Reforming Infrastructure

Reforming Infrastructure
Author: Ioannis Nicolaos Kessides
Publisher: World Bank Publications
Total Pages: 328
Release: 2004
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN:

Electricity, natural gas, telecommunications, railways, and water supply, are often vertically and horizontally integrated state monopolies. This results in weak services, especially in developing and transition economies, and for poor people. Common problems include low productivity, high costs, bad quality, insufficient revenue, and investment shortfalls. Many countries over the past two decades have restructured, privatized and regulated their infrastructure. This report identifies the challenges involved in this massive policy redirection. It also assesses the outcomes of these changes, as well as their distributional consequences for poor households and other disadvantaged groups. It recommends directions for future reforms and research to improve infrastructure performance, identifying pricing policies that strike a balance between economic efficiency and social equity, suggesting rules governing access to bottleneck infrastructure facilities, and proposing ways to increase poor people's access to these crucial services.

Privatization in Latin America

Privatization in Latin America
Author: World Bank
Publisher: World Bank
Total Pages: 506
Release: 2005
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 9780821358825

This publication examines the empirical evidence on the privatisation measures introduced in the Latin American region since the 1980s, in light of recent criticisms of the record of privatisation and allegations of corruption, abuse of market power and neglect of the poor. It includes case studies on the privatisation debate in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, and Peru; and sets out recommendations for future reforms.

The Turkish Economy

The Turkish Economy
Author: Sumru Altug
Publisher: Psychology Press
Total Pages: 340
Release: 2006
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 9780415365925

Including contributions from noted international scholars, this collection of papers provides a strong theoretical and empirical underpinning for the discussion of major public policy issues facing Turkey today. Matters addressed include:- determinants of growth and productivity- education and human capital accumulation- income inequality- corporate control and government- performance of the government sector- impact of major public policy issues on the future growth prospects of the Turkish economy.This volume relates the impact of major public policy issues on the future growth prospects of the Turkish economy. At a time when Turkey is currently attempting to gain membership to the European Union, this pertinent reference questions whether the country's economy is in fact ready for EU accession and membership.

Privatization

Privatization
Author: Azizul Islam
Publisher: United Nations Publications
Total Pages: 142
Release: 2001
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN:

Privatisation has emerged as a major policy issue for most developing countries in recent years, as part of the economic reform agenda for structural adjustment programmes that embrace free trade, financial liberalisation and a reduction of state involvement in the economy. This book reviews research into the impact of privatisation on economic efficiency, employment, equity and the government budget, and seeks to identify the preconditions required in order to achieve effective privatisation policies.

The State of State Reforms in Latin America

The State of State Reforms in Latin America
Author: Eduardo Lora
Publisher: World Bank Publications
Total Pages: 474
Release: 2006-10-23
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 0821365762

Latin America suffered a profound state crisis in the 1980s, which prompted not only the wave of macroeconomic and deregulation reforms known as the Washington Consensus, but also a wide variety of institutional or 'second generation' reforms. 'The State of State Reform in Latin America' reviews and assesses the outcomes of these less studied institutional reforms. This book examines four major areas of institutional reform: a. political institutions and the state organization; b. fiscal institutions, such as budget, tax and decentralization institutions; c. public institutions in charge of sectoral economic policies (financial, industrial, and infrastructure); and d. social sector institutions (pensions, social protection, and education). In each of these areas, the authors summarize the reform objectives, describe and measure their scope, assess the main outcomes, and identify the obstacles for implementation, especially those of an institutional nature.

Financing Information and Communication Infrastructure Needs in the Developing World

Financing Information and Communication Infrastructure Needs in the Developing World
Author:
Publisher: World Bank Publications
Total Pages: 58
Release: 2005
Genre: Privatization
ISBN: 9780821363584

Over the past ten years, private-sector-led growth has revolutionized access to telecommunications. Every region of the developing world did benefit in terms of investment, and rollout. This revolution would have been impossible without government reform, and oversight. Advanced information and communication infrastructure (ICI) are increasingly important to doing business in a globalizing world. Governments, enterprises, civil society, workers, and poor populations in the developing countries need more affordable access. This report proposes strategies that governments can carry out to attract private investment, and ensure the continued evolution, and spread of information and communication infrastructure. These strategies encompass more than sector policy alone, for investment decisions are based on a wide range of factors including, for example, the roles played by financial sector development, and the broader investment environment. The strategies also include potential public sector investments that can catalyze ICI rollout in sub-sectors where the private sector is not prepared to intervene on its own.