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on Central and Western Asia |
| By: | Danzer, Alexander M. (Catholic University of Eichstätt-Ingolstadt); Grundke, Robert (University of Munich) |
| Abstract: | This paper investigates the economic fortunes of coerced vs. free workers in a global supply chain. To identify the differential treatment of otherwise similar workers we resort to a unique exogenous labor demand shock that affects wages in voluntary and involuntary labor relations differently. We identify the wage pass-through by capitalizing on Tajikistan's geographic variation in the suitability for cotton production combined with a surge in the world market price of cotton in 2010/11 in two types of firms: randomly privatized small farms and not yet privatized parastatal farms, the latter of which command political capital to coerce workers. The expansion in land attributed to cotton production led to increases in labor demand and wages for cotton pickers; however, the price hike benefits only workers on entrepreneurial private farms, whereas coerced workers of parastatal enterprises miss out. The results provide evidence for the political economy of labor coercion and for the dependence of the economic lives of many poor on the competitive structure of local labor markets. |
| Keywords: | coerced labor, export price, price pass-through, cotton, wage, local labor market, Tajikistan |
| JEL: | J47 J43 F16 O13 Q12 |
| Date: | 2016–05 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:iza:izadps:dp9971&r=cwa |
| By: | Maryia Akulava |
| Abstract: | Little knowledge exists on difference in innovation behavior of men and women leading the SMEs in transition countries. This paper estimates whether there is a gender gap in SMEs innovation actions. Results show that propensity to innovate is higher among female owners and this finding preserves for 5 measures of innovativeness. Thus, female involvement in business might be beneficial for the innovative sustainable development of economy. Estimation of the gap in performance of implemented innovations did not reveal any strong prevailing gender in terms of efficiency. |
| Keywords: | Small and medium enterprises, innovation activities, gender differences |
| JEL: | O31 O32 J16 L25 |
| Date: | 2015–10 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:bel:wpaper:31&r=cwa |
| By: | Valeria, Gattai; Rajssa, Mechelli; Piergiovanna, Natale; |
| Abstract: | groups of former Soviet states, designated CIS, Developed and Developing. Using Orbis data, we provide within-group and between-group results on the effects of outward FDI (OFDI) and inward FDI (IFDI) on firm-level innovation. As the most notable finding, OFDI firms innovate more than IFDI firms, which in turn innovate more than non-FDI firms. The innovation effect of OFDI is the largest for firms from the Developing economies, followed by the Developed and CIS countries. The innovation effect of IFDI is the largest for firms from the Developing economies, followed by the CIS and Developed countries. FDI to and from Europe have the largest impact on innovation; this holds across country groups. |
| Keywords: | FDI, Premia, Patents, Former Soviet States, Russia, CIS |
| JEL: | F23 L25 O57 |
| Date: | 2016–06–10 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:mib:wpaper:340&r=cwa |
| By: | Lorena Lombardozzi (Department of Economics, SOAS, University of London, UK) |
| Abstract: | Agriculture is at the origin of all economic activities and thus obtains a notable position in growth theory. The contribution of primary sector to long-term economic development has given space to asymmetrical positions. In the current context of globalized markets and downsized states, Uzbekistan is incontestably an exceptional case-study, applying distortive measures to its economy, and to agricultural sector in particular, to actively shape its comparative advantages. With reference to the cotton sector taxation in Uzbekistan, this analysis proposes to shed light on the implications of the main theoretical arguments around distortions. It will investigate the ícircular cumulative and interactive processî produced and how it is being a driver of structural transformation, to exploit economies of scale and transfer capital investments for heavy industry, concluding that distortion can actually be instrumental for development. |
| Keywords: | cotton, cash-crops, structural transformation, Uzbekistan |
| JEL: | O53 O40 P16 P21 Q10 |
| Date: | 2016–01 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:soa:wpaper:193&r=cwa |
| By: | Yusuf Soner Baskaya; Sebnem Kalemli-Ozcan |
| Abstract: | We investigate the effect of sovereign risk on banks' credit provision. We use the August 1999 Marmara Earthquake as an unanticipated exogenous fiscal shock that led to an increase in Turkish government's default risk. Based on administrative data on the universe of banks, we find that banks with higher exposures to government bonds before the earthquake suffered a bigger shock to their balance sheet and decreased lending more than the banks with lower exposures, after the earthquake. A bank that holds half of its total assets in government bonds decreases lending to private sector, measured as private sector loans to asset ratio, 2.5 percentage points. We show a similar effect on foreign banks' lending outside Turkey, where these banks also had high exposure to Turkish government bonds pre-earthquake, easing concerns on earthquake driven changes in credit demand. Our estimates, which trace the impact of an exogenous 100 basis point increase in sovereign spreads due to earthquake to credit supply by banks, explain 55 percent of the actual decline in loan provision during July-October 1999. These findings show that bank-sovereign doom loop can be responsible for a large fraction of credit crunch during an actual sovereign debt crisis. |
| JEL: | E0 F0 G0 G01 G21 |
| Date: | 2016–06 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:nbr:nberwo:22335&r=cwa |
| By: | Timilsina,Govinda R.; Sikharulidze,Anna; Karapoghosyan,Eduard; Shatvoryan,Suren |
| Abstract: | Armenia and Georgia are taking the climate change agenda seriously and contributing to efforts for mitigating global climate change through various ways, including preparation of low-carbon development strategies for their future economic growth. The improvement of energy efficiency is one of the key elements of the low-carbon development strategies. This study develops a methodology to estimate a marginal abatement cost curve for energy efficiency measures and applies it to the building sector in both countries. The study finds that among the various energy efficiency measures considered, the replacement of energy inefficient lightbulbs (incandescent lamps) with efficient lightbulbs is the most cost-effective measure in saving energy and reducing greenhouse gas emissions from the building sector. Most energy efficiency improvement options considered in the study would produce net economic benefits even if the value of reduced carbon is not taken into account. |
| Keywords: | Climate Change Economics,Energy Production and Transportation,Environment and Energy Efficiency,Climate Change Mitigation and Green House Gases,Energy and Environment |
| Date: | 2016–06–16 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wbk:wbrwps:7703&r=cwa |
| By: | OECD |
| Abstract: | Good logistics performance is an essential component of stimulating economic development. This report explores the drivers of, and barriers to, logistics performance through a case study of Turkey’s trade and transport sector. Firstly, it explains the importance of logistics performance. Next, it reviews the Logistics Performance Index (LPI) used to assess trade and transportation facilitation friendliness of countries. It then discusses Turkey’s performance against each dimension of the LPI, highlighting the country’s challenges and achievements. Lastly, the report uses this understanding to propose and catagorise a series of general policy actions available for improving logistics performance. |
| Date: | 2015–04–01 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:oec:itfaac:9-en&r=cwa |