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on Central and Western Asia |
| By: | Das, Rituparna |
| Abstract: | A major part of this paper is literature review. The paper compiles in a nutshell all studies on definitions and measures of Money supply in India in a chronological yet logically consistent manner In doing so, alternative measures of money supply have been compared in this paper and it is found that the measure used by RBI is statistically more significant than the other advocated by a number of authors. |
| Keywords: | bank; RBI; deposit; money supply; money stock; M1; M3 |
| JEL: | E51 |
| Date: | 2010–03–10 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:21391&r=cwa |
| By: | Driouchi, Ahmed; Baijou, Ahmad |
| Abstract: | The interdependencies of health, education and poverty that are common knowledge to individuals are also present at the aggregate levels of countries and internationally. The assessment of these interdependencies is the central task of this research but based on the Demographic Health Surveys (DHS) of Egypt, Morocco and Turkey. The results attained through dependency tests and probit models, confirm the existence of major interdependencies at the levels of households. These findings support the need for accelerating and developing further integrated and transversal economic and social policies. |
| Keywords: | Interdependencies; Health; Education; Poverty; Egypt; Turkey; Morocco. |
| JEL: | D31 |
| Date: | 2009–11–28 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:21409&r=cwa |
| By: | Deepita Chakravarty; Ishita Chakravarty |
| Abstract: | The present study attempts to see how a particular labour market, that is, domestic service, a traditionally male domain, became segregated both by gender and age in post partition West Bengal (WB) and mainly in its capital city Calcutta. [CESS WP 84]. |
| Keywords: | west bengal, age, labour market, women, refugee, population, employment, India, Women, Girl Children, Domestics, Calcutta, post partition, salary, domestic service |
| Date: | 2010 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ess:wpaper:id:2457&r=cwa |
| By: | Goswami, Rupak; Ghosh Roy, Jhumpa; Ghose, Jhulan |
| Abstract: | The article describes the experimentation of Change Initiatives, an Indian NGO of sub-regional scope, with the application of ICT in agricultural information management under the EU sponsored TeleSupport Project at Nadia district of West Bengal, India. During the project period an innovative mechanism of information management was experimented to facilitate two-way interaction between expert and client system with the involvement of local community. To sustain the two-way communication system two mobile and one fixed telecentre were established in the project area. The web resource created for sustaining the project hosted a large number of good practices, inspired numerous interactions among the stakeholders and facilitated diffusion of several agro-technologies. Large number of organizations and experts also joined the network. Within the project period, a considerable number of villagers including rural women and youth could be reached periodically with relevant agricultural information. Information related to crop management, livestock management, marketing etc. were professionally provided to the villagers. In spite of the initial success of the experimentation in terms of people’s participation and magnitude of information created and exchanged, the project could not achieve sustainability in the long run. Lack of e-readiness, lack of appropriate resource persons among the stakeholders, absence of any explicit incentive system within the organizational context, constraints of human resources and fund caused failure of the project. Despite of its failure it has been successful in empowering people, especially the Muslim women of the area. The information management system tried during the project may be tried in many rural communities of third world countries with necessary modifications. |
| Keywords: | information and communication technology (ICT); agricultural information management; telecentres; TeleSupport project; India |
| JEL: | Q16 D8 |
| Date: | 2010–03–04 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:21571&r=cwa |
| By: | Lall,Somik V.; Gun Wang, Hyoung; Deichmann, Uwe |
| Abstract: | Do local improvements in infrastructure provision improve city competitiveness? What public finance mechanisms stimulate local infrastructure supply? And how do local efforts compare with national decisions of placing inter-regional trunk infrastructure? In this paper, we examine how the combination of local and national infrastructure supply improve city competitiveness, measured as the city’s share of national private investment. For the empirical analysis, we collect city-level data for India, and link private investment decisions to infrastructure provision. We find that a city’s proximity to international ports and highways connecting large domestic markets has the largest effect on its attractiveness for private investment. In comparison, the supply of local infrastructure services – such as municipal roads, street lighting, water supply, and drainage – enhance competitiveness, but their impacts are much smaller. Thus, while local efforts are important for competitiveness, they are less likely to be successful in cities distant from the country’s main trunk infrastructure. In terms of financing local infrastructure, we find that a city’s ability to raise its own source revenues by means of local taxes and user fees increases infrastructure supply, whereas as inter governmental transfers do not have statistically significant effects. |
| Keywords: | urbanization, cities, India, infrastructure |
| Date: | 2010 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:unu:wpaper:wp2010-22&r=cwa |
| By: | Paul Almeida (Georgetown University); Anupama Phene (George Washington University); Sali Li (University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee) |
| Abstract: | This paper investigates the influence of technological, geographic, and ethnic communities on the innovativeness of Indian inventors. We study Indian inventors in the semiconductor industry in the US and examine their patenting profiles between 1975 and 1999 to identify the influences on the quantity and quality of their innovations. We find that inventors who rely on knowledge from technological and geographic communities enhance their innovativeness. Knowledge from the ethnic Indian community is related to inventor innovativeness in the form of an inverted U. The negative effect of knowledge gained from the ethnic community on innovativeness is pronounced for experienced inventors. |
| Keywords: | innovation, knowledge, semiconductor industry |
| JEL: | M0 M1 |
| Date: | 2010–03–24 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pil:wpaper:58&r=cwa |
| By: | Hasan, Zubair |
| Abstract: | This paper raises the issue of an initial structure-objective mismatch in the launching of Islamic finance. The abolition of interest and promotion of growth with equity were goals of the conceived system. These goals expressed a long run vision to improve the condition of the Muslim communities across the world. However, the organizational form adopted for Islamic finance was of the existing commercial banks which provided essentially short-term loans on interest to trade industry and commerce. The choice thus involved an intrinsic mismatch between the structure and objectives of Islamic finance. The mismatch did carry some advantages, but on a more important side it exposed Islamic finance to commitments and influences which could not mostly align well with the goals the pioneers had in mind. Note that in focus here is not the reversal of the mismatch but its consequences that have forced the nascent Islamic system to convergence and competition with the mature conventional finance the West dominates. It is not the ground realities that are being adapted to Shari’ah norms; it is the norms that are being stretched to limit for meeting the demands of the conventional system. Ordinary Muslims who hoped to benefit from Islamic financing remain unattended. Thus, what Islamic finance can or cannot change will depend on where its ongoing integration with the conventional system leads it to. Currently, most merits claimed for the Islamic system defy evidence. The basic reforms financial systems require in the face of current crisis are the control of credit, leverage lure, and speculation. Islamic finance is in principle better equipped to achieve these ends. |
| Keywords: | Keywords: Islamic finance; convergence; Shari’ah compliance; credit creation; leverage; derivatives; financial crisis |
| JEL: | E51 E42 E50 E44 |
| Date: | 2010–01 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:21536&r=cwa |
| By: | William Kerr; William Lincoln |
| Abstract: | This study evaluates the impact of high-skilled immigrants on US technology formation. We use reduced-form specifications that exploit large changes in the H-1B visa program. Higher H-1B admissions increase immigrant science and engineering (SE) employment and patenting by inventors with Indian and Chinese names in cities and firms dependent upon the program relative to their peers. Most specifications find limited effects for native SE employment or patenting. We are able to rule out displacement effects, and small crowding-in effects may exist. Total SE employment and invention increases with higher admissions primarily through direct contributions of immigrants. |
| Keywords: | Innovation, Research and Development, Patents, Scientists, Engineers, Inventors, H-1B, Immigration, Ethnicity, India, China, Endogenous Growth |
| JEL: | F15 F22 J44 J61 O31 |
| Date: | 2010–02–01 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wdi:papers:2010-978&r=cwa |
| By: | Zahid, Asghar; Frahat , Tahira |
| Abstract: | This study attempts to estimate the rate of inflation in Pakistan by a stochastic approach to index numbers which provides not only point estimate but also confidence interval for inflation estimate. There are two approaches to index number theory namely: the functional economic approach and the stochastic approach. The attraction of stochastic approach is that it estimates the rate of inflation in which uncertainty and statistical ideas play a major roll of screening index numbers. We have used extended stochastic approach to index numbers for measuring the Pakistan inflation by allowing for the systematic changes in the relative prices. We use CPI data covering the period July 2001--March 2008. |
| Keywords: | Stochastic Approach; Index numbers; Inflation;OLS |
| JEL: | E31 |
| Date: | 2010–02–28 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:21513&r=cwa |
| By: | Rashid , Abdul |
| Abstract: | This study examines the economic exchange rate exposure for 22 industries in Pakistan. The key findings of the study are as follows. Firstly, it shows that industry-level share values are statistically significantly influenced by changes in the PKR/US-dollar exchange rate in general. Secondly it reports a statistically significant lagged response of stock values to exchange rate change. Finally, the highly capital intensive industries are, however, more exposed to changes in exchange rate as compared to less capital intensive industries. The robustness of the exchange rate exposure does not fall over time. |
| Keywords: | Exchange rate exposure; Small open economy; Capital intensive industries |
| JEL: | F23 G15 |
| Date: | 2009–09–15 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:7305&r=cwa |
| By: | Ashima Goyal |
| Abstract: | Stricter regulatory surveillance in emerging market economies (EMEs) largely insulated their financial systems from the crisis. Development and convergence of regulatory apparatus has been rapid. In some respects, EMEs may be closer to new global norms. The development of financial markets, however, is a major aim for regulation in EMEs along with financial stability. The success in achieving these objectives in the Indian case is examined. Some problems of regulatory overlap and coordination should be resolved keeping in mind the lessons of the crisis. |
| Keywords: | financial, emerging market economices, EMEs, firms, development, stability, technology, asymmetric, monopoly, imperfect informationmarket failures, incentives, procyclicality, coordination, rules versus principles, development, Indian, |
| Date: | 2010 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ess:wpaper:id:2458&r=cwa |
| By: | Weill, Laurent (BOFIT) |
| Abstract: | The aim of this paper is to investigate whether Islamic banks have greater market power than con-ventional banks. An Islamic bank, for example, might enjoy enhanced market power if a captive clientele adhering to religious principles permits it to charge higher prices. To measure market power, we compute Lerner indices for a sample of banks from 17 countries where Islamic and conventional banks coexist. Comparison of Lerner indices shows no significant difference between Islamic banks and conventional banks over the period 2000-2007. When including control variables, regression of Lerner indices even suggests that Islamic banks have less market power than conventional banks. A robustness check with the Rosse-Panzar model confirms that Islamic banks are no less competitive than conventional banks. Thus, any reduced market power of Islamic banks can be attributed to differences in norms and incentives. |
| Keywords: | Islamic banks; Lerner index; bank competition |
| JEL: | D43 D82 G21 |
| Date: | 2010–02–26 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hhs:bofitp:2010_002&r=cwa |
| By: | Driouchi, Ahmed |
| Abstract: | This paper aims at showing that women are “missing” because also of their limited participation in development. It also intends to show that market mechanisms as well as limited alternative institutions are among the factors that negatively affect access to health, to education and to economic opportunities. The emphasis is placed on South Mediterranean countries. The results attained and the evidence mobilized consistently show the interdependencies of health, education and poverty and the potential gains that can be transversally achieved with the promotion of the roles of women and children. |
| Keywords: | Interdependencies; Health; Education; Poverty; missing women; children; South |
| JEL: | D63 |
| Date: | 2009–12–15 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:21541&r=cwa |
| By: | Baskaran, Thushyanthan |
| Abstract: | We explore the implications of European integration for scal decentralization in EU member states with a dataset on 21 OECD countries over the 1975-2000 period. The dierence-in-dierence methodology is used to establish causality. EU member states are classied as the treatment and non-EU OECD countries as the control group. The Maastricht treaty is interpreted as a quasi-experimental policy intervention that substantially advanced European integration. Our results suggest that tax decentralization has increased in EU countries after the signing of the Maastricht treaty. The treaty's eect on expenditure decentralization also seems to be positive, but is less clear-cut. |
| Keywords: | Fiscal decentralization; Maastricht treaty; supranational integration; institutional change. |
| JEL: | H77 |
| Date: | 2009–08 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:21597&r=cwa |
| By: | Driouchi, Ahmed; Zouag, Nada |
| Abstract: | This paper looks at the role of intellectual property rights in development in the context of South Mediterranean countries. A special focus is placed on software piracy data and analysis to assess the current losses implied by the practices of non compliance with IPRs. Descriptive and regression analyzes are used to show the links between piracy, economic losses and development. The results show how the strengthening of domestic institutions may not mean only applying “the law” and pursuing legally the non compliant. But it means the inclusion of the all players into the process of development. Further research and development besides optimal IPR protection appear to be necessary. The inclusion of the informal sector is then an important part of this enterprise. This requires policies of formalization besides mobilization of knowledge and intellectual property rights among the informal producers and traders. |
| Keywords: | Intellectual property rights; software piracy; development; South Mediterranean countries. |
| JEL: | O34 |
| Date: | 2009–06–25 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:21650&r=cwa |