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on Central and Western Asia |
| By: | Stark, Manuel; Ahrens, Joachim |
| Abstract: | Widely ignoring recommendations from mainstream economics, the some Central Asian countries have achieved remarkable economic growth rates since their transformational recession in the 1990s. While Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan have greatly benefitted from increasing world market prices for natural resources, particularly Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan have pursued distinct country-specific policies and built up politico-institutional structures which may have also contributed to bring about economic and social progress. This paper investigates the politico-institutional foundation of these emerging market economies in Central Asia and addresses the question whether or not these marketdeveloping autocracies are on a way to become developmental states with a firm commitment to economic development in the future. -- |
| Keywords: | Developmental State,Central Asia,Kazakhstan,Uzbekistan |
| Date: | 2012 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:zbw:pfhrps:201205&r=cwa |
| By: | Danne, Christian |
| Abstract: | This paper studies the institutional reform process in Central Asia from 1995 to 2006. I compare the institutional reform processes of Central Asian countries to those conducted in their neighbouring countries of Central and (South) Eastern Europe, and the Middle East. The paper identifies contemporaneous factors responsible for the persistence of poor institutional arrangements. Second, the paper identifies factors that have acted as commitment devices in order to achieve and sustain institutional change over the last decade. It is argued that deficiencies in the education system, and preferences of individuals and politicians are responsible for the persistence of poor institutional arrangements. External factors such as real and financial openness, fixed exchange rates, and international agreements have provided a disciplining effect for policy makers to improve institutional arrangements in Central Asia, despite poor initial conditions. Finally, there is some evidence that large external shocks may help to shift preferences towards more reliable institutional settings. -- |
| Keywords: | Economic institutions,reforms,Central Asia |
| JEL: | H11 O10 P20 |
| Date: | 2012 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:zbw:pfhrps:201204&r=cwa |
| By: | Kumar, Ronald/R |
| Abstract: | In this paper, we explore the role of trade openness, overseas development aid (ODA), remittance inflows and financial development vis-à-vis income in Pakistan for the periods 1980-2010 using the bounds procedure within the augmented Solow-model approach. In the long-run, trade openness, ODA, and remittances have a significant positive effect on the income level, while financial development is not statistically significant. In the short run, ODA has contributed positively towards income growth while remittances, trade openness and financial development have lagged negative effects. Therefore, understanding that aid and remittance inflows behave somewhat differently, for development policy discourse, emphasis need to be on: formalizing and easing remittance transfers by minimizing transaction costs; promoting financial and mobile-led technology inclusion; strengthening public-private partnership in developing necessary infrastructures and promoting investment; encouraging trade openness whilst exploiting areas of comparative advantages with greater outward looking trade strategy; focusing on regional integration and co-operation in view of promoting trade in services (labour mobility); strengthening donor relations to ensure consistent flow of aid whilst effectively managing and deploying aid in productive infrastructure projects to generate employment and providing the necessary institutional conduit overall economic development. |
| Keywords: | remittances; trade openness; economic growth; aid; financial development; ARDL Bounds test; Pakistan |
| JEL: | F35 F24 |
| Date: | 2011–10–29 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:38871&r=cwa |
| By: | Beja Jr., Edsel L. |
| Abstract: | How SWB affects individual states, outcomes, or decisions is well established in the literature, but how it affects macroeconomic states, outcomes, or decisions remains an open empirical question. This paper focuses on the public policy issue of economic progress defined as either rapid economic growth or stable economy. Results indicate a negative relationship between high SWB and choice for rapid economic growth or stable economy. This conclusion holds for people in the upper-income and middle-income countries, but not so for people in the low-income countries. In fact, results suggest that people in the low-income countries attend less to either rapid economic growth or stable economy regardless of their SWB. |
| Keywords: | Happiness; subjective well-being; economic policy |
| JEL: | D70 I31 B50 D00 E60 |
| Date: | 2012–05–17 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:38851&r=cwa |
| By: | Walt, Stephen Martin |
| Abstract: | Most social scientists would like to believe that their profession contributes to solving pressing global problems. There is today no shortage of global problems that social scientists should study in depth: ethnic and religious conflict within and between states, the challenge of economic development, terrorism, the management of a fragile world economy, climate change and other forms of environmental degradation, the origins and impact of great power rivalries, the spread of weapons of mass destruction, just to mention a few. In this complex and contentious world, one might think that academic expertise about global affairs would be a highly valued commodity. One might also expect scholars of international relations to play a prominent role in public debates about foreign policy, along with government officials, business interests, representatives of special interest groups, and other concerned citizens. Yet the precise role that academic scholars of international affairs should play is not easy to specify. Indeed, there appear to be two conflicting ways of thinking about this matter. On the one hand, there is a widespread sense that academic research on global affairs is of declining practical value, either as a guide to policymakers or as part of broader public discourse about world affairs. On the other hand, closer engagement with the policy world and more explicit efforts at public outreach are not without their own pitfalls. Scholars who enter government service or participate in policy debates may believe that they are "speaking truth to power," but they run the risk of being corrupted or co-opted in subtle and not-so-subtle ways by the same individuals and institutions that they initially hoped to sway. The remainder of this essay explores these themes in greater detail. |
| Date: | 2011 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hrv:hksfac:5116457&r=cwa |
| By: | Abdulkader Cassim Mahomedy |
| Abstract: | The last few decades have seen a phenomenal growth of the emerging discipline of Islamic Economics and Finance. In this paper I trace the origins and birth of this nascent science examining the various factors that gave impetus to its emergence and development. I contrast the different characterisations of the discipline as it has developed within the broader socio-political context and the reasons thereof. Despite the concerted efforts of the proponents of Islamic economics to shape for their discipline a distinctive paradigm they have had little success in doing so beyond arguing that it is underpinned by a strong moral ethic. By and large its epistemological roots have remained firmly within the framework of Rationalism and methodological individualism and consequently it has not been able to shed itself of its neoclassical moorings, the very paradigm it originally set out to replace. I illustrate several of the contradictions apparent in the discipline as hitherto enunciated and I critically analyse the reasons for some of these shortcomings. Finally, I conclude by arguing that if Islamic economics is to fulfil its raison d'être its proponents must resolve its theoretical and practical difficulties by clearly expounding on its weltanschauung and develop its content and form appropriate to this worldview |
| Date: | 2012 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:rza:wpaper:283&r=cwa |
| By: | Claude Ménard (CES - Centre d'économie de la Sorbonne - CNRS : UMR8174 - Université Paris I - Panthéon Sorbonne) |
| Abstract: | Public-Private Partnership has been high on the agenda of public decision makers since the 1990's. Primarily a contractual approach to the delivery of infrastructures, goods and services traditionally provided by the public sector or by private operators submitted to tight regulation, PPP is also a very special contractual practice as it seeks to introduce market-type relationships in a context in which non-market forces play a major role. An important consequence is the overlapping of decision rights as well as property rights, which exposes PPP to a double alignment problem, organizational and institutional. Away from the ideological controversies about the legitimacy of PPP in provisioning public goods, this chapter focuses on problems rooted in the very nature of PPPs and the actual design of their supportive contracts, as well as in the institutions in which they are embedded and that define the capacity to implement and monitor these arrangements properly. |
| Keywords: | Public-Private Partnership; transaction costs; organization; infrastructures; misalignment |
| Date: | 2011–10–28 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:wpaper:halshs-00653090&r=cwa |
| By: | Thomas Barré (CES - Centre d'économie de la Sorbonne - CNRS : UMR8174 - Université Paris I - Panthéon Sorbonne, ERUDITE - Equipe de Recherche sur l'Utilisation des Données Individuelles Temporelles en Economie - Université Paris XII - Paris Est Créteil Val-de-Marne : EA437 - Université Paris Est Marne-la-Vallée) |
| Abstract: | Uncertainty is a crucial issue for producers who must make input decisions without knowing prices and without perfect knowledge of realized output. In this context, price expectations strongly determine the production choices and market prices that result from market-clearing conditions. This study analyzed the role that price expectations play in price dynamics, developing a theoretical model of trade in varieties following Armington (1969) and augmented with yield and price uncertainty to highlight several main determinants of domestic producer prices, including exchange rates, proximity to world markets, input prices, natural disasters, and producers' expectations. An econometric estimation of the rice sector, using a panel of 13 developing Asian countries during 1965-2003, confirmed that expectations count, with a 1% increase in the expected price resulting in a 1.18% decrease in the market price. A simulation exercise based on these empirical results demonstrated that forecasting errors are large. Specifically, Asian rice farmers have a 50% chance of making prediction errors of 10% or more on the final market price. This high error rate suggests the need for developing ways of sharing information, such as radio programs dedicated to agricultural producers or the introduction of futures markets, to stabilize agricultural incomes. |
| Keywords: | Rice ; Asia ; price dynamics ; price expectations ; |
| Date: | 2011–10–02 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:wpaper:hal-00630711&r=cwa |
| By: | Pietro Moncada-Paternò-Castello (JRC-IPTS); Peter Voigt (JRC-IPTS) |
| Abstract: | The paper investigates how sector composition and the magnitude of R&D investment in the EU may differ in 2020 in comparison to the past, if a selection of top R&D-investing SMEs were assumed to be on a fast growth track while the top R&D-investing large-scale companies continue to grow as before. The background of this research objective is the emerging focus on SMEs – and in particular the fast-growing among them – with regard to the "Europe 2020" policy strategy. The study relies on the sample of top R&D-investing firms as given by the latest available "EU Industrial R&D Investment Scoreboard" editions, building there from an unbalanced panel. Scenarios were developed by distinguishing SMEs' assumed growth paths vs. that of large scale companies. A linear prediction model has been used to calculate the scenario simulations. Overall, the study indicates that if one expects the (R&D-intensive) small firms to be a driving force for a substantial structural change in the EU economy, from being driven by medium-tech sectors towards a high-tech based economy, it requires either a significant longer-term horizon of the assumed fast growth track than the simulated 10 years, or small firms' growth figures which even exceed the assumed annual 30% (as in the most optimistic scenario). Neither case appears to be particularly realistic. Hence, we need more top R&D investors in Europe to further intensify their engagement in R&D (increasing volume and R&D intensity) as well as numerous small firms that start and/or significantly increase their existing R&D activities and thus seek to become large firms and (global) leading R&D investors. Accordingly, a broad R&D and innovation (policy) strategy is needed with policy interventions which also target well all these options; i.e. stimulating firm growth and R&D and innovation-intensity across firm-sized classes. |
| Keywords: | SME, company growth, industrial dynamics, structural change, R&D/ innovation policy, Barcelona target, Europe 2020 |
| JEL: | L11 L25 R38 |
| Date: | 2012–01 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ipt:wpaper:201201&r=cwa |
| By: | Franz Hubert; Onur Cobanli |
| Abstract: | We use cooperative game theory to analyze the strategic impact of three controversial pipeline projects. Two of them, Nord Stream and South Stream, allow Russian gas to bypass transit countries, Ukraine and Belarus. Nord Stream’s strategic value turns out to be huge, justifying the high investment cost for Germany and Russia. The additional leverage obtained through South Stream, in contrast, appears small. The third project, Nabucco, aims at diversifying Europe’s gas imports by accessing producers in Middle East and Central Asia. The project has a large potential to curtail Russia’s power, but the benefits accrue mainly to Turkey, while the gains for the EU are negligible. |
| Keywords: | Bargaining Power, Transport Network, Natural Gas |
| JEL: | L5 L9 O22 |
| Date: | 2012–05 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wsr:wpaper:y:2012:i:093&r=cwa |
| By: | O'Sullivan, Meghan L. |
| Abstract: | Iraq’s ability to reach its energy potential should be of broad regional and international concern. Iraq could be poised for a dramatic transformation, one in which it finally escapes the political and technical constraints that have kept it producing less than 4 percent of the world’s oil, despite having the third-largest conventional oil reserves in the world. Should Iraq meet its ambitions to bring nearly 10 million more barrels of oil on line by 2017, it would constitute the largest ever capacity increase in the history of the oil industry. Should Iraq, more probably, bring only half this capacity to market, it would still represent a massive achievement. Translating Iraq’s energy promise into reality is in the shared interest of Iraq, the United States, Japan, and the international community more broadly. At the highest level, the health of Iraq’s energy sector—currently the source of more than 90 percent of revenues accrued by the state—is a major determinant in setting Iraq’s overall trajectory. A booming energy economy is not a guarantee of a prosperous, democratic, and stable Iraq; it could also be the hallmark of an Iraq that has returned to authoritarianism or even tyranny. But it is difficult to imagine a prosperous, democratic, and stable Iraq that does not claim a thriving energy industry among its assets. |
| Date: | 2011 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hrv:hksfac:5116451&r=cwa |
| By: | Eva Valeri (University of Trieste); Amanda Stathopoulos (University of Trieste); Edoardo Marcucci (University of Roma Tre) |
| Abstract: | In the last years Energy Efficiency (EE) has become an important issue in the public policy makers’ agenda due to ambitious objectives of the European Commission to reduce energy consumption by 20% in 2020. Many countries have adopted state-level EE programs targeted to include Energy Saving (ES) policy mixes in different sectors including transportation that is among the most energy intensive ones. The aims of this paper are to: i) report briefly the macro-areas of state-level transport EE policies related to the transport sector, ii) verify the level of implementation of these policies among some European countries, iii) highlight, for each country considered, the EE measures adopted up to 2007 and compare the results obtained, iv) evaluate the implementation of EE transport successful measures adopted by each respective National Energy Agency (NEAs), and finally v) compare the main results deriving from EE policy implementation. In particular, in this last objective we adapted the good practice policy mix framework for car passenger transport proposed by the AID-EE Project at the information obtained from countries’ National Energy Programmes (NEPs) updated to 2007. |
| Keywords: | Transport Sector, Energy Sector, Energy Efficiency, Energy Saving, Energy Policy mix |
| Date: | 2012 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:rcr:wpaper:03_12&r=cwa |
| By: | Scherer, Frederic Michael |
| Abstract: | A century ago, in 1911, the U.S. Supreme Court issued its path-breaking decision in the monopolization case against the Standard Oil Companies. Standard pleaded inter alia that its near-monopoly position was the result of superior innovation, citing in particular the Frasch-Burton process for refining the high-sulphur oil found around Lima, Ohio. This paper examines the role of Hermann Frasch in inventing and developing the desulphurization process, showing that Standard failed to recognize his inventive genius when he was its employee and purchased his rights and services only after he had applied the technique in his own Canadian company. |
| Date: | 2011 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hrv:hksfac:4686409&r=cwa |
| By: | Paz Castillo-Ruiz |
| Abstract: | Women account for 66% of the global workforce and earn 10% of the income. They produce 50% of the food globally and own 1% of the property. Besides, women represent the majority of the global poor, 70%, and it has been proven that ownership is one of the most effective means of improving their economic well-being. Therefore, promoting women economic opportunities and equal participation in the labor market is the right thing to do. But it is also good business. This reference note discusses the role that gender plays in labor market participation, access to finance, training and education, and other legal and social barriers. This document then goes on to describe policies and promising practices for promoting real economic opportunity for women. |
| Keywords: | Social Development :: Women, compete caribbean |
| Date: | 2011–08 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:idb:brikps:69198&r=cwa |
| By: | Ýdil Göksel (Department of Economics, Izmir University of Economics) |
| Abstract: | The aim of this paper is to investigate the main determinants of the participation decision of females in the labour force in Turkey. Turkey is a particularly important case as, unlike in many other countries, female labour force participation has shown a decreasing trend in the last 50 years. This paper aims to elaborate on the causes of this decrease. In addition to the main determinants found in previous literature, this paper adds a new variable that influences female labour force participation in Turkey: Conservatism and the role of traditional and social norms. An original proxy for conservatism is created by using a unique data set about perceptions. Four indices that might influence conservatism are formed: Tradition, social norms, men's decision power, and conservatism. The results are in accordance with the previous literature in emphasizing that urbanization, and education level play an important role in the participation decision of women. However, these factors are not sufficient to explain the decline in female labour force participation. This paper presents a new concept by showing that social norms, tradition and men's higher bargaining power play a negative role in the probability of women working in urban areas, while they do not have any significant influence in rural areas. Furthermore, this paper shows a new possible explanation for the link between urbanization and female labour force participation. Higher urbanization causes higher conservatism, which leads to lower female labour force participation. |
| Keywords: | female labour force participation, gender, conservatism |
| JEL: | J16 J21 |
| Date: | 2012–05 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:izm:wpaper:1205&r=cwa |
| By: | Tansel, Aysit (Middle East Technical University); Kan, Elif Oznur (Cankaya University) |
| Abstract: | In this study, we examine the formal/informal sector earnings differentials in the Turkish labor market using detailed econometric methodologies and a novel panel data set drawn from the 2006-2009 Income and Living Conditions Survey (SILC). In particular, we test if there is evidence of traditional segmented labor markets theory which postulates that informal workers are typically subject to lower remuneration than similar workers in the formal sector. Estimation of standard Mincer earnings equations at the mean using OLS on a pooled sample of workers confirms the existence of an informal penalty, but also shows that almost half of this penalty can be explained by observable variables. Along wage/self-employment divide, our results are in line with the traditional theory that formal-salaried workers are paid significantly higher than their informal counterparts. Confirming the heterogeneity within informal employment, we find that self-employed are often subject to lower remuneration compared to those who are salaried. Moreover, using quantile regression estimations, we show that pay differentials are not uniform along the earnings distribution. More specifically, we find that informal penalty decreases with the earnings level, implying a heterogeneous informal sector with upper-tier jobs carrying a significant premium and lower-tier jobs being largely penalized. Finally, fixed effects estimation of the earnings gap depict that unobserved individual fixed effects when combined with controls for observable individual and employment characteristics explain the pay differentials between formal and informal employment entirely, thereby implying that formal/informal segmentation may not be a stylized fact of the Turkish labor market as previously thought. |
| Keywords: | formal/informal employment, labor market dynamics, panel data, Turkey, earnings gap |
| JEL: | J21 J31 J40 O17 |
| Date: | 2012–05 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:iza:izadps:dp6556&r=cwa |
| By: | Chani, Muhammad Irfan; Shahid, Muhammad; Hassan, Mahboob Ul |
| Abstract: | This study is aimed at empirical investigation of the role that various socio-economic factors like female education, urbanization and female labour force participation play in determining fertility of women in Pakistan. ARDL bound testing approach to co-integration is used to analyze the long run relationship of the variables by using the data for the period of 1980 to 2009. Empirical results show that there exists a long run as well as short run relationship between fertility and urbanization, female labour force participation and female education in Pakistan. The analysis indicates that there is negative relationship between all three determinants with fertility. Female education and urbanization of the society play significant role in reducing fertility but the role of female participation in labour force seems to be in insignificant in fertility reduction in Pakistan. |
| Keywords: | Fertility; female education; population; female labour force participation; urbanization |
| JEL: | J13 J10 E24 J15 |
| Date: | 2011 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:38742&r=cwa |
| By: | Bartz, Kevin; Fuchs-Schündeln, Nicola |
| Abstract: | Based on a modified Spatiotemporal Autoregressive Model (STAR), we analyze whether borders still constitute significant impediments to labor market integration in the European Union, despite the formal law of free movement of labor. Using regional data from the EU-15 countries over 21 years, we find that this is the case. We further investigate whether the abolishment of border checks through the Schengen agreement or the introduction of the Euro improved our measure of labor market integration across borders, and do not find evidence in favor. Last, we investigate the role of languages, and potentially cultures, as obstacles to labor market integration. We find that indeed language borders play a larger role than country borders in explaining the lack of labor market integration across borders. |
| Keywords: | European integration; labor market integration; spatial econometrics |
| JEL: | C4 J4 J6 |
| Date: | 2012–05 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cpr:ceprdp:8987&r=cwa |
| By: | Jayawickrama, Sherine S |
| Abstract: | This paper explores the context, practice and lessons related to management and leadership development in a handful of large international NGOs (INGOs) focused on humanitarian and development efforts. The paper is based on eighteen semi-structured interviews with senior managers of human resources or organizational development at INGOs including ActionAid, CARE, Catholic Relief Services, Habitat for Humanity, Médecins Sans Frontières, Mercy Corps, Oxfam, Save the Children and World Vision. It describes how INGOs (individually and collectively) are addressing the challenge of developing strong managers and leaders, what some promising approaches in management and leadership development currently are, what lessons can be learned from past and ongoing experiences in management and leadership development, what challenges and priorities remain, and whether and how academic institutions might be a resource. |
| Date: | 2011 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hrv:hksfac:7784444&r=cwa |
| By: | Michael (et al.) Linnan; UNICEF Innocenti Research Centre |
| Abstract: | Drowning is a leading cause of death among children in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) in Asia, but current data greatly underestimate mortality due to drowning. This is due to the way drowning data is collected, classified and reported as well as the difficulty in correcting and adjusting the data. The sum of all the biases and uncertainties has masked the fact that drowning is a leading cause of child death in LMICs in Asia. Cost-effective, affordable and sustainable interventions appropriate for LMICs are available to address this newly recognized and significant killer of children. Large numbers of these deaths could be prevented annually if these drowning interventions were included in current country programmes. When implemented at national scale and as an integral part of country programmes, the prevention of these drowning deaths, which mostly occur in early childhood, would result in a rapid decrease in early childhood mortality. |
| Keywords: | child mortality; child safety; community centres; low income communities; mortality; mortality rate; |
| JEL: | D63 |
| Date: | 2012 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ucf:inwopa:inwopa663&r=cwa |