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How to Improve Governance
In recent years, the developing world has seen a burst of efforts to reduce corruption, increase transparency and accountability, and improve governance. Needless to say, this is an important and encouraging development. However, the lack of a reliable compass to describe where a country is at a given moment—and where it could be heading in the absence or acceptance of proposed reforms—can result in disastrous missteps. The unfortunate absence of such a guide has helped lead to innumerable failed governments or ineffective regimes. This important book aims to fill that void. How to Improve Governance emphasizes the need for an overall analytical framework that can be applied to different...
Key Economic and Social Challenges for Latin America
The paper draws on recent studies at the World Bank and elsewhere to highlight four aspects of Latin America's current challenges. First, high inequality, partly related to historical relations between Europeans, indigenous and Afro-descendants, but reinforced by continuing dualism between the formal and informal sectors. Second, education, where the region suffers from a serious "secondary deficit" and weak educational quality. Third, the business climate, which exhibits continuing problems with inappropriate regulation, while infrastructure provision has suffered from cutbacks to public provision, only partly compensated for by increased private investment. Finally, Latin America's future sources of international comparative advantage: whether in natural resource-based exports or in manufacturing, the region needs to improve performance in mobilizing knowledge and technology.
Rural Enterprise Development in China, 1986-90
This paper updates through 1990 the World Bank analysis of China's nonagricultural rural enterprise sector, which has come to play an increasing role in both industry and the service sector, and which operates largely outside the framework of central state control. The sector's performance during the 7th Five-Year Plan period (1986-90) is reviewed with respect to output, employment, exports and fiscal contribution, and regional and subsectoral variations are examined. Controversies over the sector's record in areas such as economic efficiency, energy intensity and pollution control are also analyzed. Review of the official policy climate towards the sector covers initiatives intended to improve the legislative and incentive frameworks and attempts to improve public provision of services to rural firms, as well as their treatment during the austerity campaign of 1988-90. The paper concludes that the nonstate sector has a crucial role to play in increasing recognition by the central authorities and outlines areas in where the policy climate still shows room for improvement.
World Refinery Industry
The oil refining industry is a critical link in the energy chain in many developing and industrialized countries, transforming crude oil into transport fuels, residual fuel oil, and other products such as kerosene, used in developing countries for lighting and cooking. The present report reviews the physical structure and process configuration of the world refining industry in the mid-1980s. It analyzes the factors influencing demand for petroleum derivatives and forecasts future demand patterns on a regional basis through 1995. Based on this analysis and on the potential for interregional trade in petroleum products, estimates are made of future regional investment requirements in additiona...
Beyond Microfinance
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Visual Guide to Xanth
Bursting with exquisitely detailed maps, charts, and illustrations, here'e an indispensable addition to the amazing Anthony Xanthian anthology that no true "Xanthophile" will want to be without.
Heaven's Final
Heaven's Final is about Jody, a small, young mental genius, confined to a wheel chair for life and his superb mental power. Can Jody overcome his father's determination to use that ability for his own purpose? Jody would do anything for his sister whom he loves dearly, but will the battle with his father kill or save her? Will his craving need for friends he never had before become his defeat? Fortunately, Jody isn't alone. He has a stubborn and loving detective who befriends him, a ghostly angel who tries to protect him, and a mysterious, heavenly emissary who will carve out of the struggle between Jody and his father the final plan for Earth. Heaven's Final is the sequel to Heaven's Own, but can be read independently.
Borrower Ownership of Adjustment Programs and the Political Economy of Reform
China has done much to reform its price system, achieve macroeconomic stability, and restore growth. Nevertheless, price distortions remain in three key areas. This study suggests further price reforms for the energy, grain, and transport sectors. It explains why energy price adjustments should have only a modest effect on consumer prices, but a highly positive effect on the economy. It discusses why China may have to reduce consumer subsidies to achieve the necessary reforms for grain prices. The study describes what the government must do to strengthen commodity markets, generate competition, and make allowances for seasonal price variations. China's transport sector has been a critical development bottleneck. The paper reviews tariff adjustments and other reforms that would modernize the transport system and help it meet growing demand. These reforms also would encourage energy conservation and help integrate the national economy.
Korean Industrial Policy
The World Bank is changing the way it does business in the energy sector. This Policy Paper is one of two that outlines the Bank's new policies for the sector. The review was prompted by concern about the effects of power generation on the environment and on populations that may be resettled to make way for projects. Another stimulus was the macroeceonomic reality of fewer investment resources in many countries. And many developing countries are becoming more receptive to reforming the way energy is produced and consumed. This paper credits the public monopoly approach of the last 30 years with facilitating expansion of power supplies, capturing technical economies of scale, and making effec...
From the Ground Up
A Brookings Institution Press and Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation publication This book is based on a simple concept: no one is in a better position to hold a government accountable than those it governs. When governments fail to meet the needs of their citizens, the international community often turns to large external organizations such as the International Monetary Fund or the World Bank. These analysts and monitors may have the resources and expertise to analyze and advise on public spending and governance, but where do they go when the time comes to implement new policies? And can they really have a more nuanced understanding of the country's problems than its own ci...
