World Bank Technical Paper No. 336. Presents the results of consultative surveys undertaken in 36 rural and urban communities across Nigeria. The study examines the effectiveness and accountability of local institutions in local decisionmaking and participation, as well as some common limitations such as the narrowness of membership and goals and their limited technical and managerial capacities.
This book, a third edition, has been significantly expanded and updated. It revisits the process of institutional change: its characteristics, determinants and implications for economic performance. New chapters address the significance of Post-Communist transition, the differences and importance of initial conditions in institutional building, and, social norms, values, and happiness. Other chapters have been expanded to include, for example, a focus on the Washington consensus, commentary on the 2008 financial crisis, state capacity and corruption, and new findings on redistribution and inequality. With specific focus on Central Europe, Eastern Europe and Central Asia, this revised edition examines the process of development, and its interdependence with institutions.
The book deals with the key aspects of social and economic inequalities developed during the transition of the formerly planned European economies. Particular emphasis is given to the latest years available in order to consider the effects of the global crisis started in 2008-2009.
Provides a comprehensive view of the economic heritage of the reforming countries, of the reforms that are necessary, both from a theoretical and a practical viewpoint; and of the responsibilities of the West.
This interdisciplinary study offers a comprehensive analysis of the transition economies of Central and Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union. Providing full historical context and drawing on a wide range of literature, this book explores the continuous economic and social transformation of the post-socialist world. While the future is yet to be determined, understanding the present phase of transformation is critical. The book’s core exploration evolves along three pivots of competitive economic structure, institutional change, and social welfare. The main elements include analysis of the emergence of the socialist economic model; its adaptations through the twentieth century; discussion of the 1990s market transition reforms; post-2008 crisis development; and the social and economic diversity in the region today. With an appreciation for country specifics, the book also considers the urgent problems of social policy, poverty, income inequality, and labor migration. Transition Economies will aid students, researchers and policy makers working on the problems of comparative economics, economic development, economic history, economic systems transition, international political economy, as well as specialists in post-Soviet and Central and Eastern European regional studies.
Can the economics of Eastern Europe make the dramatic transition from centrally-planned to market-led economics? This book tries to understand the intellectual background behind this change and the problems of managing it.
Economists from eastern and western Europe and the US offer their views on the shortcomings and pitfalls in the transition policies applied so far and on what policies should be pursued to attain the result they favor. Focusing mostly on Bulgaria, Romania, and Russia, they examine the overall framework of the transition strategy, the restructuring and development of the enterprise sector, the unemployment problem and social issues, and the integration of countries in the region into the world economy. The 23 papers are revised from presentations at a May 1996 colloquium, and comments and summaries of general discussion are included for each major topic. No index. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR
This is volume 2 in a two-volume set on political and economic developments in the region. Emphasis is on financial and economic developments, with chapters on unemployment and labor market policies in the economies in transition, the impact of political change on library services, the role of long term credit institutions in the economic development of the region, and financing of regional transport projects. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR
When communism fell in 1989, the question for most Eastern European countries was not whether to go to a market economy, but how to get there. Several years later, the difficult process of privatization and restructuring continues to concern the countries of the region. The Transition in Eastern Europe, Volumes 1 and 2 is an analysis of the experiences of various countries making the transition to market economies and examines the most important challenges still in store. Volume 1, Country Studies, gives an in-depth, country-by-country analysis of various reform experiences, including historical backgrounds and discussions of policies and results to date. The countries analyzed are Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, eastern Germany, Slovenia, and Russia. Written by leading economists, some of whom helped shape local and national reforms, this volume identifies common progress, common difficulties, and tentative solutions to the problems of economic transition. Volume 2, Restructuring, focuses on specific issues of transition, including how to design labor market institutions, privatization, new fiscal structures, and bankruptcy laws; how to reorganize foreign trade; and how to promote foreign direct investment. The articles, written by experts in the field, will be of direct help to those involved in the transition process. These volumes provide a standard reference on economic transition in the region for policymakers in Eastern Europe and in western countries, for international agencies concerned with the transition process, and for anyone interested in learning about the dramatic changes that have recently occurred in Eastern Europe.
