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on Central and Western Asia |
| By: | Madhura Swaminathan |
| Abstract: | Evidence on calorie intake and nutritional outcomes establishes that chronic hunger and food insecurity persist today on a mass scale in India. The liberalization-induced policy of narrow targeting of the Public Distribution System (PDS), a programme of food security that provides a minimum quantity of cereals at subsidized prices, has resulted in worsening food insecurity. Recent evidence from the 61st round of the National Sample Survey in 2004-2005 establishes that targeting has led to high rates of exclusion of needy households from the system and clear deterioration of coverage in States like Kerala where the universal PDS was most effective. |
| Keywords: | food security, targeting errors, India, liberalization, public distribution |
| JEL: | Q18 I38 O53 |
| Date: | 2008–10 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:une:wpaper:70&r=cwa |
| By: | Pal, Sarmistha (Brunel University); Ghosh, Sugata (Brunel University) |
| Abstract: | In the context of strikingly low literacy rates among Indian women and low caste population, the paper explores whether and how far the interests of the marginalized poor are undermined by the dominant elite consisting mainly of the landed and the capitalists. We distinguish the dominant elite from the minority elite (i.e., elected women and low caste representatives in the ruling government) and also the marginalised as measured by the state poverty rate. Results based on the Indian state-level data suggest that a higher share of land held by the top 5% of the population lowers public spending on education while presence of capitalist elite, as reflected in greater degree of industrialisation enhances it, even in poorer states; the landed elite thus appears to be unresponsive to the underlying poverty rate. The effect of minority representation in the government appears to have a limited impact, indicating a possibility of their non-accountability to serve their cohorts and/or a possible alliance with the dominant elite. |
| Keywords: | literacy among women and low caste, dominant landed and capitalist elite, minority elite, poor and the marginalised, education spending, development and non-development spending, India |
| JEL: | I28 J15 O15 P48 |
| Date: | 2008–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:iza:izadps:dp3707&r=cwa |
| By: | Ota, Hitoshi |
| Abstract: | In this study, the work and life of Indian IT engineers in Japan engaged in software development were examined through a questionnaire survey. Findings were further supported by comparative analyses with Chinese and Korean software engineers. While Indian IT software engineers appeared rather atisfied with their life overall in Japan, they seemed rather issatisfied with their work conditions including such things as fringe benefits, the working-time management of the company, levels of salary and bonuses, and promotion opportunities. It was made clear that profiles and perceptions of Indian engineers and those of Chinese and Koreans in Japan were different. |
| Keywords: | Information technology (IT), Software engineer, Onsite, Migrant, India, Japan, Korea, Labor conditions, Alien labor |
| JEL: | J44 J61 L86 M12 |
| Date: | 2008–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:jet:dpaper:dpaper168&r=cwa |
| By: | sivakumar, marimuthu |
| Abstract: | Gender is a common term where as gender discrimination is meant only for women, because females are the only victims of gender discrimination. Females are nearly 50 percent of the total population but their representation in public life is very low. Recognizing women’s right and believing their ability are essential for women’s empowerment and development. This study deals with gender discrimination in India, its various forms and its causes. Importance of women in development, legislation for women and solution for gender discrimination are also discussed in this paper. |
| Keywords: | gender discrimination; women’s development; legislation for women; education; employment; economic independence; empowerment; decision making and self confidence. |
| JEL: | A13 A14 |
| Date: | 2008–10–07 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:10950&r=cwa |
| By: | Siddique, Zahra (IZA) |
| Abstract: | Caste-based quotas in hiring have existed in the public sector in India for decades. Recently there has been debate about introducing similar quotas in private sector jobs. This paper uses an audit study to determine the extent of caste-based discrimination in the Indian private sector. On average low-caste applicants need to send 20 percent more resumes than high-caste applicants to get the same callback. Differences in callback which favor high-caste applicants are particularly large when hiring is done by male recruiters or by Hindu recruiters. This finding suggests that the differences in callback between high and low-caste applicants are not entirely due to statistical discrimination. High-caste applicants are also differentially favored by firms with a smaller scale of operations, while low-caste applicants are favored by firms with a larger scale of operations. This finding is consistent with taste-based theories of discrimination and with commitments made by large firms to hire actively from among low-caste groups. |
| Keywords: | field experiments, discrimination, public policy, human resources |
| JEL: | C93 J71 J78 O15 |
| Date: | 2008–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:iza:izadps:dp3737&r=cwa |
| By: | Inoue, Takeshi; Hamori, Shigeyuki |
| Abstract: | This paper empirically analyzes India’s money demand function during the period of 1980 to 2007 using monthly data and the period of 1976 to 2007 using annual data. Cointegration test results indicated that when money supply is represented by M1 and M2, a cointegrating vector is detected among real money balances, interest rates, and output. In contrast, it was found that when money supply is represented by M3, there is no long-run equilibrium relationship in the　money demand function. Moreover, when the money demand function was estimated using　dynamic OLS, the sign onditions of the coefficients of output and interest rates were found to be　consistent with theoretical rationale, and statistical significance was confirmed when money supply was represented by either M1 or M2. Consequently, though India’s central bank presently uses M3 as an indicator of future price movements, it is thought appropriate to focus on M1 or M2, rather than M3, in managing monetary policy. |
| Keywords: | Cointegration, DOLS, Money, Money demand, Monetary policy, India |
| JEL: | E41 E51 |
| Date: | 2008–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:jet:dpaper:dpaper166&r=cwa |
| By: | Dimitri B. Papadimitriou |
| Abstract: | To put an economy on an equitable growth path, economic development must be based on social efficiency, equity, and job creation. It has been shown that unemployment has far-reaching effects, all leading to an inequitable distribution of well-being. But many economists assume that unemployment tends toward a natural rate below which it cannot go without creating inflation. The paper considers a particular employment strategy: a government job creation program, such as an employment guarantee or employer-of-last-resort scheme, that would satisfy the noninflationary criteria. The paper analyzes the international experience of government job creation programs, with particular emphasis on the cases of Argentina and India. We conclude by considering the application of an employer-of-last-resort policy to the developing world and as a vehicle to meeting the Millennium Development Goals. |
| Date: | 2008–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:lev:wrkpap:wp_545&r=cwa |
| By: | Gary E Bolton; Axel Ockenfels |
| Date: | 2008–09–30 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:kls:series:0040&r=cwa |
| By: | Gul, Adnan |
| Abstract: | This paper investigates the adverse effects of external debt on economic performance. In order to cater the issue of errors in mathematical model developed to analyze the correlation, this paper deals by performing a hypothetical analysis on economic growth within a country at different levels of external debt. The analysis is done on all sectors at the same time to ensure maximum accuracy. The paper concludes that debt itself is not an effective way of helping underdeveloped countries. This study adds in finding effective means which will allow underdeveloped countries to get a foothold on the development ladder of economy. |
| Keywords: | External Debt; Growth; Pakistan Economy; Debt overhang; Crowding out |
| JEL: | F34 C12 |
| Date: | 2008–09–10 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:10979&r=cwa |
| By: | Zaman, Asad |
| Abstract: | How do we arrest the decline of the social sciences in Pakistan? Is it a matter of money or one of sending more students to the West who might then return to teaching at the local universities? In this article I argue that the solution lies elsewhere. Borrowing frames, concepts, and analytical techniques based on the concept of universalism runs a serious risk of imposing alien views on local problems. Moreover, attempts to become ‘scientific’ requires side stepping value judgments of good and bad. The current Western domination of the intellectual scene favours a single route for social science development, and kills all diversity. However, whilst we may borrow as much as we choose, we need to build our own frames that would underpin the social sciences, and this is possible only by reconnecting with our own past. |
| Keywords: | Eurocentricism; Western Universalism; Positive Science; History of Social Science; Western Social Science; |
| JEL: | A12 B29 B59 |
| Date: | 2008–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:10477&r=cwa |
| By: | Gevrek, Deniz (University of Southern Mississippi); Gevrek, Zahide Eylem (University of Arizona) |
| Abstract: | This study investigates the role of self-employed parents on their children's post-graduation plans and college success by using a unique data set from a private university in Turkey. We assembled data set by matching college students' administrative records with their responses to a survey we designed. Self-employed parents have a strong negative effect on college success even after accounting for possible ability bias, intergenerational human capital transfers and controlling for various individual characteristics. This suggests that the changing importance of self-employment can alter the amount and mix of human capital flows. The children of self-employed parents are also more likely to have entrepreneurial intent, and are less likely to plan to attend graduate school. |
| Keywords: | academic success, self-employment, post-graduation plans |
| JEL: | J24 |
| Date: | 2008–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:iza:izadps:dp3711&r=cwa |