk Of Default ; Settlement of Investment Disputes ; Working Capital ; Bank Cred Bank Lending ; Bank Loans ; Banks and Banking Reform ; Central Bank ; Commercial Banks ; Credit Rationing ; Currencies and Exchange Rates ; Debt Markets ; Demand For Cred Domestic Cred Finance ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Intermediation ; Financial Literacy ; Fiscal Policies ; Future ; Interest ; Interest Rates ; Law and Development ; Liquid Assets ; Liquidity ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Monetary Fund ; Private Sector Development ; Profits ; Reserves ; Risk Of Default ; Settlement of Investment Disputes ; Working Capital
    Abstract: November 2000 - A two-step approach is used to assess the extent to which the credit crunch in East Asia was supply- or demand-driven. The results for Thailand suggest that the contraction in bank lending that accompanied the crisis was the result of supply factors. Agénor, Aizenman, and Hoffmaister propose a two-step approach for assessing the extent to which the fall in credit in crisis-stricken East Asian countries was a supply- or demand-induced phenomenon. The first step involves estimating a demand function for excess liquid assets held by commercial banks. The second step involves establishing dynamic projections for the periods after the crisis and assessing whether or not residuals are large enough to be viewed as indicators of an “involuntary” accumulation of excess reserves. The results for Thailand suggest that the contraction in bank lending that accompanied the crisis was the result of supply factors. Thai firms (presumably small and medium-size ones) faced binding constraints in getting access to credit markets after the crisis. 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 understand the macroeconomic effects of credit market imperfections. Pierre-Richard Agénor may be contacted at pagenorworldbank.org
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  • 28
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (44 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Fleming, Alex Integrated Financial Supervision
    Keywords: Accountability ; Bank ; Bank Of England ; Banking ; Banking Crises ; Banking Supervision ; Banks and Banking Reform ; Debt Markets ; Economies ; Emerging Markets ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Conglomerates ; Financial Crises ; Financial Intermediation ; Financial Literacy ; Financial Markets ; Financial Regulation ; Financial Services ; Financial Stability ; Financial Structure ; Governance ; Insurance ; Insurance and Risk Mitigation ; Interest ; Private Sector Development ; Safety & Soundness ; Supervisory Agencies ; Supervisory Framework ; Accountability ; Bank ; Bank Of England ; Banking ; Banking Crises ; Banking Supervision ; Banks and Banking Reform ; Debt Markets ; Economies ; Emerging Markets ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Conglomerates ; Financial Crises ; Financial Intermediation ; Financial Literacy ; Financial Markets ; Financial Regulation ; Financial Services ; Financial Stability ; Financial Structure ; Governance ; Insurance ; Insurance and Risk Mitigation ; Interest ; Private Sector Development ; Safety & Soundness ; Supervisory Agencies ; Supervisory Framework
    Abstract: November 1999 - In the past, financial supervision tended to be organized around specialist agencies for the banking, securities, and insurance sectors. In recent years, several countries have moved toward integrating these different supervisory functions in a single agency. Drawing on Northern European experience - where three Scandinavian countries have practiced integrated supervision for the past 10 years - Taylor and Fleming address three policy-related issues associated with the integrated model: · Under what conditions should (or should not) a country consider moving toward an integrated model of financial supervision? Clearly, for a small transition or developing economy, or an economy with a small financial sector, the economies of scale from establishing an integrated agency outweigh the costs of moving to such a model. A strong case can also be made for an integrated approach in a financial sector dominated by banks, with little role for capital markets or a highly integrated financial sector. · How should an integrated agency be structured, organized, and managed? There is no single obviously correct organizational structure, and existing agencies are experimenting with a variety of forms. An institutionally based structure has the virtue of simplicity and can be implemented fairly quickly, but tends to preserve the cultures and identities of the predecessor agencies more than is optimal. Whatever the structure, integrated supervision requires active management to secure the potential benefits that the approach offers. · How should the integration process be implemented? While the decision to move to an integrated agency must be carefully thought through in the context of the country concerned, the more difficult part is implementation, which must be sensitively managed. Once the decision has been made, implementation should take place as quickly as possible. A well-conceived change management process should aim to overcome the cultural barriers associated with the previous fragmented structure. Taylor and Fleming's review of Northern European experience with integration of financial supervision raises a range of questions relevant to developing and transition economies, which they discuss. This paper - a product of the Private and Financial Sectors Development Unit, Europe and Central Asia Region - is part of a larger effort in the region to assist transition economies in strengthening the legal and regulatory framework for their financial sectors. The authors may be contacted at mtaylorimf.org or afleming@worldbank.org
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  • 29
    Online Resource
    Online Resource
    Washington, D.C : The World Bank
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (21 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Gautam, Madhur Reconsidering the Evidence on Returns to T&V Extension in Kenya
    Keywords: Agencies ; Agricultural ; Agricultural Extension ; Agricultural Production ; Agriculture ; Agriculture ; Banks and Banking Reform ; Crops ; Crops and Crop Management Systems ; E-Business ; Econometrics ; Economic Theory and Research ; Education ; Education ; Extension ; Extension Services ; Family ; Farmers ; Farms ; Information ; Investment ; Labor Policies ; Land ; Livestock ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Management ; Private Sector Development ; Research ; Rural Development ; Rural Development Knowledge and Information Systems ; Science Education ; Science and Technology Development ; Scientific Research and Science Parks ; Social Protections and Labor ; Statistical and Mathematical Sciences ; Training ; Agencies ; Agricultural ; Agricultural Extension ; Agricultural Production ; Agriculture ; Agriculture ; Banks and Banking Reform ; Crops ; Crops and Crop Management Systems ; E-Business ; Econometrics ; Economic Theory and Research ; Education ; Education ; Extension ; Extension Services ; Family ; Farmers ; Farms ; Information ; Investment ; Labor Policies ; Land ; Livestock ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Management ; Private Sector Development ; Research ; Rural Development ; Rural Development Knowledge and Information Systems ; Science Education ; Science and Technology Development ; Scientific Research and Science Parks ; Social Protections and Labor ; Statistical and Mathematical Sciences ; Training
    Abstract: April 1999 - The sensitivity of empirical results to potential data errors and model misspecification can yield misleading policy implications and investment signals. A widely disseminated study of the impact of the training and visit (T&V) system of management for extension services in Kenya is a striking example of how innocuous data errors and alternative specifications lead to strikingly different results. Gautam and Anderson revisit the widely disseminated results of a study (Bindlish and Evenson 1993, 1997) of the impact of the training and visit (T&V) system of management for public extension services in Kenya. T&V was introduced in Kenya by the World Bank and has since been supported through two successive projects. The impact of the projects continues to be the subject of much debate. Gautam and Anderson's paper suggests the need for greater vigilance in empirical analysis, especially about the quality of data used to support Bank policy and the need to validate potentially influential findings. Using household data from 1990, Bindlish and Evenson found the returns from extension to be very high. But Gautam and Anderson find that the returns estimated by Bindlish and Evenson suffer from data errors, and limitations imposed by cross-sectional data. After correcting for several data processing and measurement errors, the authors show the results to be less robust than reported by Bindlish and Evenson and highly sensitive to regional effects. When region-specific effects are included, a positive return to extension cannot be established, using Bindlish and Evenson's data set and cross-sectional model specifications. After testing the robustness of results using a number of tests, Gautam and Anderson could not definitively establish the factors underlying strong regional effects, largely because of the limitations imposed by the cross-sectional framework. Household panel data methods would have allowed greater control for regional effects and would have yielded better insight into the impact of extension. The impact on agricultural productivity in Kenya expected from T&V extension services is not discernible from the available data, and the impact may vary across districts. The hypothesis that T&V had no impact in Kenya between 1982 and 1990 cannot be rejected. The sample data fail to support a positive rate of return on the investment in T&V. This paper-a product of the Sector and Thematic Evaluation Division, Operations Evaluation Department-is part of a larger exploration by the department of the effects of the investment in agricultural extension in Kenya. The authors may be contacted at mgautamworldbank.org or janderson@worldbank.org
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  • 30
    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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  • 31
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (40 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Schmukler, Sergio Predicting Currency Fluctuations and Crises
    Keywords: Asymmetric Information ; Balance Of Payments ; Balance Of Payments Crises ; Currencies and Exchange Rates ; Currency ; Debt Markets ; Devaluation ; E-Business ; Emerging Markets ; Exchange ; Exchange Rate ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Crises ; Financial Literacy ; Financial Markets ; Future ; Interest ; Interest Rate ; Interest Rate Differentials ; International Cred International Financial Markets ; Investors ; Local Business ; Local Investors ; Mutual Funds ; Private Sector Development ; Sovereign Debt ; Asymmetric Information ; Balance Of Payments ; Balance Of Payments Crises ; Currencies and Exchange Rates ; Currency ; Debt Markets ; Devaluation ; E-Business ; Emerging Markets ; Exchange ; Exchange Rate ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Crises ; Financial Literacy ; Financial Markets ; Future ; Interest ; Interest Rate ; Interest Rate Differentials ; International Cred International Financial Markets ; Investors ; Local Business ; Local Investors ; Mutual Funds ; Private Sector Development ; Sovereign Debt
    Abstract: December 1999 - Markets have had limited success predicting crises and might do better by drawing on private information available to resident enterprise managers, who seem to know better than markets about future movements in exchange rates. Kaufmann, Mehrez, and Schmukler investigate whether resident enterprise managers have an informational advantage about the countries in which they work. They propose a method for extracting information available to resident managers but unknown to investors and forecasters. They test their hypothesis of informational advantage using a unique data set, the Global Competitiveness Survey. The survey asks local managers about their outlook for the country in which they reside. They find that local managers do have useful private information. Local managers' responses improve on conventional forecasts of future volatility and changes in the exchange rate, which are based on economic fundamentals or interest rate differentials. They find that the local business community perceived in advance the recent crises in the Republic of Korea, Russia, and Thailand, but not those in Indonesia and Malaysia. Markets have had limited success predicting crises and might do better by drawing on private information available to resident enterprise managers, who seem to know better than markets about future movements in exchange rates. This paper - a product of Governance, Regulation, and Finance, World Bank Institute - is part of a larger effort in the institute to understand the roles of transparency and governance. The authors may be contacted at dkaufmannworldbank.org, mehrezg@gunet.georgetown.edu, or sschmukler@worldbank.org
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  • 32
    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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  • 33
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (32 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Wang, Hua Willingness to Pay for Air Quality Improvements in Sofia, Bulgaria
    Keywords: Air Pollution ; Air Quality and Clean Air ; Biodiversity ; Choice ; Contingent Valuation ; Debt Markets ; Distribution ; E-Business ; Econometric Analyses ; Econometric Analysis ; Econometric Models ; Economic Theory and Research ; Economic Value ; Elasticity ; Emerging Markets ; Environment ; Environmental Economics and Policies ; Exogenous Variables ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Future Studies ; Goods ; Income ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Markets and Market Access ; Payments ; Positive Effects ; Prices ; Private Sector Development ; Public Good ; Utility ; Utility Function ; Variables ; Air Pollution ; Air Quality and Clean Air ; Biodiversity ; Choice ; Contingent Valuation ; Debt Markets ; Distribution ; E-Business ; Econometric Analyses ; Econometric Analysis ; Econometric Models ; Economic Theory and Research ; Economic Value ; Elasticity ; Emerging Markets ; Environment ; Environmental Economics and Policies ; Exogenous Variables ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Future Studies ; Goods ; Income ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Markets and Market Access ; Payments ; Positive Effects ; Prices ; Private Sector Development ; Public Good ; Utility ; Utility Function ; Variables
    Abstract: January 2000 - People in Sofia are willing to pay 4.2 percent of their income or more for a program to improve air quality. Through a survey, Wang and Whittington study willingness to pay for improvements in air quality in Sofia, Bulgaria. Using a stochastic payment card approach - asking respondents the likelihood that they would agree to pay a series of prices - they estimate the distribution of willingness to pay various prices. They find that people in Sofia are willing to pay up to about 4.2 percent of their income for a program to improve air quality. The income elasticity of willingness to pay for air quality improvements is about 27 percent. For comparison, they also used the referendum contingent valuation approach. Results from that approach yielded a higher estimate of willingness to pay. This paper - a product of Infrastructure and Environment, Development Research Group - is part of a larger effort in the group to understand the economics of pollution control in developing countries. Copies of the paper are available from Hua Wang may be contacted at hwang1worldbank.org
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  • 34
    Online Resource
    Online Resource
    Washington, D.C : The World Bank
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (54 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Zaman, Hassan Assessing the Impact of Micro-credit on Poverty and Vulnerability in Bangladesh
    Keywords: Access To Cred Bank ; Banks and Banking Reform ; Borrowers ; Borrowing ; Communities & Human Settlements ; Cred Household Expenditure ; Debt Markets ; Economic Theory and Research ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Intermediation ; Financial Literacy ; Health, Nutrition and Population ; Household Income ; Housing and Human Habitats ; Illiteracy ; Income ; Income Sources ; Investing ; Knowledge ; Loan ; Loan Period ; Loans ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Population Policies ; Poverty Reduction ; Risk Reduction ; Rural Development ; Rural Poverty Reduction ; Senior ; Student ; Supply ; Welfare ; Access To Cred Bank ; Banks and Banking Reform ; Borrowers ; Borrowing ; Communities & Human Settlements ; Cred Household Expenditure ; Debt Markets ; Economic Theory and Research ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Intermediation ; Financial Literacy ; Health, Nutrition and Population ; Household Income ; Housing and Human Habitats ; Illiteracy ; Income ; Income Sources ; Investing ; Knowledge ; Loan ; Loan Period ; Loans ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Population Policies ; Poverty Reduction ; Risk Reduction ; Rural Development ; Rural Poverty Reduction ; Senior ; Student ; Supply ; Welfare
    Abstract: July 1999 - While micro-credit interventions can play an important role in reducing vulnerability through a number of channels, a significant impact on poverty reduction is achieved under more restrictive conditions. These conditions revolve around whether the borrower has crossed a cumulative loan threshold and on how poor the household is to start with. Zaman examines the extent to which micro-credit reduces poverty and vulnerability through a case study of BRAC, one of the largest providers of micro-credit to the poor in Bangladesh. Household consumption data collected from 1,072 households is used to show that the largest effect on poverty arises when a moderate-poor BRAC loanee borrows more that 10,000 taka (US
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  • 35
    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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  • 36
    Online Resource
    Online Resource
    Washington, D.C : The World Bank
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (64 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Melo, Martha The Russian City in Transition
    Keywords: Autonomy ; Capitals ; Cities ; City Development Strategies ; Communities & Human Settlements ; Debt Markets ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Employment ; Enterprises ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Fiscal Policy ; Housing ; ICT Policy and Strategies ; Industry ; Information and Communication Technologies ; Labor ; Labor Policies ; Large Cities ; Local Governments ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Municipal ; Municipal Financial Management ; Natural Resources ; Pricing ; Private Sector Development ; Privatization ; Public Sector Management and Reform ; Public Transport ; Services ; Social Protections and Labor ; Subnational Governance ; Subsidies ; Transport ; Urban Development ; Wages ; Autonomy ; Capitals ; Cities ; City Development Strategies ; Communities & Human Settlements ; Debt Markets ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Employment ; Enterprises ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Fiscal Policy ; Housing ; ICT Policy and Strategies ; Industry ; Information and Communication Technologies ; Labor ; Labor Policies ; Large Cities ; Local Governments ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Municipal ; Municipal Financial Management ; Natural Resources ; Pricing ; Private Sector Development ; Privatization ; Public Sector Management and Reform ; Public Transport ; Services ; Social Protections and Labor ; Subnational Governance ; Subsidies ; Transport ; Urban Development ; Wages
    Abstract: August 1999 - Reform in 10 regional capitals along the Volga River is associated with favorable initial conditions. And both reform and favorable initial conditions are associated with relatively successful economic outcomes - except where access to extra resources improves outcomes or where weak government undermines success. After studying the nature and variety of transition in 10 regional capitals of Russia, de Melo and Ofer observe that: ° All cities have experienced radical changes in their institutions and economies - changes associated on the one hand with the abolition of central planning and the introduction of freer markets, and on the other hand with political decentralization and the introduction of local elections. ° These changes have led to a wide diversity in economic and social outcomes, reflecting differences in the central government's (inequitable) economic relations with regions as well as differing local and regional policies. Most northern cities adopted policies more consistent with the central government's support of free market reforms; most southern (Red Belt) cities pursued more cautious, protective policies. ° City governments are using more proactive economic policies, including interventions to save local industries. Such efforts highlight the dual nature of the Russian transition, characterized by a shift in power from central to local government as well as from public to private enterprises. ° A major difficulty facing Russian cities is the cost of subsidies to housing and utilities. Real estate in general constitutes a major expenditure category for local government rather than, as in most western cities, a major source of revenue. A transition in this area alone could revolutionize the finances and independence of Russian cities. ° The jury is still out on what the right social and industrial policies were during the first years of reform. Ulyanovsk clearly lagged on market reforms, and Saratov represents a model of liberalization without institutional support. Both extremes have failed, but so far the social consequences of the Saratov model appear to be worse than those of the Ulyanovsk model. ° With the credibility of Russia's federal government at an all-time low, foreign investors have no choice but to rely on the competence and reliability of local leaders, especially mayors and governors. They will be looking for evidence of accountability in the form of the rule of law, and transparency in the form of reliable public information. Information at the city level - often unavailable and not easily accessible - would be very useful in attracting local researchers to monitor progress (as a basis for accountability) and diagnose problems (as a basis for public policy debate and political decisions). This paper - a product of Public Economics, Development Research Group - is part of a larger effort in the group to study the causes and effects of fiscal decentralization. The project was carried out in cooperation with the New Economic School (NES) in Moscow. This is the first of two papers on the Volga cities. The authors may be contacted at rhanrotterols.com or gur.ofer@yale.edu
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  • 37
    Online Resource
    Online Resource
    Washington, D.C : The World Bank
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (54 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Verner, Dorte Wage and Productivity Gaps
    Keywords: Access and Equity in Basic Education ; Demand ; Earnings ; Economic Theory and Research ; Education ; Education ; Education for All ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Information ; Investing ; Investment ; Labor Force ; Labor Market ; Labor Markets ; Labor Markets ; Labor Policies ; Large Enterprises ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Population ; Primary Education ; Productivity ; Questionnaire ; Regression Analyses ; Research Assistance ; Sales ; Social Protections and Labor ; Supply ; Tertiary Education ; Training ; Wage ; Wages ; Access and Equity in Basic Education ; Demand ; Earnings ; Economic Theory and Research ; Education ; Education ; Education for All ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Information ; Investing ; Investment ; Labor Force ; Labor Market ; Labor Markets ; Labor Markets ; Labor Policies ; Large Enterprises ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Population ; Primary Education ; Productivity ; Questionnaire ; Regression Analyses ; Research Assistance ; Sales ; Social Protections and Labor ; Supply ; Tertiary Education ; Training ; Wage ; Wages
    Abstract: August 1999 - This paper studies labor market outcomes in Ghana. The analysis focuses on the formal manufacturing wage sector and, more specifically, on the determinants of wages and productivity for various groups of workers. It tests hypotheses that relate to the impacts of individual and enterprise characteristics on wages. Furthermore, it compares the marginal impact of each of these characteristics on wages with their respective impact on labor productivity. The results may indicate whether, for example, there exists a spot labor market, discrimination, and/or structural differences among sectors and groups of workers. The paper analyzes whether experience, training, and education impact wages and productivity. In recent years, analysts have paid a lot of attention to the impacts of education and labor force training. The rationale for investing in human capital is that a more skilled and educated labor force is more productive than a less educated one. Therefore, policymakers emphasize investment in human capital because they believe that, in general, it increases labor productivity. However, there is not have much evidence of this relationship in the Africa region.11 Glewwe (1996) finds that there is no return to human capital in Ghana. This paper aims partially at filling this void by presenting evidence on the direct impact of education, training, and experience on productivity for different groups of workers using econometric regression analyses. It looks at whether Ghanaian labor markets are characterized by gender discrimination. It analyzes whether the labor markets are competitive. And it looks at whether union membership, manufacturing sector, and firm location affect labor market outcomes. This paper-a product of Human Development 3, Africa Technical Families-is part of a larger effort in the region to understand how labor markets work in Africa. The author may be contacted at dvernerworldbank.org
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  • 38
    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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  • 39
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (40 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Min, G. Hong How the Republic of Korea's Financial Structure Affects the Volatility of Four Asset Prices
    Keywords: Asset Prices ; Banking Sector ; Banks and Banking Reform ; Capital Flows ; Currencies and Exchange Rates ; Currency ; Currency Crises ; Debt Markets ; Emerging Markets ; Exchange ; Exchange Rate ; Finance ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Crisis ; Financial Institutions ; Financial Literacy ; Financial Structure ; Financial System ; Government Bond ; Government Bond Yield ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Market ; Markets and Market Access ; Monetary Authority ; Monetary Policies ; Money Market ; Money Market Rate ; Private Sector Development ; Stock ; Asset Prices ; Banking Sector ; Banks and Banking Reform ; Capital Flows ; Currencies and Exchange Rates ; Currency ; Currency Crises ; Debt Markets ; Emerging Markets ; Exchange ; Exchange Rate ; Finance ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Crisis ; Financial Institutions ; Financial Literacy ; Financial Structure ; Financial System ; Government Bond ; Government Bond Yield ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Market ; Markets and Market Access ; Monetary Authority ; Monetary Policies ; Money Market ; Money Market Rate ; Private Sector Development ; Stock
    Abstract: April 2000 - How Korea's financial structure affects the volatility of Korea's real effective exchange rate, money market rate, government bond yields, and stock prices. Min and Park explore how Korea's financial structure affects the volatility of asset prices. Documented empirical evidence of the relationship between financial structure and financial crisis sheds light on the relationship between asset price volatility - extreme variations in prices - and financial structure. And the volatility of financial and nonfinancial asset prices provides an indirect link between an economy's financial structure and the likelihood of financial crisis. Using time-series data and a set of indicators measuring financial structure, Min and Park examine how Korea's financial structure affects the volatility of the real effective exchange rate, the money market rate, government bond yields, and stock prices. They find: · There is a stable long-term relationship between financial structure and volatility in the real effective exchange rate, the money market rate, stock prices, and the yield on government housing bonds. · Financial structure affects asset price variables asymmetrically. Some variables' volatility increases and others' diminish, suggesting that monetary policies should target different asset markets to achieve different goals. If the goal of the monetary authority is to stabilize the money market rate, for example, intervening in the banking sector is more efficient than intervening in other financial subsectors. · The higher volatility of stock prices reflects the thin stock market in Korea. · The stability of the yield on government housing bonds reflects the Korean government's policy of stabilizing the nation's housing supply by isolating the housing market from the impact of Korea's financial structure. · Restrictions on foreigners' ownership of domestic stock in Korea during the period analyzed, and the fact that most capital flows through commercial banks, affect the exchange rate, which is determined (at least in the short run) by capital flows in the foreign exchange market. This paper - a product of the Macroeconomic Data Team, Development Data Group - is part of a larger effort in the group to understand the financial structure of developing countries based on empirical data. The authors may be contacted at hmin56aol.com or jpark@worldbank.org
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  • 40
    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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  • 41
    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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  • 42
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (56 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Milanovic, Branko Do More Unequal Countries Redistribute More?
    Keywords: Consumption ; Disposable Income ; Economic Mechanism ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Endogenous Growth ; Factor Income ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Fiscal and Monetary Policy ; Growth Rate ; Growth Theories ; Income ; Income ; Income Distribution ; Income Groups ; Income Inequality ; Inequality ; Inequality ; Investment and Investment Climate ; Labor Policies ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Mean Income ; Median Voter ; Median Voter Hypothesis ; Personal Income ; Personal Income Taxes ; Political Mechanism ; Poverty Impact Evaluation ; Poverty Reduction ; Private Sector Development ; Public Choice ; Public Sector Development ; Services and Transfers to Poor ; Significant Relationship ; Social Protections and Labor ; Consumption ; Disposable Income ; Economic Mechanism ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Endogenous Growth ; Factor Income ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Fiscal and Monetary Policy ; Growth Rate ; Growth Theories ; Income ; Income ; Income Distribution ; Income Groups ; Income Inequality ; Inequality ; Inequality ; Investment and Investment Climate ; Labor Policies ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Mean Income ; Median Voter ; Median Voter Hypothesis ; Personal Income ; Personal Income Taxes ; Political Mechanism ; Poverty Impact Evaluation ; Poverty Reduction ; Private Sector Development ; Public Choice ; Public Sector Development ; Services and Transfers to Poor ; Significant Relationship ; Social Protections and Labor
    Abstract: December 1999 - The data strongly support the hypothesis that countries with more unequal distribution of factor income redistribute more in favor of the poor - even when the analysis controls for older people's share in total population (that is, for pension transfers). But the evidence on the median voter hypothesis is inconclusive even if middle-income groups gain more (or lose less) through redistribution in countries where initial (factor) income distribution is more unequal. The median voter hypothesis is important to endogenous growth theories because it provides the political mechanism through which voters in more unequal countries redistribute a greater proportion of income and thus (it is argued), by blunting incentives, reduce the country's growth rate. But the hypothesis was never properly tested because of lack of data on the distribution of (pre-tax and transfer) factor income across households, and hence on the exact amount of gain by the poorest quintile or poorest half. Milanovic tests the hypothesis using 79 observations drawn from household budget surveys from 24 democracies. The data strongly support the hypothesis that countries with more unequal distribution of factor income redistribute more in favor of the poor - even when the analysis controls for the older people's share in total population (that is, for pension transfers). The evidence on the median voter hypothesis is much weaker. Milanovic does find that middle-income groups gain more (or lose less) through redistribution in countries where initial (factor) income distribution is more unequal. This regularity evaporates, however, when pensions are dropped from social transfers and the focus is strictly on the more redistributive social transfers. This paper - a product of Poverty and Human Resources, Development Research Group - is part of a larger effort in the group to study the relationship between democracy and inequality. The study was funded in part by the Bank's Research Support Budget under the research project Democracy, Redistribution, and Inequality (RPO 683-01). Also published as “The median voter hypothesis, income inequality and income redistribution: An empirical test with the required data”, European Journal of Political Economy , vol. 16, No. 3, September 2000, pp. 367-410. The author may be contacted at bmilanovicworldbank.org
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  • 43
    Online Resource
    Online Resource
    Washington, D.C : The World Bank
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (36 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Ravallion, Martin How Did the World's Poorest Fare in the 1990s?
    Keywords: Absolute Poverty ; Aggregate Poverty ; Consumer Price Index ; Consumption ; Consumption Basket ; Consumption Expenditure ; Consumption Expenditures ; Consumption Per Capita ; Consumption Poverty ; Debt Markets ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Health Systems Development and Reform ; Health, Nutrition and Population ; Higher Inequality ; Household Living Standards ; Household Size ; Incidence Of Poverty ; Income Distribution ; Inequality ; Poor Countries ; Population Policies ; Poverty Diagnostics ; Poverty Line ; Poverty Lines ; Poverty Measures ; Poverty Monitoring and Analysis ; Poverty Rate ; Poverty Reduction ; Poverty Reduction ; Poverty Reduction Strategies ; Pro-Poor Growth ; Rural Development ; Rural Poverty Reduction ; Services and Transfers to Poor ; Absolute Poverty ; Aggregate Poverty ; Consumer Price Index ; Consumption ; Consumption Basket ; Consumption Expenditure ; Consumption Expenditures ; Consumption Per Capita ; Consumption Poverty ; Debt Markets ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Health Systems Development and Reform ; Health, Nutrition and Population ; Higher Inequality ; Household Living Standards ; Household Size ; Incidence Of Poverty ; Income Distribution ; Inequality ; Poor Countries ; Population Policies ; Poverty Diagnostics ; Poverty Line ; Poverty Lines ; Poverty Measures ; Poverty Monitoring and Analysis ; Poverty Rate ; Poverty Reduction ; Poverty Reduction ; Poverty Reduction Strategies ; Pro-Poor Growth ; Rural Development ; Rural Poverty Reduction ; Services and Transfers to Poor
    Abstract: August 2000 - Between 1987 and 1998, the incidence of poverty fell in Asia and the Middle East and North Africa, changed little in Latin America and Sub-Saharan Africa, and rose in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. Too little economic growth in the poorest countries and persistent inequalities (in income and other measures) are the main reasons for the disappointing rate of poverty reduction. Drawing on data from 265 national sample surveys spanning 83 countries, Chen and Ravallion find that there was a net decrease in the total incidence of consumption poverty between 1987 and 1998. But it was not enough to reduce the total number of poor people, by various definitions. The incidence of poverty fell in Asia and the Middle East and North Africa, changed little in Latin America and Sub-Saharan Africa, and rose in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. The two main proximate causes of the disappointing rate of poverty reduction: too little economic growth in many of the poorest countries, and persistent inequalities (in both income and other essential measures) that kept the poor from participating in the growth that did occur. This paper-a product of Poverty and Human Resources, Development Research Group-is part of a larger effort in the group to monitor progress against poverty in the developing world. The authors may be contacted at schenworldbank.org or mravallion@worldbank.org
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  • 44
    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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  • 45
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (44 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Mintz, M. Jack Taxing Issues with Privatization
    Keywords: Capital Gains Taxes ; Company Taxes ; Corporate Income Tax ; Corporate Income Taxes ; Debt Markets ; Deductions ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Income Tax ; Investment and Investment Climate ; Law and Development ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Private Sector Development ; Property Taxes ; Tax ; Tax Base ; Tax Benefits ; Tax Credits ; Tax Incentives ; Tax Law ; Tax Liabilities ; Tax Liability ; Tax Policies ; Tax Policy ; Tax Revenue ; Taxable Income ; Taxation and Subsidies ; Taxes ; Taxpayers ; Capital Gains Taxes ; Company Taxes ; Corporate Income Tax ; Corporate Income Taxes ; Debt Markets ; Deductions ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Income Tax ; Investment and Investment Climate ; Law and Development ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Private Sector Development ; Property Taxes ; Tax ; Tax Base ; Tax Benefits ; Tax Credits ; Tax Incentives ; Tax Law ; Tax Liabilities ; Tax Liability ; Tax Policies ; Tax Policy ; Tax Revenue ; Taxable Income ; Taxation and Subsidies ; Taxes ; Taxpayers
    Abstract: May 2000 - The literature on privatization has overlooked how the tax status of the company to be privatized will affect the firm's, and the country's, financial transition. Privatization has been a popular strategy for improving efficiency in both market and transition economies. The literature on privatization includes broad discussions of pricing techniques but overlooks tax issues. In reality, a state-owned company loses its privilege of paying no taxes once it is privatized. This change in tax status would certainly complicate the financial transition of a newly privatized company, affect industrywide economic efficiency, and change the revenue pattern of governments. Using Ontario Hydro and the Canadian tax regime as examples, Mintz, Chen, and Zorotheos provide policymakers with a checklist on tax issues under privatization. Their main observations: · The tax status of the company to be privatized must be considered in analyzing the firm's financial transition. · The economic efficiency targeted by privatization may depend partly on the tax regime for a particular industry. · Privatization affects government revenue through the revenue-sharing structure determined by intergovernmental fiscal relationships and cross-border tax arrangements. Time is a factor in tax and transition issues. At the time of privatization, for example, how are assets to be valued for calculating capital gains and cost deductions, for tax purposes? Are the assets transferred to the new owners at fair market value, book value, or at cost, for tax purposes? How should heavy debt loads be treated? Ontario Hydro will not be privatized but it will become taxable. How the taxes will be paid will depend on how the transition is treated. Tax policy will be a key determinant of the industry's future development. This paper - a product of the Governance, Regulation, and Finance Division, World Bank Institute - is part of a larger effort in the institute to increase understanding of infrastructure regulation
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  • 46
    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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  • 47
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (23 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Elbadawi, A. Ibrahim Can Africa Export Manufactures?
    Keywords: Capital Markets ; Comparative Advantage ; Comparative Advantages ; Competitiveness ; Costs ; Currencies and Exchange Rates ; Debt Markets ; Development ; Economic Stabilization ; Economic Theory and Research ; Elasticity ; Emerging Markets ; Exchange ; Exports ; Failures ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Free Trade ; Goods ; Human Capital ; Income Elasticity Of Demand ; Inequality ; International Economics & Trade ; Investment ; Macroeconomic Management ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Natural Resources ; Poverty Reduction ; Private Sector Development ; Pro-Poor Growth ; Taxation ; Taxes ; Theory ; Trade ; Variables ; Capital Markets ; Comparative Advantage ; Comparative Advantages ; Competitiveness ; Costs ; Currencies and Exchange Rates ; Debt Markets ; Development ; Economic Stabilization ; Economic Theory and Research ; Elasticity ; Emerging Markets ; Exchange ; Exports ; Failures ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Free Trade ; Goods ; Human Capital ; Income Elasticity Of Demand ; Inequality ; International Economics & Trade ; Investment ; Macroeconomic Management ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Natural Resources ; Poverty Reduction ; Private Sector Development ; Pro-Poor Growth ; Taxation ; Taxes ; Theory ; Trade ; Variables
    Abstract: May 1999 - Africa's poor performance in manufactured exports in the 1990s (relative to East Asia) appears to be largely the result of bad policies-especially policies that affect transaction costs. Elbadawi analyzes the determinants of manufactured exports in Africa and other developing countries, guided by three pivotal views on Sub-Saharan Africa's (Africa's) prospects in manufactured exports: ° Adrian Woods holds that Africa cannot have comparative advantage in exports of labor-intensive manufactures (even if broadly defined to include raw material processing) because its natural resources endowment is greater than its human resources endowment (endowment thesis). ° Paul Collier argues that, for most of Africa, unusually high (policy-induced) transaction costs are the main source of Africa's comparative disadvantage in manufactured exports (transaction thesis). ° A third approach (Elbadawi and Helleiner) emphasizes the importance of stable, competitive real exchange rates for profitability of exports in low-income countries (exchange rate-led strategy). Elbadawi tests the implications of these three views with an empirical model of manufactured export performance (manufactured exports' share of GDP), using a panel of 41 countries for 1980-95. His findings: ° Corroborate the predictions of the transaction thesis, in that transaction costs are major determinants of manufactures exports. Investing in reducing these costs generates the highest payoff for export capacity. ° Lend support for the exchange rate-led strategy. After controlling for other factors, ratios of natural resources per worker were not robustly associated with export performance across countries, but this cannot be taken as formal rejection of the endowment thesis - unless one is prepared to assume that manufactured exports' share of GDP was highly correlated with ratios of manufactured to aggregate (or primary) exports. But this is not unlikely. This paper-a product of Public Economics, Development Research Group-is part of a larger effort in the group to research manufactures exports' competitiveness. The author may be contacted at ielbadawiworldbank.org
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  • 48
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (33 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Klapper, Leora Resolution of Corporate Distress
    Keywords: Bank ; Bankruptcy ; Bankruptcy Filing ; Bankruptcy Filings ; Banks and Banking Reform ; Cred Creditor ; Creditors ; Debt ; Debt Markets ; Earnings ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Expenses ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Crisis ; Financial Distress ; Financial Institutions ; Financial Literacy ; Interest ; Loan ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Ownership ; Private Sector Development ; Probability ; Regression Analysis ; Stakeholders ; State University ; Bank ; Bankruptcy ; Bankruptcy Filing ; Bankruptcy Filings ; Banks and Banking Reform ; Cred Creditor ; Creditors ; Debt ; Debt Markets ; Earnings ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Expenses ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Crisis ; Financial Distress ; Financial Institutions ; Financial Literacy ; Interest ; Loan ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Ownership ; Private Sector Development ; Probability ; Regression Analysis ; Stakeholders ; State University
    Abstract: June 1999 - Evidence from East Asia suggests that a firm's ownership relationship with a family or bank provides insurance against the likelihood of bankruptcy during bad times, possibly at the expense of minority shareholders. Bankruptcy is more likely in countries with strong creditor rights and a good judicial system - perhaps because creditors are more likely to force a firm to file for bankruptcy. The widespread financial crisis in East Asia caused large economic shocks, which varied by degree across the region. That crisis provides a unique opportunity for investigating the factors that determine the use of bankruptcy processes in a number of economies. Claessens, Djankov, and Klapper study the use of bankruptcy in Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan (China), and Thailand. These economies differ in their institutional frameworks for resolving financial distress, partly because of the different origins of their judicial systems. One difference is the strength of creditor rights, which Claessens, Djankov, and Klapper document. They expect that differences in legal enforcement and judicial efficiency should affect the resolution of financial distress. Using a sample of 4,569 publicly traded East Asian firms, they observe a total of 106 bankruptcies in 1997 and 1998. They find that: · The likelihood of filing for bankruptcy is lower for firms with ownership links to banks and families, controlling for firm and country characteristics. · Filings are more likely in countries with better judicial systems. · Filings are more likely where there are both strong creditor rights and a good judicial system. These results alone do not allow Claessens, Djankov, and Klapper to address whether increased use of bankruptcy is an efficient resolution mechanism. This paper - a product of the Financial Economics Unit, Financial Sector Practice Department - is part of a larger effort in the department to study corporate financing and governance mechanisms in emerging markets
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  • 49
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (27 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Wallsten, Scott An Empirical Analysis of Competition, Privatization, and Regulation in Telecommunications Markets in Africa and Latin America
    Keywords: Telekommunikation ; Telekommunikationspolitik ; Privatisierung ; Deregulierung ; Afrika ; Lateinamerika ; Banks and Banking Reform ; Business ; Business Services ; Data ; E-Business ; Economic Theory and Research ; Education ; Emerging Markets ; ICT Policy and Strategies ; Information and Communication Technologies ; Infrastructure Economics and Finance ; Infrastructure Regulation ; Institutions ; Knowledge Economy ; Knowledge for Development ; Labor Policies ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Performance ; Price ; Prices ; Private Sector Development ; Public Sector Regulation ; Reliability ; Results ; Social Protections and Labor ; Technology ; Telecom ; Telecommunication ; Telecommunication Reforms ; Telecommunications ; Telephone ; Telephone Connections ; Telephone Service ; Telephones ; User ; Users ; Banks and Banking Reform ; Business ; Business Services ; Data ; E-Business ; Economic Theory and Research ; Education ; Emerging Markets ; ICT Policy and Strategies ; Information and Communication Technologies ; Infrastructure Economics and Finance ; Infrastructure Regulation ; Institutions ; Knowledge Economy ; Knowledge for Development ; Labor Policies ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Performance ; Price ; Prices ; Private Sector Development ; Public Sector Regulation ; Reliability ; Results ; Social Protections and Labor ; Technology ; Telecom ; Telecommunication ; Telecommunication Reforms ; Telecommunications ; Telephone ; Telephone Connections ; Telephone Service ; Telephones ; User ; Users
    Abstract: June 1999 - Empirical analysis of telecommunications reforms in 30 African and Latin American countries yields results largely consistent with conventional wisdom. Competition seems to be the most successful change agent, so granting even temporary monopolies may delay the arrival of better services to consumers. Reformers are correct to emphasize that regulatory reform accompany privatization, as privatization without regulation reform may be costly to consumers. Wallsten explores the effects of privatization, competition, and regulation on telecommunications performance in 30 African and Latin American countries from 1984 through 1997. Competition is associated with tangible benefits in terms of mainline penetration, number of pay phones, connection capacity, and reduced prices. Fixed-effects regressions reveal that competition-measured by mobile operators not owned by the incumbent telecommunications provider-is correlated with increases in the per capita number of mainlines, pay phones, and connection capacity, and with decreases in the price of local calls. Privatizing an incumbent is negatively correlated with mainline penetration and connection capacity. Privatization combined with regulation by an independent regulator, however, is positively correlated with connection capacity and substantially mitigates privatization's negative correlation with mainline penetration. Reformers are right to emphasize a combination of privatization, competition, and regulation. But researchers must explore the permutations of regulation: What type of regulation do countries adopt (price caps versus cost-of-service, for example)? How does the regulatory agency work? What is its annual budget? How many employees does it have? Where do the regulators come from? What sort of training and experience do they have? What enforcement powers does the regulatory agency have? In addition, researchers must deal with endogeneity of privatization, competition, and regulation to deal with issues of causality. This paper-a product of Regulation and Competition Policy, Development Research Group-is part of a larger research effort to analyze the role of competition in telecommunications with special emphasis on Africa. The author may be contacted at wallstenstanford.edu
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  • 50
    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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  • 51
    Online Resource
    Online Resource
    Washington, D.C : The World Bank
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (54 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Porta, Rafael The Regulation of Entry
    Keywords: Barriers To Entry ; Economic Theories ; Economic Theory and Research ; Economies ; Efficiency ; Environment ; Environmental Economics and Policies ; Equity ; Externalities ; Information ; Interest ; Labor Policies ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Market Power ; Markets ; Need ; Outcomes ; Policies ; Public Sector Economics and Finance ; Public Sector Regulation ; Regulatory Regimes ; Social Protections and Labor ; Barriers To Entry ; Economic Theories ; Economic Theory and Research ; Economies ; Efficiency ; Environment ; Environmental Economics and Policies ; Equity ; Externalities ; Information ; Interest ; Labor Policies ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Market Power ; Markets ; Need ; Outcomes ; Policies ; Public Sector Economics and Finance ; Public Sector Regulation ; Regulatory Regimes ; Social Protections and Labor
    Abstract: August 2001 - New data show that countries that regulate the entry of new firms more heavily have greater corruption and larger unofficial economies, but not better quality goods. The evidence supports the view that regulating entry benefits politicians and bureaucrats. Djankov and his coauthors present new data on the regulation of the entry of start-up firms in 85 countries. The data cover the number of procedures, official time, and official costs that a start-up firm must bear before it can operate legally. The official costs of entry are extremely high in most countries. Countries that regulate entry more heavily have greater corruption and larger unofficial economies, but not better quality goods (public or private). Countries with more democratic and limited governments regulate entry more lightly. The evidence is inconsistent with public interest theories of regulation, but supports the public choice view that regulating entry benefits politicians and bureaucrats. This paper—a product of the Financial Sector Strategy and Policy Department—is part of a larger effort in the department to educate policymakers on the costs of regulation. The study was funded by the Bank's Research Support Budget under the research project "The Regulation of Small Businesses
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  • 52
    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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  • 53
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (57 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Peria, Maria Do Depositors Punish Banks for Bad Behavior?
    Keywords: Bank ; Bank Deposits ; Bank Risk ; Banking ; Banking Crises ; Banking Sector ; Banks ; Banks and Banking Reform ; Debt Markets ; Deposit Insurance ; Deposit Insurance Schemes ; Deposits ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Intermediation ; Financial Literacy ; Guarantees ; Industry ; Interest ; Interest Rates ; Loans ; Market Discipline ; Monetary Policies ; Moral Hazard ; Prudential Regulations ; Savings ; Bank ; Bank Deposits ; Bank Risk ; Banking ; Banking Crises ; Banking Sector ; Banks ; Banks and Banking Reform ; Debt Markets ; Deposit Insurance ; Deposit Insurance Schemes ; Deposits ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Intermediation ; Financial Literacy ; Guarantees ; Industry ; Interest ; Interest Rates ; Loans ; Market Discipline ; Monetary Policies ; Moral Hazard ; Prudential Regulations ; Savings
    Abstract: February 1999 - A study of the banking industries of Argentina, Chile, and Mexico in the 1980s and 1990s finds that across countries and across deposit insurance schemes, market discipline exists even among small insured depositors - who punish risky banks by withdrawing their deposits. Bank fundamentals are at least as important as other factors affecting deposit behavior. Peria and Schmukler examine the banking industries of Argentina, Chile, and Mexico to see if market discipline existed there in the 1980s and 1990s. Using a set of bank panel data, they test for the presence of market discipline by studying whether depositors punish risky banks by withdrawing their deposits. They find that across countries and across deposit insurance schemes, market discipline exists even among small insured depositors-who punish risky banks by withdrawing their deposits. Standardized coefficients and variance decomposition of deposits indicate that bank fundamentals are at least as important as other factors affecting deposits. GMM estimates confirm that the results are robust to the potential endo-geneity of bank fundamentals. This paper-a joint product of Finance, Development Research Group and the Office of the Chief Economist, Latin America and Carribean Region-is part of a larger effort in the Bank to study banking issues affecting developing countries. The study was funded by the LAC Regional Studies Program and by the Bank's Research Support Budget under research project Deposit Insurance Design and Use (RPO 682-90). The authors may be contacted at mmartinezperiaworldbank.org or sschmukler@worldbank.org
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  • 54
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (78 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Barros, de Paes Ricardo The Slippery Slope
    Keywords: Economic Growth ; Economic Theory and Research ; Extreme Poverty ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Formal Safety Nets ; Health, Nutrition and Population ; Household Composition ; Household Income ; Household Per Capita Income ; Income ; Income Distribution ; Income Inequality ; Inequality ; Inequality ; Labor Markets ; Labor Policies ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Measures ; Poor ; Poor Households ; Population Policies ; Poverty Incidence ; Poverty Indices ; Poverty Line ; Poverty Lines ; Poverty Measures ; Poverty Reduction ; Pro-Poor Growth ; Rural ; Rural Development ; Rural Poverty Reduction ; Services and Transfers to Poor ; Social Protections and Labor ; Unemployment ; Economic Growth ; Economic Theory and Research ; Extreme Poverty ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Formal Safety Nets ; Health, Nutrition and Population ; Household Composition ; Household Income ; Household Per Capita Income ; Income ; Income Distribution ; Income Inequality ; Inequality ; Inequality ; Labor Markets ; Labor Policies ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Measures ; Poor ; Poor Households ; Population Policies ; Poverty Incidence ; Poverty Indices ; Poverty Line ; Poverty Lines ; Poverty Measures ; Poverty Reduction ; Pro-Poor Growth ; Rural ; Rural Development ; Rural Poverty Reduction ; Services and Transfers to Poor ; Social Protections and Labor ; Unemployment
    Abstract: October 1999 - During the turbulent years 1976-96, aggregate data for Brazil appear to show only small changes in mean income, inequality, and incidence of poverty - suggesting little change in the distribution of income. But a small group of urban households - excluded from formal labor markets and safety nets - was trapped in indigence. Based on welfare measured in terms of income alone, the poorest part of urban Brazil has experienced two lost decades. Despite tremendous macroeconomic instability in Brazil, the country's distributions of urban income in 1976 and 1996 appear, at first glance, deceptively similar. Mean household income per capita was stagnant, with minute accumulated growth (4.3 percent) over the two decades. The Gini coefficient hovered just above 0.59 in both years, and the incidence of poverty (relative to a poverty line of R
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  • 55
    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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  • 56
    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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  • 57
    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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  • 58
    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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  • 59
    Online Resource
    Online Resource
    Washington, D.C : The World Bank
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (43 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Ravallion, Martin Subjective Economic Welfare
    Keywords: Bank ; Calculation ; Consumer ; Consumers ; Demand ; Demands ; Economic Theory and Research ; Family Allowances ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Health Systems Development and Reform ; Health, Nutrition and Population ; Household Income ; Household Incomes ; Income ; Incomes ; Inequality ; Inflation ; Information ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Money ; Pensioner ; Population Policies ; Poverty Diagnostics ; Poverty Lines ; Poverty Monitoring and Analysis ; Poverty Rate ; Poverty Reduction ; Property ; Rural Development ; Rural Poverty Reduction ; Services and Transfers to Poor ; Spending ; Unemployment ; Welfare ; Bank ; Calculation ; Consumer ; Consumers ; Demand ; Demands ; Economic Theory and Research ; Family Allowances ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Health Systems Development and Reform ; Health, Nutrition and Population ; Household Income ; Household Incomes ; Income ; Incomes ; Inequality ; Inflation ; Information ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Money ; Pensioner ; Population Policies ; Poverty Diagnostics ; Poverty Lines ; Poverty Monitoring and Analysis ; Poverty Rate ; Poverty Reduction ; Property ; Rural Development ; Rural Poverty Reduction ; Services and Transfers to Poor ; Spending ; Unemployment ; Welfare
    Abstract: April 1999 - As conventionally measured, current household income relative to a poverty line can only partially explain how Russian adults perceive their economic welfare. Other factors include past incomes, individual incomes, household consumption, current unemployment, risk of unemployment, health status, education, and relative income in the area of residence. Paradoxically, when economists analyze a policy's impact on welfare they typically assume that people are the best judges of their own welfare, yet resist directly asking them if they are better off. Early ideas of utility were explicitly subjective, but modern economists generally ignore people's expressed views about their own welfare. Even using a broad set of conventional socioeconomic data may not reflect well people's subjective perceptions of their poverty. Ravallion and Lokshin examine the determinants of subjective economic welfare in Russia, including its relationship to conventional objective indicators. For data on subjective perceptions, they use survey responses in which respondents rate their level of welfare from poor to rich on a nine-point ladder. As an objective indicator of economic welfare, they use the most common poverty indicator in Russia today, in which household incomes are deflated by household-specific poverty lines. They find that Russian adults with higher family income per equivalent adult are less likely to place themselves on the lowest rungs of the subjective ladder and more likely to put themselves on the upper rungs. But current household income does not explain well self-reported assessments of whether someone is poor or rich. Expanding the set of variables to include incomes at different dates, expenditures, educational attainment, health status, employment, and average income in the area of residence doubles explanatory power. Healthier and better educated adults with jobs perceive themselves to be better off, controlling for income. The unemployed view their welfare as lower, even with full income replacement. Individual income matters independent of per capita household income. Relative income also matters. Living in a richer area lowers perceived economic welfare, controlling for income and other factors. This paper-a product of Poverty and Human Resources, Development Research Group-is part of a larger effort in the group to better understand the relationship between objective and subjective economic welfare. 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 mravallionworldbank.org or mlokshin@worldbank.org
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  • 60
    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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  • 61
    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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  • 62
    Online Resource
    Online Resource
    Washington, D.C : The World Bank
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (42 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Ravallion, Martin Identifying Welfare Effects from Subjective Questions
    Keywords: Bank ; Current Income ; Economic Theory and Research ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Financial Support ; Future Incomes ; Household Income ; Household Incomes ; Income ; Incomes ; Inequality ; Information ; Labor Policies ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Money ; Monthly Income ; Personality Tra Personality Traits ; Population ; Poverty Diagnostics ; Poverty Impact Evaluation ; Poverty Monitoring and Analysis ; Poverty Reduction ; Psychological Traits ; Questionnaire ; Savings ; Services and Transfers to Poor ; Social Protections and Labor ; Unemployed ; Unemployment ; Welfare ; Bank ; Current Income ; Economic Theory and Research ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Financial Support ; Future Incomes ; Household Income ; Household Incomes ; Income ; Incomes ; Inequality ; Information ; Labor Policies ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Money ; Monthly Income ; Personality Tra Personality Traits ; Population ; Poverty Diagnostics ; Poverty Impact Evaluation ; Poverty Monitoring and Analysis ; Poverty Reduction ; Psychological Traits ; Questionnaire ; Savings ; Services and Transfers to Poor ; Social Protections and Labor ; Unemployed ; Unemployment ; Welfare
    Abstract: March 2000 - In subjective surveys, people who become ill or lose their jobs report reduced well-being, even if they later get a job. Perhaps their exposure to uninsured risk outside the formal employment sector reduces their expectations about future income. Do potential biases cloud the inferences that can be drawn from subjective surveys? Ravallion and Lokshin argue that the welfare inferences drawn from subjective answers to questions on qualitative surveys are clouded by concerns about the structure of measurement errors and how latent psychological factors influence observed respondent characteristics. They propose a panel data model that allows more robust tests. In applying the model to high-quality panel data for Russia for 1994-96, they find that some results widely reported in past studies of subjective well-being appear to be robust but others do not. Household income, for example, is a highly significant predictor of self-rated economic welfare; per capita income is a weaker predictor. Ill health and loss of a job reduce self-reported economic welfare, but demographic effects are weak at a given current income. And the effect of unemployment is not robust. Returning to work does not restore a sense of welfare unless there is an income gain. The results imply that even transient unemployment brings the feeling of a permanent welfare loss, suggesting that high unemployment benefits do not attract people out of work but do discourage a return to work. This paper - a product of Poverty and Human Resources, Development Research Group - is part of a larger effort in the group to understand the relationship between subjective and objective economic welfare. The authors may be contacted at mravallionworldbank.org and mlokshin@worldbank.org
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  • 63
    Online Resource
    Online Resource
    Washington, D.C : The World Bank
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (86 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Peria, Maria The Impact of Banking Crises on Money Demand and Price Stability
    Keywords: Central Banks ; Currencies and Exchange Rates ; Debt Markets ; Demand ; Demand For Money ; Deregulation ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Equations ; Exchange ; Exchange Rates ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Intermediation ; Financial Literacy ; Fiscal and Monetary Policy ; Government Bonds ; Inflation ; Interest ; Interest Rates ; Labor Policies ; M2 ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Markets and Market Access ; Monetary Policy ; Money ; Multipliers ; Prices ; Private Sector Development ; Public Sector Development ; Social Protections and Labor ; Stock ; Stock Prices ; T-Bills ; Variables ; Central Banks ; Currencies and Exchange Rates ; Debt Markets ; Demand ; Demand For Money ; Deregulation ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Equations ; Exchange ; Exchange Rates ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Intermediation ; Financial Literacy ; Fiscal and Monetary Policy ; Government Bonds ; Inflation ; Interest ; Interest Rates ; Labor Policies ; M2 ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Markets and Market Access ; Monetary Policy ; Money ; Multipliers ; Prices ; Private Sector Development ; Public Sector Development ; Social Protections and Labor ; Stock ; Stock Prices ; T-Bills ; Variables
    Abstract: March 2000 - Policymakers in countries undergoing banking crises should not worry about the structural stability of money demand functions; the behavior of money demand during crises can be modeled by the same function used during periods of tranquility. But policymakers should be aware that in some instances crises can give rise to variance instability in the price or inflation equations. Martinez Peria empirically investigates the monetary impact of banking crises in Chile, Colombia, Denmark, Japan, Kenya, Malaysia, and Uruguay. She uses cointegration analysis and error correction modeling to research: · Whether money demand stability is threatened by banking crises. · Whether crises bring about structural breaks in the relationship between monetary indicators and prices. Overall, she finds no systematic evidence that banking crises cause money demand instability. Nor do the results consistently support the notion that the relationship between monetary indicators and prices undergoes structural breaks during crises. However, although individual coefficients in price equations do not seem to be severely affected by crises, crises can sometimes give rise to variance instability in price or inflation equations. This paper - a product of Finance, Development Research Group - is part of a larger effort in the group to study banking crises. The study was funded by the Bank's Research Support Budget under the research project Monetary Policy and Monetary Indicators during Banking Crises (RPO 683-24). The author may be contacted at mmartinezperiaworldbank.org
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  • 64
    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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  • 65
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (50 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Hellman, S. Joel Measuring Governance, Corruption, and State Capture
    Keywords: Banks and Banking Reform ; Bureaucracy ; Citizens ; Corporate Governance ; Corruption ; Corruption and Anticorruption Law ; Debt Markets ; Decrees ; Emerging Markets ; Federation ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Foreign Investors ; Governance ; Governance ; Governance Indicators ; Governments ; Infrastructure Economics and Finance ; Investment Climate ; Law ; Legal Framework ; Legislation ; Microfinance ; National Governance ; Private Participation in Infrastructure ; Private Sector Development ; Public Officials ; Public Procurement ; Public Sector Corruption and Anticorruption Measures ; Regulation ; Small Scale Enterprises ; State ; State Intervention ; States ; Transparency ; Banks and Banking Reform ; Bureaucracy ; Citizens ; Corporate Governance ; Corruption ; Corruption and Anticorruption Law ; Debt Markets ; Decrees ; Emerging Markets ; Federation ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Foreign Investors ; Governance ; Governance ; Governance Indicators ; Governments ; Infrastructure Economics and Finance ; Investment Climate ; Law ; Legal Framework ; Legislation ; Microfinance ; National Governance ; Private Participation in Infrastructure ; Private Sector Development ; Public Officials ; Public Procurement ; Public Sector Corruption and Anticorruption Measures ; Regulation ; Small Scale Enterprises ; State ; State Intervention ; States ; Transparency
    Abstract: April 2000 - In a new approach to measuring typically subjective variables, BEEPS - the 1999 Business Environment and Enterprise Performance Survey, the transition economies component of the World Business Environment Survey - quantitatively assesses governance from the perspective of about 3,000 firms in 20 countries. Unbundling the measurement of governance and corruption empirically suggests the importance of grand corruption in some countries, manifested in state capture by the corporate sector - through the purchase of decrees and legislation - and by graft in procurement. As a symptom of fundamental institutional weaknesses, corruption needs to be viewed within a broader governance framework. It thrives where the state is unable to reign over its bureaucracy, to protect property and contractual rights, or to provide institutions that support the rule of law. Furthermore, governance failures at the national level cannot be isolated from the interface between the corporate and state sectors, in particular from the heretofore underemphasized influence that firms may exert on the state. Under certain conditions, corporate strategies may exacerbate misgovernance at the national level. An in-depth empirical assessment of the links between corporate behavior and national governance can thus provide particular insights. The 1999 Business Environment and Enterprise Performance Survey (BEEPS) - the transition economies component of the ongoing World Business Environment Survey - assesses in detail the various dimensions of governance from the perspective of about 3,000 firms in 20 countries. After introducing the survey framework and measurement approach, Hellman, Jones, Kaufmann, and Schankerman present the survey results, focusing on governance, corruption, and state capture. By unbundling governance into its many dimensions, BEEPS permits an in-depth empirical assessment. The authors pay special attention to certain forms of grand corruption, notably state capture by parts of the corporate sector - that is, the propensity of firms to shape the underlying rules of the game by purchasing decrees, legislation, and influence at the central bank, which is found to be prevalent in a number of transition economies. The survey also measures other dimensions of grand corruption, including those associated with public procurement, and quantifies the more traditional (pettier) forms of corruption. Cross-country surveys may suffer from bias if firms tend to systematically over- or underestimate the extent of problems within their country. The authors provide a new test for this potential bias, finding little evidence of country perception bias in BEEPS. This paper - a joint product of Governance, Regulation, and Finance, World Bank Institute, and the Chief Economist's Office, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development - is part of a larger program to measure governance and corruption worldwide. A companion working paper that econometrically analyzes the effects of state capture is forthcoming. For further details, visit www.worldbank.org/wbi/governance. The authors may be contacted at dkaufmannworldbank.org or hellmanj@ebrd.com
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  • 66
    Online Resource
    Online Resource
    Washington, D.C : The World Bank
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (72 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Alcázar, Lorena The Buenos Aires Water Concession
    Keywords: Debt Markets ; Decision Making ; Economics ; Emerging Markets ; Environment ; Environmental Economics and Policies ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Incentives ; Income ; Industry ; Information ; Information Asymmetries ; Infrastructure Economics ; Infrastructure Economics and Finance ; Interest ; Investment ; Marginal Cost ; Outcomes ; Perverse Incentives ; Prices ; Private Sector Development ; Productivity ; Regulation ; Revenues ; Supply ; Taking ; Tariffs ; Town Water Supply and Sanitation ; Urban Water Supply and Sanitation ; Water ; Water Conservation ; Water Resources ; Water Supply and Sanitation ; Water Supply and Sanitation Governance and Institutions ; Water and Industry ; Welfare Effects ; Debt Markets ; Decision Making ; Economics ; Emerging Markets ; Environment ; Environmental Economics and Policies ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Incentives ; Income ; Industry ; Information ; Information Asymmetries ; Infrastructure Economics ; Infrastructure Economics and Finance ; Interest ; Investment ; Marginal Cost ; Outcomes ; Perverse Incentives ; Prices ; Private Sector Development ; Productivity ; Regulation ; Revenues ; Supply ; Taking ; Tariffs ; Town Water Supply and Sanitation ; Urban Water Supply and Sanitation ; Water ; Water Conservation ; Water Resources ; Water Supply and Sanitation ; Water Supply and Sanitation Governance and Institutions ; Water and Industry ; Welfare Effects
    Abstract: April 2000 - Transparent, rule-based decisionmaking is important to maintaining public trust in regulated infrastructure. The Buenos Aires water and sanitation concession led to remarkable improvements in delivery and coverage of services and to lower prices for consumers. But a poor information base, lack of transparency in regulatory decisions, and the ad hoc nature of executive branch interventions make it difficult to reassure consumers that their welfare is being protected and that the concession is sustainable. The signing of a concession contract for the Buenos Aires water and sanitation system in December 1992 attracted worldwide attention and caused considerable controversy in Argentina. It was one of the world's largest concessions, but the case was also interesting for other reasons. The concession was implemented rapidly, in contrast with slow implementation of privatization in Santiago, for example. And reform generated major improvements in the sector, including wider coverage, better service, more efficient company operations, and reduced waste. Moreover, the winning bid brought an immediate 26.9 percent reduction in water system tariffs. Consumers benefited from the system's expansion and from the immediate drop in real prices, which was only partly reversed by subsequent changes in tariffs and access charges. And these improvements would probably not have occurred under public administration of the system. Still, as Alcázar, Abdala, and Shirley show, information asymmetries, perverse incentives, and weak regulatory institutions could threaten the concession's sustainability. Opportunities for the company to act opportunistically - and the regulator, arbitrarily - exist because of politicized regulation, a poor information base, serious flaws in the concession contract, a lumpy and ad hoc tariff system, and a general lack of transparency in the regulatory process. Because of these circumstances, public confidence in the process has eroded. The Buenos Aires concession shows how important transparent, rule-based decisionmaking is to maintaining public trust in regulated infrastructure. This paper - a product of Regulation and Competition Policy, Development Research Group - is part of a larger effort in the group to analyze institutional issues in regulated infrastructure. The study was funded by the Bank's Research Support Budget under the research project Institutions, Politics, and Contracts: Private Sector Participation in Urban Water Supply (RPO 681-87). Mary Shirley may be contacted at mshirleyworldbank.org
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  • 67
    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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  • 68
    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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  • 69
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (26 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Ravallion, Martin What Can We Learn about Country Performance from Conditional Comparisons across Countries?
    Keywords: Crime and Society ; Developing Countries ; Development Assistance ; Development Policy ; Dissemination ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Health Care ; Health Systems Development and Reform ; Health, Nutrition and Population ; Household Income ; Human Development ; Income Inequality ; Inequality ; Infant ; Infant Mortality ; Knowledge ; Level Of Poverty ; Life Expectancy ; Policy Discussions ; Policy Implications ; Population ; Population Policies ; Poverty ; Poverty Reduction ; Practitioners ; Pro-Poor Growth ; Services and Transfers to Poor ; Social Development ; Social Policies ; Social Services ; Crime and Society ; Developing Countries ; Development Assistance ; Development Policy ; Dissemination ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Health Care ; Health Systems Development and Reform ; Health, Nutrition and Population ; Household Income ; Human Development ; Income Inequality ; Inequality ; Infant ; Infant Mortality ; Knowledge ; Level Of Poverty ; Life Expectancy ; Policy Discussions ; Policy Implications ; Population ; Population Policies ; Poverty ; Poverty Reduction ; Practitioners ; Pro-Poor Growth ; Services and Transfers to Poor ; Social Development ; Social Policies ; Social Services
    Abstract: May 2000 - Existing methods for assessing latent country or institutional performance can yield deceptive results. There have been many attempts to infer latent performance attributes of governments (or other institutions) from conditional comparisons that control for observed variables. Success in doing so could greatly improve government performance. Ravallion critically reviews the econometric foundations of the methods used. He argues that latent heterogeneity remains a fundamental but unresolved problem. Locating a benchmark for measuring performance adds a further problem. Current methods do not yield a consistent estimate of even the mean latent performance attribute. An assessment of country performance by these methods could well be wildly wrong. This paper - a product of Poverty and Human Resources, Development Research Group - is part of a larger effort in the group to assess and improve methods for monitoring and assessing country performance. The study was funded by the Bank's Research Support Budget under the research project Policies for Poor Areas (RPO 681-39). The author may be contacted at mravallionworldbank.org
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  • 70
    Online Resource
    Online Resource
    Washington, D.C : The World Bank
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (40 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Honohan, Patrick Fiscal Contingency Planning for Banking Crises
    Keywords: Accounting ; Balance Sheet ; Banking Crises ; Banks and Banking Reform ; Budget ; Contingency Planning ; Conversion ; Debt Markets ; Depositors ; Emerging Markets ; Expenditure ; Expenditures ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Instruments ; Financial Literacy ; Fiscal Authorities ; Fiscal Policy ; Future ; Liabilities ; Liability ; Monetary Authorities ; Moral Hazard ; Private Sector Development ; Revenue ; Tax ; Tax Rates ; Accounting ; Balance Sheet ; Banking Crises ; Banks and Banking Reform ; Budget ; Contingency Planning ; Conversion ; Debt Markets ; Depositors ; Emerging Markets ; Expenditure ; Expenditures ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Instruments ; Financial Literacy ; Fiscal Authorities ; Fiscal Policy ; Future ; Liabilities ; Liability ; Monetary Authorities ; Moral Hazard ; Private Sector Development ; Revenue ; Tax ; Tax Rates
    Abstract: November 1999 - Estimating the likely fiscal costs of future banking crises requires information about the size and composition of the banks' balance sheets and expert assessments about the accuracy of the accounting data and about certain short-term risks. There is constant demand for an estimate of the likely fiscal costs of future banking crises, but little precision can be expected in such an estimate. Honohan shows how information that is typically available to authorities could be used to get a general sense of the order of magnitude of the direct fiscal liability. What is required for such an estimate? · Information about the size and composition of the banks' balance sheets. · Expert assessments of the accuracy of the accounting data and of specific short-term risks to which the components are known to be subject. Honohan's method distinguishes between losses that have already crystallized and the changing risks for the immediate future. By including contingency planning for banking collapse in their fiscal calculations, authorities may risk destabilizing expectations or worsening the moral hazard in the system. But the risks of contingency planning generally outweigh the risks of sending confused signals. Insisting on ignorance is a poor way to protect against announcement errors that trigger panic. This paper - a product of Finance, Development Research Group - was produced for the Poverty Reduction and Economic Management Network thematic group studying the quality of fiscal adjustment. The author may be contacted at phonohanworldbank.org
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  • 71
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (48 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Soloaga, Isidro What's Behind Mercosur's Common External Tariff?
    Keywords: Currencies and Exchange Rates ; Debt Markets ; Domestic Market ; Economic Policy ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; External Tariff ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Free Trade ; International Economics & Trade ; International Market ; International Markets ; International Prices ; International Trade ; International Trade and Trade Rules ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Markets and Market Access ; Multilateral System ; Political Economy ; Private Sector Development ; Public Sector Development ; Regionalism ; Share Of World Exports ; Tariff Data ; Tariff Levels ; Tariff Structures ; Tariffs ; Terms Of Trade ; Trade ; Trade Effects ; Trade Externalities ; Trade Policy ; Trade Policy ; World Prices ; Currencies and Exchange Rates ; Debt Markets ; Domestic Market ; Economic Policy ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; External Tariff ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Free Trade ; International Economics & Trade ; International Market ; International Markets ; International Prices ; International Trade ; International Trade and Trade Rules ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Markets and Market Access ; Multilateral System ; Political Economy ; Private Sector Development ; Public Sector Development ; Regionalism ; Share Of World Exports ; Tariff Data ; Tariff Levels ; Tariff Structures ; Tariffs ; Terms Of Trade ; Trade ; Trade Effects ; Trade Externalities ; Trade Policy ; Trade Policy ; World Prices
    Abstract: Most researchers focus on the political economy (interest group pressures) approach to analyzing why customs unions are formed, but terms-of-trade effects were also important in formation of the Common Market of the Southern Cone (Mercosur). Terms-of-trade externalities among Mercosur's members have been internalized in the common external tariff. - The theoretical literature on trade follows two different approaches to explaining the endogenous formation of customs unions: (1) The terms-of-trade approach, in which integrating partners are willing to exploit terms-of-trade effects. Using the terms-of-trade approach, one concludes that tariffs on imports from the rest of the world should increase after the formation of a regional bloc, because the market power of the region increases and terms-of-trade externalities can be internalized in the custom union's common external tariff. As the union forms, the domestic market gets larger and members' international market power increases. (2) The interest group pressures (political economy) approach, in which, for example, the customs union may offer the potential for exchanging markets or protection within the enlarged market. Using this approach, one would usually conclude that tariffs for the rest of the world decline after the custom union's formation - a rationale related to free-rider effects in larger lobbying groups. It is important to recognize the forces behind the formation of customs unions. Most researchers have focused on the second approach and neglected terms of trade as a possible explanatory variable. Both rationales explain a significant share of tariff information. Results, write Olarreaga, Soloaga, and Winters, suggest that both forces were important in formation of the Common Market of the Southern Cone (Mercosur). Terms-of-trade effects account for between 6 percent and 28 percent of the explained variation in the structure of protection. There is also evidence that the terms-of-trade externalities among Mercosur's members have been internalized in the common external tariff. This paper - a product of Trade, Development Research Group - is part of a larger effort in the group to understand the political economy of trade protection. Marcelo Olarreaga may be contacted at molarreagaworldbank.org
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  • 72
    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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  • 73
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (30 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Giugale, Marcelo A New Model for Market-Based Regulation of Subnational Borrowing
    Keywords: Bank ; Banks ; Banks and Banking Reform ; Borrowing ; Capital ; Commercial Banks ; Cred Debt ; Debt Markets ; Decentralization ; Deposits ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Externalities ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Intermediation ; Financial Literacy ; Financial Performance ; Governments ; Institutional Development ; Interest ; Interest Rates ; Lending ; Loans ; Macroeconomic Stability ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Moral Hazard ; Private Sector Development ; Risk ; Bank ; Banks ; Banks and Banking Reform ; Borrowing ; Capital ; Commercial Banks ; Cred Debt ; Debt Markets ; Decentralization ; Deposits ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Externalities ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Intermediation ; Financial Literacy ; Financial Performance ; Governments ; Institutional Development ; Interest ; Interest Rates ; Lending ; Loans ; Macroeconomic Stability ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Moral Hazard ; Private Sector Development ; Risk
    Abstract: July 2000 - To bring fiscal discipline to state and municipal governments, Mexico's federal government has established a two-pillar framework that explicitly renounces federal bail-outs and establishes a Basel-consistent link between the capital-risk weighting of bank loans to subnational governments and the borrower's credit rating. Whether the framework succeeds will depend partly on market assessments of the government's commitment to enforce bank capital rules and refrain from bailing out defaulting subnational governments. Faced with weak subnational finances that pose a risk to macroeconomic stability, Mexico's federal government in April 2000 established an innovative incentive framework to bring fiscal discipline to state and municipal governments. That framework is based on two pillars: an explicit renunciation of federal bail-outs and a Basel-consistent link between the capital-risk weighting of bank loans to subnational governments and the borrower's credit rating. In theory, this new regulatory arrangement should reduce moral hazard among banks and their state and municipal clients; differentiate interest rates on the basis of the borrowers' creditworthiness; and elicit a strong demand for institutional development at the subnational level. But its success will depend on three factors critical to implementation: · Whether markets find the federal commitment not to bail out defaulting subnational governments credible. · Whether subnational governments have access to financing other than bank loans. · How well bank capital rules are enforced. This paper - a product of the Mexico- Country Department and Poverty Reduction and Economic Management Sector Unit, Latin America and the Caribbean Region - is part of a larger effort in the region to understand the subnational underpinnings of sustainable, national economic framework. The authors may be contacted at mgiugaleworldbank.org, akorobow@worldbank.org, or swebb@worldbank.org
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  • 74
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (26 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Ghani, Ejaz Productivity Growth, Capital Accumulation, and the Banking Sector
    Keywords: Accounting ; Accounting Framework ; Bank ; Banking ; Banking Sector ; Banking System ; Banks ; Banks and Banking Reform ; Capital ; Capital Employed ; Cred Debt ; Debt Markets ; Economic Growth ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Foreign Exchange ; Labor ; Labor Policies ; Lending ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Poverty Reduction ; Private Sector Development ; Pro-Poor Growth ; Productivity ; Projects ; Risk ; Risk Management ; Savings ; Social Protections and Labor ; Wages ; Accounting ; Accounting Framework ; Bank ; Banking ; Banking Sector ; Banking System ; Banks ; Banks and Banking Reform ; Capital ; Capital Employed ; Cred Debt ; Debt Markets ; Economic Growth ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Foreign Exchange ; Labor ; Labor Policies ; Lending ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Poverty Reduction ; Private Sector Development ; Pro-Poor Growth ; Productivity ; Projects ; Risk ; Risk Management ; Savings ; Social Protections and Labor ; Wages
    Abstract: How did the East Asian miracle turn into one of the worst financial crises of the century? A case study of Malaysia provides some answers. - How did the East Asian miracle turn into one of the worst financial crises of the century? Ghani and Suri address the question using Malaysia as a case study. Many discussions of the East Asian crisis address proximate and short-run causes of the crisis, such as the current account deficit, exchange rate misalignment, and disproportionate short-run external debt relative to foreign exchange reserves. These indicators of vulnerability are themselves endogenous outcomes of deeper institutional features. Ghani and Suri argue that some long-term features of the development strategy that helped sustain high growth in the first place also contributed to the economy's increasing vulnerability. High output growth was driven by rapid growth in capital stock, for example. The banking sector played a critical role in transforming (and accelerating the transformation of) large savings into capital accumulation. But the banking sector may not have been allocating capital efficiently. Ghani and Suri find that the rapid growth in bank lending in Malaysia is negatively associated with total factor productivity growth. On the other hand, the economy's other structural strengths, such as openness to foreign direct investment and technology, helped improve productivity growth. Malaysia's exceptional growth record over the past quarter century was driven largely by the growth in physical capital stock. Total factor productivity growth may have slowed in the late 1990s, and sustaining high output growth will require greater emphasis on productivity improvements. Policies that encouraged the flow of foreign direct investment and better access to imported capital goods contributed to productivity growth. But rapid growth in bank lending relative to GDP may have slowed it. How policymakers can best slow the growth of credit is a question that remains unanswered. This paper - a product of the Poverty Reduction and Economic Management Sector Unit, East Asia and Pacific Region - is part of a larger effort in the region to better understand past and future sources of growth. The authors may be contacted at eghaniworldbank.org or vsuri@worldbank.org
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  • 75
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (20 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Beck, Thorsten Impediments to the Development and Efficiency of Financial Intermediation in Brazil
    Keywords: Accounting ; Accounting Standards ; Banks and Banking Reform ; Bond Markets ; Borrowers ; Contract ; Contract Enforcement ; Credit Information ; Credit Information Systems ; Debt Markets ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Enforceability ; Enforceability Of Contracts ; Enforcement Of Contracts ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Development ; Financial Institutions ; Financial Literacy ; Interest ; Liabilities ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Private Bond ; Private Sector Development ; Regulatory Framework ; Stock ; Stock Markets ; Unsecured Creditors ; Accounting ; Accounting Standards ; Banks and Banking Reform ; Bond Markets ; Borrowers ; Contract ; Contract Enforcement ; Credit Information ; Credit Information Systems ; Debt Markets ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Enforceability ; Enforceability Of Contracts ; Enforcement Of Contracts ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Development ; Financial Institutions ; Financial Literacy ; Interest ; Liabilities ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Private Bond ; Private Sector Development ; Regulatory Framework ; Stock ; Stock Markets ; Unsecured Creditors
    Abstract: June 2000 - To improve on the low level and low efficiency of Brazil's financial intermediation (and hence economic growth), Brazil needs reforms leading to a more efficient judicial sector, better enforcement of contracts, stronger rights for creditors, stronger accounting standards and practices, and a legal and regulatory framework that facilitates the exchange of information about borrowers. Reforms to improve both the level and the efficiency of financial intermediation in Brazil should be high on Brazilian policymakers' agendas, because of the financial sector's importance to economic growth. This means that Brazil must also improve the legal and regulatory environment in which its financial institutions operate. Brazil is weak in important components of such an environment: the rights of secured and unsecured creditors, the enforcement of contracts, and the sharing of credit information among intermediaries. Recent reforms, such as the extension of alienação fiduciaria to housing, the introduction of cédula de crédito bancario, the legal separation of principal and interest, and improvements in credit information systems, are useful steps in strengthening the framework. But more is needed. Reforms that will significantly increase the level and efficiency of financial intermediation and have a positive impact on economic growth include: · A more efficient judicial sector and better enforcement of contracts. · Stronger rights for secured and unsecured creditors. · Stronger accounting standards and practices, to improve the quality of information available about borrowers. · The development of a legal and regulatory framework that facilitates the exchange among financial institutions of both negative and positive information about borrowers. This paper - a product of the Financial Sector Strategy and Policy Department - is part of a larger effort in the department to better understand the link between financial development and economic growth, with application to Brazil. The author may be contacted at tbeckworldbank.org
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  • 76
    Online Resource
    Online Resource
    Washington, D.C : The World Bank
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (24 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Green, Richard Regulators and the Poor
    Keywords: Bank Transfers ; Customer ; Customers ; Debt Markets ; E-Business ; Economic Theory and Research ; Electricity ; Emerging Markets ; Energy ; Energy Production and Transportation ; Fax ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Information ; Information Services ; Legal Framework ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Markets and Market Access ; Network ; Networks ; Price ; Prices ; Private Sector Development ; Result ; Telecommunications ; Telephone ; Telephone Services ; Universal Service ; Universal Service Obligation ; Universal Service Obligations ; User ; Bank Transfers ; Customer ; Customers ; Debt Markets ; E-Business ; Economic Theory and Research ; Electricity ; Emerging Markets ; Energy ; Energy Production and Transportation ; Fax ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Information ; Information Services ; Legal Framework ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Markets and Market Access ; Network ; Networks ; Price ; Prices ; Private Sector Development ; Result ; Telecommunications ; Telephone ; Telephone Services ; Universal Service ; Universal Service Obligation ; Universal Service Obligations ; User
    Abstract: July 2000 - The United Kingdom generally fights poverty directly-through the government's benefit system-and not through utilities. But British regulators have taken certain measures that help utility consumers (mostly, but not always, poor consumers). Other countries may be able to copy some of their techniques. Green studies a number of ways in which British regulators have helped poorer consumers. British Telecommunications offers a lower user tariff and a very cheap service with most outgoing calls barred, to attract customers who could not afford the full service. The gas regulator has taken action to reduce price differentials between customers who pay in cash (mostly, but not always, poor customers) and those who pay with bank transfers (mostly, but not always, better off customers). The electricity industry faces a series of rules and codes of practice governing its dealings with domestic consumers. Some of these schemes will help all consumers; others are aimed at, but not exclusive to, the poor. One challenge facing utilities in some countries is that of expanding their networks to reach millions of unserved (mostly poor) customers. The United Kingdom achieved nearly universal service in geographical terms while the utilities were state-owned. The utilities were serving some customers who were already profitable and were simply required to serve others, who might not be. It might be possible to grant a concession, or privatize a new company, on a similar basis of bundling social obligations with opportunities for profit, but it will be important to ensure that obligations are performed properly. U.K. regulators have been fairly successful at protecting existing customers; other countries may be able to copy some of their techniques. 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 r.j.greenecon.hull.ac.uk
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  • 77
    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: Lokshin, Michael Child Care and Women's Labor Force Participation in Romania
    Keywords: Age ; Child Care ; Child Development ; Children ; Children and Youth ; Early Childhood ; Education ; Employment Of Women ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Gender ; Gender and Law ; Health Systems Development and Reform ; Health, Nutrition and Population ; Household Income ; Human Capital ; Labor Force ; Labor Markets ; Labor Policies ; Labor Supply ; Law and Development ; Mother ; Nutrition ; Physical Health ; Policy ; Population Policies ; Poverty ; Primary Education ; Respect ; Social Protections and Labor ; Street Children ; Urban Development ; Wages ; Workforce ; Working Mothers ; Young Women ; Youth and Government ; Age ; Child Care ; Child Development ; Children ; Children and Youth ; Early Childhood ; Education ; Employment Of Women ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Gender ; Gender and Law ; Health Systems Development and Reform ; Health, Nutrition and Population ; Household Income ; Human Capital ; Labor Force ; Labor Markets ; Labor Policies ; Labor Supply ; Law and Development ; Mother ; Nutrition ; Physical Health ; Policy ; Population Policies ; Poverty ; Primary Education ; Respect ; Social Protections and Labor ; Street Children ; Urban Development ; Wages ; Workforce ; Working Mothers ; Young Women ; Youth and Government
    Abstract: July 2000 - In Romania both the maternal decision to take a job and the decision to use out-of-home care are sensitive to the price of child care as well as to the potential market wage of the mother. A decrease in the price of child care can increase the number of mothers in the labor force and thus reduce poverty in some households. Fong and Lokshin model the household demand for child care, the mother's participation in the labor force, and her working hours in Romania. Their model estimates the effects of the price of child care, the mother's wage, and household income on household behavior relating to child care and mothers working outside the home. They find that: · Both the maternal decision to take a job and the decision to use out-of-home care are sensitive to the price of child care. A decrease in the price of child care can increase the number of mothers who work and thus reduce poverty in some households. · The potential market wage of the mother has a significant positive effect on the decision to purchase market care and the decision to engage in paid employment. · The level of household nonwage income has little effect on maternal employment and the demand for child care. In addition to facilitating women's work, kindergartens and crèches appear to provide educational and social benefits for children. Close to half the children in these facilities have mothers who do not work. Further research is needed to assess the cost and nature of these benefits and to determine the appropriate roles for the private and public sectors in providing, financing, and regulating such services for working and nonworking mothers. This paper-a product of Poverty and Human Resources, Development Research Group-is part of a larger effort in the group to understand the role of gender in the context of the household, institutions, and society. Michael Lokshin may be contacted at mlokshinworldbank.org
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  • 78
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (28 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Salinas, Angel Marginal Willingness to Pay for Education and the Determinants of Enrollment in Mexico
    Keywords: Education ; Education ; Education Facilities ; Education for All ; Educational Expenditure ; Educational Expenditures ; Educational Levels ; Educational Policy ; Educational Reforms ; Educational Services ; Effective Schools and Teachers ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Gender ; Gender and Education ; Health, Nutrition and Population ; Population Policies ; Poverty Reduction ; Primary Education ; Primary Level ; Private Schools ; Public Schools ; Public Sector Management and Reform ; Rural Development ; Rural Poverty Reduction ; School ; School Attendance ; School Enrollment ; School Fees ; School Level ; School Quality ; Schooling ; Secondary Education ; Secondary School ; Tertiary Education ; Textbooks ; Education ; Education ; Education Facilities ; Education for All ; Educational Expenditure ; Educational Expenditures ; Educational Levels ; Educational Policy ; Educational Reforms ; Educational Services ; Effective Schools and Teachers ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Gender ; Gender and Education ; Health, Nutrition and Population ; Population Policies ; Poverty Reduction ; Primary Education ; Primary Level ; Private Schools ; Public Schools ; Public Sector Management and Reform ; Rural Development ; Rural Poverty Reduction ; School ; School Attendance ; School Enrollment ; School Fees ; School Level ; School Quality ; Schooling ; Secondary Education ; Secondary School ; Tertiary Education ; Textbooks
    Abstract: July 2000 - The best way to increase school enrollment in Mexico is to successfully target public spending on education to poor households. Currently, nonpoor households in urban areas get much of the subsidy benefit from the government provision of education services. Standard benefit-incidence analysis assumes that the subsidy and quality of education services are the same for all income deciles. This strong assumption tends to minimize the distributional inequity at various education levels. Using a new approach emphasizing marginal willingness to pay for education, Lopez-Acevedo and Salinas analyze the impact of public spending on the education spending behavior of the average household. They address several questions: What would an average household with a given set of characteristics be willing to spend on an individual child with given traits if subsidized public education facilities were unavailable? What would the household have saved by sending the child to public school rather than private school? How great are these savings for various income groups? What are the determinants of enrollment by income group and by location? How do individuals' education expenditures affect enrollment patterns? Among their findings: · The nonpoor households in urban areas get much of the subsidy, or savings, from government provision of education services. · The wealthy value private education more than the poor do. · Differences in school quality are greater at the primary level. In other words, wealthy households get the lion's share of benefits from public spending on education. Household school enrollment and transition to the next level of schooling depend heavily on the cost of schooling, how far the head of the household went in school, the per capita household income, and the housing facilities or services. But the government's effort also affects the probability of enrollment and transition. The probability of enrollment is much higher for the 40 percent of higher-income households in urban areas than it is for the 40 percent of lower-income households in rural areas. The best way to increase school enrollment is to successfully target public spending on education to poor households. This paper-a product of the Economic Policy Sector Unit and the 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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  • 79
    Online Resource
    Online Resource
    Washington, D.C : The World Bank
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (40 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Belser, Patrick Vietnam
    Keywords: Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Employment ; Employment Growth ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Household Survey ; Human Resources ; International Economics & Trade ; Jobs ; Labor ; Labor Market ; Labor Market Reforms ; Labor Markets ; Labor Policies ; Labor Productivity ; Labor Regulations ; Labor-Intensive Growth ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Minimum Wages ; Private Companies ; Private Sector ; Private Sector Development ; Productivity Gap ; Productivity Growth ; Public Sector Development ; Social Protections and Labor ; Total Employment ; Total Labor Force ; Trade Policy ; Worker ; Workers ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Employment ; Employment Growth ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Household Survey ; Human Resources ; International Economics & Trade ; Jobs ; Labor ; Labor Market ; Labor Market Reforms ; Labor Markets ; Labor Policies ; Labor Productivity ; Labor Regulations ; Labor-Intensive Growth ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Minimum Wages ; Private Companies ; Private Sector ; Private Sector Development ; Productivity Gap ; Productivity Growth ; Public Sector Development ; Social Protections and Labor ; Total Employment ; Total Labor Force ; Trade Policy ; Worker ; Workers
    Abstract: July 2000 - Between 1993 and 1997, Vietnam was one of the fastest growing economies, with GDP increasing almost 9 percent a year and the industrial sector expanding roughly 13 percent a year. But did employment also grow at a fast pace? And is Vietnam due for labor-intensive growth? Since Vietnam's adoption of the doi moi or renovation policy in 1986, the country has been undergoing the transition from central planning to a socialist market-oriented economy. This has translated into strong economic growth, led by the industrial sector, which expanded more than 13 percent a year from 1993 to 1997. Vietnamese policymakers are concerned, however, that employment growth has lagged. To address this concern, Belser compares new employment data from the Vietnam Living Standards Survey (VLSS 2), completed in 1997-98, with data from the first household survey undertaken in 1992-93. He shows that in 1993-97, industrial employment grew an average of about 4 percent a year, which is low compared with industrial GDP growth. This slower growth was attributable to the capital-intensive, import-substituting nature of the state sector and foreign investment, which dominate industry. The more labor-intensive, export-oriented domestic private sector is still small, although growing quickly. In the future, growth promises to become more labor-intensive. Before the Asian crisis there were signs of an emerging export-oriented sector. Using previous statistical analysis (Wood and Mayer 1998) as well as factor content calculations, Belser estimates that given Vietnam's endowment of natural and human resources, Vietnam could triple its manufacturing exports and create about 1.6 million manufacturing jobs in export sectors in the near future. After examining Vietnam's labor regulations, Belser concludes that there is no need for basic reform of the labor market. At current levels, minimum wages and nonwage regulations (even if better enforced) are unlikely to inhibit development of the private sector or hurt export competitiveness. But a restrictive interpretation of the Labor Code's provisions on terminating employment could hurt foreign investment, reduce the speed of reform in the state sector, and slow the reallocation of resources to the domestic private sector. This paper - a product of the Vietnam Country Office, East Asia and Pacific Region - was prepared as a background paper for the Vietnam Development Report 2000, Vietnam: Attacking Poverty, a joint report of the Government of Vietnam-Donor-NGO Poverty Working Group. The author may be contacted at pbelserworldbank.org
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  • 80
    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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  • 81
    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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  • 82
    Online Resource
    Online Resource
    Washington, D.C : The World Bank
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (24 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Broadman, G. Harry Reducing Structural Dominance and Entry Barriers in Russian Industry
    Keywords: Banks and Banking Reform ; Barriers ; Barriers To Entry ; Business Environment ; Business Investment ; Competition ; Competition Policy ; Competitive Market ; Debt Markets ; Developing Countries ; E-Business ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; International Accounting Standards ; Liberalization ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Market Share ; Market Shares ; Markets and Market Access ; Microfinance ; Monopoly ; Output ; Price ; Prices ; Private Sector Development ; Privatization ; Public Sector Corruption and Anticorruption Measures ; Regional Trade ; Small Scale Enterprises ; Transparency ; Transport ; Transport Economics, Policy and Planning ; Vertical Integration ; Banks and Banking Reform ; Barriers ; Barriers To Entry ; Business Environment ; Business Investment ; Competition ; Competition Policy ; Competitive Market ; Debt Markets ; Developing Countries ; E-Business ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; International Accounting Standards ; Liberalization ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Market Share ; Market Shares ; Markets and Market Access ; Microfinance ; Monopoly ; Output ; Price ; Prices ; Private Sector Development ; Privatization ; Public Sector Corruption and Anticorruption Measures ; Regional Trade ; Small Scale Enterprises ; Transparency ; Transport ; Transport Economics, Policy and Planning ; Vertical Integration
    Abstract: May 2000 - The absence of new business in Russia is striking. Reforms to make Russia more competitive should start with eliminating regulatory and institutional barriers to the entry of new competitors. Many industrial firms in Russia have undergone changes in ownership, but relatively few have been competitively restructured. Using survey and other data, Broadman suggests that much of Russian industry is immune from robust competition because of heavy vertical integration, geographic segmentation, and the concentration of buyers and sellers in selected markets. Moreover, regulatory constraints protect incumbent firms from competition with new entrants, both domestic and foreign. Broadman sketches a reform agenda for Russia's post-privatization program, which emphasizes the restructuring of anticompetitive structures and the reduction of barriers to entry. Broadman's proposed reform agenda calls broadly for strengthening Russia's nascent rules-based framework for competition policy to reduce discretion, increase transparency, and improve accountability. This paper - a product of the Poverty Reduction and Economic Management Sector Unit, Europe and Central Asia Regional Office - is part of a larger effort in the region to assess structural reform in Russia. The author may be contacted at hbroadmanworldbank.org
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  • 83
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (54 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Noel, Michel Building Subnational Debt Markets in Developing and Transition Economies
    Keywords: Agency Problems ; Bond Market Players ; Debt Market ; Debt Markets ; Decentralization ; Domestic Bond ; Domestic Bond Market ; Domestic Debt ; Domestic Debt Markets ; Finance ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Sector Development ; Financial Systems ; Markets Development ; Sub-National Bond ; Sub-National Bond Market ; Sub-National Bond Markets ; Sub-National Debt ; Sub-National Debt Market ; Sub-National Debt Market Development ; Sub-National Debt Markets ; Transition Countries ; Agency Problems ; Bond Market Players ; Debt Market ; Debt Markets ; Decentralization ; Domestic Bond ; Domestic Bond Market ; Domestic Debt ; Domestic Debt Markets ; Finance ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Sector Development ; Financial Systems ; Markets Development ; Sub-National Bond ; Sub-National Bond Market ; Sub-National Bond Markets ; Sub-National Debt ; Sub-National Debt Market ; Sub-National Debt Market Development ; Sub-National Debt Markets ; Transition Countries
    Abstract: May 2000 - Because of the trend toward decentralization in more than 70 countries where the World Bank is active, subnational entities - states, regions, provinces, counties, and municipalities, and the local utility companies owned by them - are now responsible for delivering services and investing in infrastructure. And infrastructure investments are growing rapidly to meet increasing urban demand. How should the World Bank Group help? Subnational debt markets can be a powerful force in a country's development. Through delegated monitoring by financial intermediaries and through debt placed directly with investors, sub-national debt markets account for about 5 percent of GDP in Argentina and Brazil. But they remain embryonic in most developing and transition economies. To resolve a potential clash between the increased financing needs of subnational entities and the limited development of domestic subnational debt markets, it is critical to support the orderly, efficient emergence of such debt markets. As a framework for policy reform, the following steps (mirroring typical weaknesses) are prerequisites for developing a country's subnational debt market: · Reducing moral hazard. · Improving market transparency. · Strengthening market governance. · Establishing a level playing field. · Developing local capacity for accounting, budgeting, and financial management. In countries where the government shows a clear commitment to market development, says Noel, the IBRD should support the framework needed for policy-based operations that establish hard budget constraints. In doing so, the IBRD should concentrate on (1) supporting national and local capacity building in those areas essential for developing a subnational debt market and (2) financing specific subnational projects with strictly nonrecourse loans. At the same time, the World Bank Group should offer a variety of lending and guarantee instruments that encourage private financing for investments by subnational entities - including, for example, equity participation in (or lines of credit or partial credit guarantees to) financial intermediaries specializing in subnational investment finance or in funds for financing local infrastructure. This paper - a product of the Private and Financial Sectors Development Unit, Europe and Central Asia Region - was prepared as background for a manual on policy issues relating to domestic debt markets. Michel Noel may be contacted at mnoel2worldbank.org
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  • 84
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (40 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Halpern, Jonathan Designing Direct Subsidies for Water and Sanitation Services Panama
    Keywords: Access To Cred Administrative Cost ; Administrative Costs ; Beneficiaries ; Beneficiary ; Check ; Customers ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Financial Sustainability ; Gender ; Gender and Law ; Housing Subsidy ; Interest ; Investments ; Law and Development ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Population ; Poverty Reduction ; Private Sector Development ; Rural Development ; Rural Poverty Reduction ; Subsidies ; Subsidization ; Subsidy ; Subsidy Payments ; Tax Law ; Taxation and Subsidies ; Total Costs ; Town Water Supply and Sanitation ; Transport ; Transport Economics, Policy and Planning ; Urban Water Supply and Sanitation ; Water Subsidies ; Water Subsidy ; Water Supply and Sanitation ; Worth ; Access To Cred Administrative Cost ; Administrative Costs ; Beneficiaries ; Beneficiary ; Check ; Customers ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Financial Sustainability ; Gender ; Gender and Law ; Housing Subsidy ; Interest ; Investments ; Law and Development ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Population ; Poverty Reduction ; Private Sector Development ; Rural Development ; Rural Poverty Reduction ; Subsidies ; Subsidization ; Subsidy ; Subsidy Payments ; Tax Law ; Taxation and Subsidies ; Total Costs ; Town Water Supply and Sanitation ; Transport ; Transport Economics, Policy and Planning ; Urban Water Supply and Sanitation ; Water Subsidies ; Water Subsidy ; Water Supply and Sanitation ; Worth
    Abstract: May 2000 - An alternative to traditional subsidies for water and sanitation services is direct subsidies - funds governments provide to cover part of the water bill for households that meet certain criteria. Issues associated with such a subsidy are analyzed through a case study of Panama. As an alternative to traditional subsidy schemes in utility sectors, direct subsidy programs have several advantages: they are transparent, they are explicit, and they minimize distortions of the behavior of both the utility and the customers. At the same time, defining practical eligibility criteria for direct subsidy schemes is difficult and identifying eligible households may entail substantial administrative costs. Foster, Gomez-Lobo, and Halpern, using a case study from Panama, discuss some of the issues associated with the design of direct subsidy systems for water services. They conclude that: · There is a need to assess - rather than assume - the need for a subsidy. A key test of affordability, and thus of the need for a subsidy, is to compare the cost of the service with some measure of household willingness to pay. · The initial assessment must consider the affordability of connection costs as well as the affordability of the service itself. Connection costs may be prohibitive for poor households with no credit, suggesting a need to focus subsidies on providing access rather than ongoing water consumption. · A key issue in designing a direct subsidy scheme is its targeting properties. Poverty is a complex phenomenon and difficult to measure. Eligibility must therefore be based on easily measurable proxy variables, and good proxies are hard to find. In choosing eligibility criteria for a subsidy, it is essential to verify what proportion of the target group fails to meet the criteria (errors of exclusion) and what proportion of nontarget groups is inadvertently eligible for the benefits (errors of inclusion). · Administrative costs are roughly the same no matter what the level of individual subsidies, so a scheme that pays beneficiaries very little will tend not to be cost-effective. It is important to determine what proportion of total program costs will be absorbed by administrative expenses. · Subsidies should not cover the full cost of the service and should be contingent on beneficiaries paying their share of the bill. Subsidies for consumption above a minimum subsistence level should be avoided. Subsidies should be provided long enough before eligibility is reassessed to avoid poverty trap problems. · The utility or concessionaire can be helpful in identifying eligible candidates because of its superior information on the payment histories of customers. It will also have an incentive to do so, since it has an interest in improving poor payment records. Thought should therefore be given at the design stage to the role of the service provider in the implementation of the subsidy scheme. · The administrative agency's responsibilities, the sources of funding, and the general principles guiding the subsidy system should have a clear legal basis, backed by regulations governing administrative procedures. · To reduce administrative costs and avoid duplication of effort, it would be desirable for a single set of institutional arrangements to be used to determine eligibility for all welfare and subsidy programs in a given jurisdiction, whether subnational or national. This paper - a product of the Finance, Private Sector, and Infrastructure Sector Unit, Latin America and the Caribbean Region - is part of a larger effort in the region to evaluate and disseminate lessons of experience in designing policies to improve the quality and sustainability of infrastructure services and to enhance access of the poor to these basic services. The authors may be contacted at vfosterworldbank.org or jhalpern@worldbank.org
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  • 85
    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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  • 86
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (38 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Recanatini, Francesca Seeds of Corruption
    Keywords: Accountability ; Bank ; Banks and Banking Reform ; Corruption ; Corruption and Anticorruption Law ; Debt Markets ; Discretion ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Fight Against Corruption ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Governance ; Governance ; Governance Indicators ; Governance Reforms ; Government ; Government Officials ; Governments ; Investigation ; Law and Development ; Laws ; Legal Products ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Monopolies ; Monopoly ; National Governance ; Organization ; Policies ; Policy ; Political Economy ; Politicians ; Private Sector Development ; Public Sector Corruption and Anticorruption Measures ; Services ; Transparent Mechanism ; Accountability ; Bank ; Banks and Banking Reform ; Corruption ; Corruption and Anticorruption Law ; Debt Markets ; Discretion ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Fight Against Corruption ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Governance ; Governance ; Governance Indicators ; Governance Reforms ; Government ; Government Officials ; Governments ; Investigation ; Law and Development ; Laws ; Legal Products ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Monopolies ; Monopoly ; National Governance ; Organization ; Policies ; Policy ; Political Economy ; Politicians ; Private Sector Development ; Public Sector Corruption and Anticorruption Measures ; Services ; Transparent Mechanism
    Abstract: June 2000 - Economists in the field of industrial organization, antitrust, and regulation have long recognized certain factors as potent determinants of opportunistic behavior, corruption, and capture of government officials. Only now are these relationships becoming conventional wisdom among specialists in economies in transition. Ten years into the transition, corruption is so pervasive that it could jeopardize the best-intentioned reform efforts. Broadman and Recanatini present an analytical framework for examining the role market institutions play in rent-seeking and illicit behavior. Using recently available data on the incidence of corruption and on institutional development, they provide preliminary evidence on the link between the development of market institutions and incentives for corruption. Virtually all of the indicators they examine appear to be important, but three are statistically significant: · The intensity of barriers to the entry of new business. · The effectiveness of the legal system. · The efficacy and competitiveness of services provided by infrastructure monopolies. The main lesson emerging from their analysis: a well established system of market institutions - clear and transparent rules, fully functioning checks and balances (including strong enforcement mechanisms), and a robust competitive environment - reduces opportunities for rent-seeking and hence incentives for corruption. Both the design and effective implementation of such measures are important if a market system is to be effective. It is not enough, for example, to enact first-rate laws if they are not enforced. The local political economy greatly affects whether a given policy reform will curtail corruption. Especially important are the following factors in the political economy: · The credibility of the government's commitment to carrying out announced reforms. · The degree to which government officials are captured by the entities they regulate or oversee. · The stability of the government itself. · The political power of entrenched vested interests. Economists in the field of industrial organization, antitrust, and regulation have long recognized these factors as potent determinants of opportunistic behavior, corruption, and capture of government officials. Only now are they becoming conventional wisdom among specialists in economies in transition. This paper - a product of the Poverty Reduction and Economic Management Sector Unit, Europe and Central Asia Region - is part of a larger effort in the region to analyze the determinants of corruption and develop remedies. The authors may be contacted at hbroadmanworldbank.org or frecanatini@worldbank.org
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  • 87
    Online Resource
    Online Resource
    Washington, D.C : The World Bank
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (38 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Dailami, Mansoor Financial Openness, Democracy, and Redistributive Policy
    Keywords: Banks and Banking Reform ; Bonds ; Capital Flows ; Capital Movements ; Currencies and Exchange Rates ; Debt Markets ; Developing Countries ; Economic Efficiency ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Financial Openness ; Free Capital ; Future ; Governance ; Governance Indicators ; Government Policies ; Information Technologies ; Insurance ; International Capital ; International Capital Mobility ; International Financial Markets ; International Financial System ; International Lending ; Labor Policies ; Macroeconomic Management ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Market ; Market Integration ; Moral Hazard ; Political Economy ; Political Economy ; Private Sector Development ; Social Protections and Labor ; Banks and Banking Reform ; Bonds ; Capital Flows ; Capital Movements ; Currencies and Exchange Rates ; Debt Markets ; Developing Countries ; Economic Efficiency ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Financial Openness ; Free Capital ; Future ; Governance ; Governance Indicators ; Government Policies ; Information Technologies ; Insurance ; International Capital ; International Capital Mobility ; International Financial Markets ; International Financial System ; International Lending ; Labor Policies ; Macroeconomic Management ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Market ; Market Integration ; Moral Hazard ; Political Economy ; Political Economy ; Private Sector Development ; Social Protections and Labor
    Abstract: June 2000 - What explains the spread of both democracy and financial openness at this time in history, given the constraining impact of financial market integration on national policy autonomy? International policy coordination is part of the answer, but not all. Also important is the presence of cost-effective redistributive schemes that provide insurance against the risk of financial instability. The debate about the relationship between democratic forms of government and the free movement of capital across borders dates to the 18th century. It has regained prominence as capital on a massive scale has become increasingly mobile and as free economies experience continuous pressure from rapidly changing technology, market integration, changing consumer preferences, and intensified competition. These changes imply greater uncertainty about citizens' future income positions, which could prompt them to seek insurance through the marketplace or through constitutionally arranged income redistribution. As more countries move toward democracy, the availability of such insurance mechanisms to citizens is key if political pressure for capital controls is to be averted and if public support for an open, liberal international financial order is to be maintained. Dailami briefly reviews how today's international financial system evolved from one of mostly closed capital accounts immediately after World War II to today's enormous, largely free-flowing market. Drawing on insights from the literature on public choice and constitutional political economy, Dailami develops an analytical framework for a welfare cost-benefit analysis of financial openness to international capital flows. The main welfare benefits of financial openness derive from greater economic efficiency and increased opportunities for risk diversification. The welfare costs relate to the cost of insurance used as a mechanism for coping with the risks of financial volatility. These insurance costs are the economic losses associated with redistribution, including moral hazard, rent-seeking, and rent-avoidance. A cross-sectional analysis of a large sample of developed and developing countries shows the positive correlation between democracy (as defined by political and civil liberty) and financial openness. More rigorous econometric investigation using logit analysis and controlling for level of income also shows that redistributive social policies are key in determining the likelihood that countries can successfully combine an openness to international capital mobility with democratic forms of government. This paper - a product of Governance, Regulation, and Finance, World Bank Institute- is part of a broader research effort on The Quality of Growth. The author may be contacted at mdailamiworldbank.org
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  • 88
    Online Resource
    Online Resource
    Washington, D.C : The World Bank
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (32 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Mattoo, Aaditya Trade Policies for Electronic Commerce
    Keywords: Commodities ; Cross-Border Trade ; Customs ; Customs Duties ; Debt Markets ; E-Business ; Economic Theory and Research ; Electronic Commerce ; Emerging Markets ; European Union ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Services ; Free Trade ; Free Trade ; Importing Country ; International Economics & Trade ; International Trade ; Law and Development ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Market Access ; National Treatment ; Preferential Trading Arrangements ; Preferential Treatment ; Private Sector Development ; Public Sector Development ; Recourse ; Tariff Reductions ; Trade ; Trade Diversion ; Trade Law ; Trade Policies ; Trade Policy ; Trade Regime ; Trade and Services ; Transport ; Transport and Trade Logistics ; World Trade Organization ; Commodities ; Cross-Border Trade ; Customs ; Customs Duties ; Debt Markets ; E-Business ; Economic Theory and Research ; Electronic Commerce ; Emerging Markets ; European Union ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Services ; Free Trade ; Free Trade ; Importing Country ; International Economics & Trade ; International Trade ; Law and Development ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Market Access ; National Treatment ; Preferential Trading Arrangements ; Preferential Treatment ; Private Sector Development ; Public Sector Development ; Recourse ; Tariff Reductions ; Trade ; Trade Diversion ; Trade Law ; Trade Policies ; Trade Policy ; Trade Regime ; Trade and Services ; Transport ; Transport and Trade Logistics ; World Trade Organization
    Abstract: June 2000 - Members of the World Trade Organization have decided provisionally to exempt electronic delivery of products from customs duties. There is growing support for the decision to be made permanent. Is this desirable? Some countries in the World Trade Organization initially opposed WTO's decision to exempt electronic delivery of products from customs duties, out of concern for the revenue consequences. Others supported the decision as a means of securing open trading conditions. Mattoo and Schuknecht argue that neither the inhibitions nor the enthusiasm are fully justified. First, even if all delivery of digitizable media products moved online - an unlikely prospect - the revenue loss for most countries would be small. More important, however, the prohibition of customs duties does not ensure continued open access for electronically delivered products and may even prompt recourse to inferior instruments of protection. Barrier-free electronic commerce would be more effectively secured by deepening and widening the limited cross-border trade commitments under the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) and by clarifying and strengthening certain GATS disciplines. This paper-a product of Trade, Development Research Group-is part of a larger effort in the group to improve trade policy for goods and services. It is part of a larger project on trade in services supported in part by the United Kingdom's Department for International Development. Aaditya Mattoo may be contacted at amattooworldbank.org
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  • 89
    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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  • 90
    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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  • 91
    Online Resource
    Online Resource
    Washington, D.C : The World Bank
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (46 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Honohan, Patrick Beyond Capital Ideals
    Keywords: Bank ; Bank Failures ; Bankers ; Banking ; Banking Crises ; Banking Stability ; Banks ; Banks and Banking Reform ; Capital ; Capital Adequacy ; Capital Flows ; Debt Markets ; Economies ; Emerging Markets ; Emerging Markets ; Externalities ; Finance ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Crises ; Financial Deepening ; Financial Literacy ; Financial Markets ; Financial Systems ; Inflation ; Infrastructure ; Private Sector Development ; Bank ; Bank Failures ; Bankers ; Banking ; Banking Crises ; Banking Stability ; Banks ; Banks and Banking Reform ; Capital ; Capital Adequacy ; Capital Flows ; Debt Markets ; Economies ; Emerging Markets ; Emerging Markets ; Externalities ; Finance ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Crises ; Financial Deepening ; Financial Literacy ; Financial Markets ; Financial Systems ; Inflation ; Infrastructure ; Private Sector Development
    Abstract: Hard on the heels of Mexico's crisis in 1994, a wave of financial crises swept across emerging economies - from East Asia and Russia to Brazil - bringing the fragility of banking and finance into unprecedented focus. What has gone wrong? - Caprio and Honohan examine why emerging markets, in particular, are susceptible to and affected by financial difficulties. They show that these difficulties have a richer, more complex structure than they are sometimes believed to have - with marked information asymmetries and substantial volatility. The sources of heightened regulatory failure in emerging markets in recent years include the volatility of real and nominal shocks, the difficulty of operating in uncharted territory after financial liberalization and other changes in regime, and the political pressures that can inhibit the enforcement of prudential regulation. Caprio and Honohan discuss what stronger regulation can and cannot accomplish, as well as options to improve the incentive structure for bankers, regulators, and other market participants. They probe the shortcomings of a regulatory paradigm that relies mainly on supervised capital adequacy and discuss the possible intermittent application of supplementary blunt instruments as an interim solution while longer-term reforms are being put in place. Certain well-worn messages remain valid, but are respected more in theory than in practice. There would be fewer problems, the authors say, if there were: · More diversification. · More balanced financial structures (for example, as between debt and equity). · More foreign banks in emerging markets' financial systems. · Better enforcement of both contracts and regulations. Participants in the financial sector will constantly try to get around rules that limit their profitability, so regulation must be seen as an evolutionary struggle. Prevention of financial failure is not costless, and a heavy repressive hand is not warranted. But a richer regulatory palette can be used to protect financial systems more successfully against crisis while preserving the systems' growth-enhancing effectiveness. This paper is a joint product of Finance, Development Research Group, and the Financial Sector Practice Department. The authors may be contacted at gcaprioworldbank.org or phonohan@worldbank.org
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  • 92
    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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  • 93
    Online Resource
    Online Resource
    Washington, D.C : The World Bank
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (28 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Ravallion, Martin Protecting the Poor from Macroeconomic Shocks
    Keywords: Banks and Banking Reform ; Debt Markets ; Drought ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Fiscal Deficits ; Household Income ; Individual Welfare ; Labor Demand ; Labor Policies ; Living Standards ; Macroeconomic Crisis ; Macroeconomic Shocks ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Poor ; Poverty ; Poverty Reduction ; Private Sector Development ; Public Transfers ; Recessions ; Resource Allocation ; Rural Development ; Rural Poverty Reduction ; Safety Net ; Safety Nets ; Safety Nets and Transfers ; Services and Transfers to Poor ; Shock ; Social Protections and Labor ; Structural Reforms ; Unemployment ; Wage Earners ; Welfare ; Banks and Banking Reform ; Debt Markets ; Drought ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Fiscal Deficits ; Household Income ; Individual Welfare ; Labor Demand ; Labor Policies ; Living Standards ; Macroeconomic Crisis ; Macroeconomic Shocks ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Poor ; Poverty ; Poverty Reduction ; Private Sector Development ; Public Transfers ; Recessions ; Resource Allocation ; Rural Development ; Rural Poverty Reduction ; Safety Net ; Safety Nets ; Safety Nets and Transfers ; Services and Transfers to Poor ; Shock ; Social Protections and Labor ; Structural Reforms ; Unemployment ; Wage Earners ; Welfare
    Abstract: August 1999 - To minimize the harmful impact on poor people of macroeconomic shocks, sound policies for dealing with crises - and an adequate public safety net - should be in place before a crisis starts. Many developing countries faced macroeconomic shocks in the 1980s and 1990s. The impact of the shocks on welfare depended on the nature of the shock, on initial household and community conditions, and on policy responses. To avoid severe and lasting losses to poor and vulnerable groups, governments and civil society need to be prepared for a flexible response well ahead of the crisis. A key component of a flexibly responsive system is an effective permanent safety net, which will typically combine a workfare program with targeted transfers and credit. Once a crisis has happened, several things should be done: ° Macroeconomic policies should aim to achieve stabilization goals at the least cost to the poor. Typically, a temporary reduction in aggregate demand is inevitable but as soon as a sustainable external balance has been reached and inflationary pressures have been contained, macroeconomic policy should be eased (interest rates reduced and efficient public spending restored, to help offset the worst effects of the recession on the poor). A fiscal stimulus directed at labor-intensive activities (such as building rural roads) can combine the benefits of growth with those of income support for poor groups, for example. ° Key areas of public spending should be protected, especially investments in health care, education, rural infrastructure, urban sanitation, and microfinance. ° Efforts should be made to preserve the social fabric and build social capital. ° Sound information should be generated on the welfare impacts of the crisis. This paper - a joint product of the Poverty Group, Poverty Reduction and Economic Management Network, and Poverty and Human Resources, Development Research Group - is part of a larger effort in the Bank to inform policy choices aimed at minimizing the social costs of macroeconomic shocks. The authors may be contacted at fferreiraecon.puc-rio.br, gprennushi@worldbank.org, or mravallion@worldbank.org
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  • 94
    Online Resource
    Online Resource
    Washington, D.C : The World Bank
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (40 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Majnoni, Giovanni International Contagion
    Keywords: Bankruptcy and Resolution of Financial Distress ; Currencies and Exchange Rates ; Currency ; Currency Crises ; Debt Markets ; Deposit Insurance ; Emerging Markets ; Exchange ; Exchange Rate ; External Debts ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Contagion ; Financial Crises ; Financial Fragility ; Foreign Interest ; Guarantees ; Interest Rates ; International Financial Contagion ; International Investors ; Liability ; Liquidity ; Market ; Maturity ; Options ; Policy Responses ; Private Sector Development ; Short-Term Debt ; Bankruptcy and Resolution of Financial Distress ; Currencies and Exchange Rates ; Currency ; Currency Crises ; Debt Markets ; Deposit Insurance ; Emerging Markets ; Exchange ; Exchange Rate ; External Debts ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Contagion ; Financial Crises ; Financial Fragility ; Foreign Interest ; Guarantees ; Interest Rates ; International Financial Contagion ; International Investors ; Liability ; Liquidity ; Market ; Maturity ; Options ; Policy Responses ; Private Sector Development ; Short-Term Debt
    Abstract: March 2000 - What can the international community do to prevent financial contagion? Chang and Majnoni try to identify and evaluate the public policy implications of financial contagion on the basis of a very simple model of financial crises. In this model, financial contagion can be driven by a combination of fundamentals and by self-fulfilling market expectations. The model allows the authors to identify different notions of contagion, especially the distinction between monsoonal effects, spillovers, and switchers between equilibria. They discuss both domestic and international policy options. Domestic policies, they say, should be aimed at reducing financial fragility - that is, reducing unnecessary short-term debt commitments. With explicit commitments, the maturity of external debts should be lengthened. With implicit commitments, such as private liability guarantees, they emphasize limiting or eliminating such guarantees, to improve an economy's international liquidity and reduce its exposure to contagion. Internationally, they stress the need for improving financial standards, which makes it easier to assess when a country is subject to different kinds of contagion. The effectiveness of international rescue packages depends on the kind of contagion to which a country is exposed. Implications: The international community should help those countries that are already helping themselves. This paper - a product of the Financial Sector Strategy and Policy Group - is part of a larger effort in the group to study the determinants and policy implications of international financial contagion. The author Giovanni Majnoni may be contacted at gmajnoniworldbank.org
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  • 95
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (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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  • 96
    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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  • 97
    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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  • 98
    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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  • 99
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (22 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Byamugisha, K.F. Frank The Effects of Land Registration on Financial Development and Economic Growth
    Keywords: Bank Policy ; Collateral ; Common Property Resource Development ; Communities & Human Settlements ; Contracts ; Debt Markets ; Depos Deposit Mobilization ; Economic Development ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Exchange ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Development ; Financial Literacy ; Investment ; Labor Policies ; Land Title ; Land Titling ; Land Use and Policies ; Land and Real Estate Development ; Liquidity ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Markets ; Municipal Housing and Land ; Poverty Reduction ; Private Property ; Private Sector Development ; Property Rights ; Rural Development ; Rural Land Policies for Poverty Reduction ; Security ; Seizure ; Social Protections and Labor ; Transaction ; Transaction Costs ; Transactions ; Bank Policy ; Collateral ; Common Property Resource Development ; Communities & Human Settlements ; Contracts ; Debt Markets ; Depos Deposit Mobilization ; Economic Development ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Exchange ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Development ; Financial Literacy ; Investment ; Labor Policies ; Land Title ; Land Titling ; Land Use and Policies ; Land and Real Estate Development ; Liquidity ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Markets ; Municipal Housing and Land ; Poverty Reduction ; Private Property ; Private Sector Development ; Property Rights ; Rural Development ; Rural Land Policies for Poverty Reduction ; Security ; Seizure ; Social Protections and Labor ; Transaction ; Transaction Costs ; Transactions
    Abstract: November 1999 - A theoretical framework to guide empirical analysis of how land registration affects financial development and economic growth. The author develops a theoretical framework to guide empirical analysis of how land registration affects financial development and economic growth. Most conceptual approaches investigate the effects of land registration on only one sector, nut land registration is commonly observed to affect not only other sectors but the economy as a whole The author builds on the well-tested link between secure land ownership and farm productivity, adding to the framework theory about positive information and transaction costs. To map the relationship between land registration and financial development and economic growth, the framework links: -Land tenure security and investment incentives. -Land title, collateral, and credit. -Land markets, transactions, and efficiency. -Labor mobility and efficiency. -Land liquidity, deposit mobilization, and investment. Empirical results from applying the framework to a single case study - of Thailand, described in a separate paper - suggest that the framework is sound. This paper - a product of the Rural Development and Natural Resources Sector Unit, East Asia and Pacific Region - is part of a larger effort in the region to increase the effectiveness of country assistance strategies in the area of property rights and economic development
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  • 100
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (1 online resource (70 p.))
    Edition: Online-Ausg. World Bank E-Library Archive
    Parallel Title: Milanovic, Branko True World Income Distribution, 1988 and 1993
    Keywords: Consumption ; Economic Theory ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Growth Models ; Health Systems Development and Reform ; Health, Nutrition and Population ; Household Income ; Household Surveys ; Income ; Income ; Income Differences ; Income Distribution ; Income Distribution Data ; Income Inequality ; Increasing Inequality ; Inequality ; Inequality ; Macroeconomics ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Mean Incomes ; Median Voter ; Median Voter Hypothesis ; Personal Income ; Political Economy ; Poverty Diagnostics ; Poverty Impact Evaluation ; Poverty Reduction ; Power Parity ; Private Sector Development ; Rising Inequality ; Rural Development ; Rural Poverty Reduction ; Services and Transfers to Poor ; Social Protections and Labor ; Consumption ; Economic Theory ; Economic Theory and Research ; Emerging Markets ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Financial Literacy ; Growth Models ; Health Systems Development and Reform ; Health, Nutrition and Population ; Household Income ; Household Surveys ; Income ; Income ; Income Differences ; Income Distribution ; Income Distribution Data ; Income Inequality ; Increasing Inequality ; Inequality ; Inequality ; Macroeconomics ; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth ; Mean Incomes ; Median Voter ; Median Voter Hypothesis ; Personal Income ; Political Economy ; Poverty Diagnostics ; Poverty Impact Evaluation ; Poverty Reduction ; Power Parity ; Private Sector Development ; Rising Inequality ; Rural Development ; Rural Poverty Reduction ; Services and Transfers to Poor ; Social Protections and Labor
    Abstract: Inequality in world income is very high, according to household surveys, more because of differences between mean country incomes than because of inequality within countries. World inequality increased between 1988 and 1993, driven by slower growth in rural per capita incomes in populous Asian countries (Bangladesh, China, and India) than in large, rich OECD countries, and by increasing income differences between urban China on the one hand and rural China and rural India on the other. - Milanovic derives the distribution of individuals' income or expenditures for two years, 1988 and 1993. His is the first paper to calculate world distribution for individuals based entirely on data from household surveys. The data, from 91 countries, are adjusted for differences in purchasing power parity between the countries. Measured by the Gini index, inequality increased from an already high 63 in 1988 to 66 in 1993. This increase was driven more by rising differences in mean incomes between countries than by rising inequalities within countries. Contributing most to the inequality were rising urban-rural differences in China and the slower growth of rural purchasing-power-adjusted incomes in South Asia than in several large developed market economies. This paper - a product of Poverty and Human Resources, Development Research Group - is part of a larger effort in the group to study inequality and poverty in the world. Also published in The Economic Journal, January 2002 pp. 51-92 The author may be contacted at bmilanovicworldbank.org
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