Download or read book Utilities Reforms and Corruption in Developing Countries written by Antonio Estache and published by World Bank Publications. This book was released on 2006 with total page 30 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This paper shows empirically that "privatization" in the energy, telecommunications, and water sectors, and the introduction of independent regulators in those sectors, have not always had the expected effects on access, affordability, or quality of services. It also shows that corruption leads to adjustments in the quantity, quality, and price of services consistent with the profit-maximizing behavior that one would expect from monopolies in the sector. The results suggest that privatization and the introduction of independent regulators have, at best, only partial effects on the consequences of corruption for access, affordability, and quality of utility services.

Download or read book Utilities Reforms and Corruption in Developing Countries written by Antonio Estache and published by . This book was released on 2012 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This paper shows empirically that "privatization" in the energy, telecommunications, and water sectors, and the introduction of independent regulators in those sectors, have not always had the expected effects on access, affordability, or quality of services. It also shows that corruption leads to adjustments in the quantity, quality, and price of services consistent with the profit-maximizing behavior that one would expect from monopolies in the sector. The results suggest that privatization and the introduction of independent regulators have, at best, only partial effects on the consequences of corruption for access, affordability, and quality of utility services.

Download or read book Utilities Reforms and Corruption in Developing Countries written by Antonio Estache and published by . This book was released on 2016 with total page 30 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This paper shows empirically that privatization in the energy, telecommunications, and water sectors, and the introduction of independent regulators in those sectors, have not always had the expected effects on access, affordability, or quality of services. It also shows that corruption leads to adjustments in the quantity, quality, and price of services consistent with the profit-maximizing behavior that one would expect from monopolies in the sector. The results suggest that privatization and the introduction of independent regulators have, at best, only partial effects on the consequences of corruption for access, affordability, and quality of utility services.

Download or read book Rethinking Power Sector Reform in the Developing World written by Vivien Foster and published by World Bank Publications. This book was released on 2019-12-05 with total page 454 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: During the 1990s, a new paradigm for power sector reform was put forward emphasizing the restructuring of utilities, the creation of regulators, the participation of the private sector, and the establishment of competitive power markets. Twenty-five years later, only a handful of developing countries have fully implemented these Washington Consensus policies. Across the developing world, reforms were adopted rather selectively, resulting in a hybrid model, in which elements of market orientation coexist with continued state dominance of the sector. This book aims to revisit and refresh thinking on power sector reform approaches for developing countries. The approach relies heavily on evidence from the past, drawing both on broad global trends and deep case material from 15 developing countries. It is also forward looking, considering the implications of new social and environmental policy goals, as well as the emerging technological disruptions. A nuanced picture emerges. Although regulation has been widely adopted, practice often falls well short of theory, and cost recovery remains an elusive goal. The private sector has financed a substantial expansion of generation capacity; yet, its contribution to power distribution has been much more limited, with efficiency levels that can sometimes be matched by well-governed public utilities. Restructuring and liberalization have been beneficial in a handful of larger middle-income nations but have proved too complex for most countries to implement. Based on these findings, the report points to three major policy implications. First, reform efforts need to be shaped by the political and economic context of the country. The 1990s reform model was most successful in countries that had reached certain minimum conditions of power sector development and offered a supportive political environment. Second, countries found alternative institutional pathways to achieving good power sector outcomes, making a case for greater pluralism. Among the top performers, some pursued the full set of market-oriented reforms, while others retained a more important role for the state. Third, reform efforts should be driven and tailored to desired policy outcomes and less preoccupied with following a predetermined process, particularly since the twenty-first-century century agenda has added decarbonization and universal access to power sector outcomes. The Washington Consensus reforms, while supportive of the twenty-first-century century agenda, will not be able to deliver on them alone and will require complementary policy measures

Download or read book Energy Sector Reform written by Per Ljung and published by . This book was released on 2007 with total page 200 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Fighting Corruption in Public Services written by World Bank and published by World Bank Publications. This book was released on 2012-02-01 with total page 127 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book chronicles the anti-corruption reforms in public services in Georgia since the Rose Revolution in late 2003. Through a series of case studies, the book draws out the how of these reforms and distills the key success factors.

Download or read book Corruption and Reform written by Edward L. Glaeser and published by University of Chicago Press. This book was released on 2007-11-01 with total page 398 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Despite recent corporate scandals, the United States is among the world’s least corrupt nations. But in the nineteenth century, the degree of fraud and corruption in America approached that of today’s most corrupt developing nations, as municipal governments and robber barons alike found new ways to steal from taxpayers and swindle investors. In Corruption and Reform, contributors explore this shadowy period of United States history in search of better methods to fight corruption worldwide today. Contributors to this volume address the measurement and consequences of fraud and corruption and the forces that ultimately led to their decline within the United States. They show that various approaches to reducing corruption have met with success, such as deregulation, particularly “free banking,” in the 1830s. In the 1930s, corruption was kept in check when new federal bureaucracies replaced local administrations in doling out relief. Another deterrent to corruption was the independent press, which kept a watchful eye over government and business. These and other facets of American history analyzed in this volume make it indispensable as background for anyone interested in corruption today.

Download or read book Corrupt Cities written by and published by World Bank Publications. This book was released on 2000 with total page 180 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Much of the devastation caused by the recent earthquake in Turkey was the result of widespread corruption between the construction industry and government officials. Corruption is part of everyday public life and we tend to take it for granted. However, preventing corruption helps to raise city revenues, improve service delivery, stimulate public confidence and participation, and win elections. This book is designed to help citizens and public officials diagnose, investigate and prevent various kinds of corrupt and illicit behaviour. It focuses on systematic corruption rather than the free-lance activity of a few law-breakers, and emphasises practical preventive measures rather than purely punitive or moralistic campaigns.

Download or read book Building Institutions for Markets written by World Bank and published by World Bank Publications. This book was released on 2002 with total page 196 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 'Institutions fix the confines of and impose form upon the activities of human beings.' --Walton Hamilton, 'Institutions', 1932. The 'World Development Report 2002: Building Institutions for Markets' undertakes the complex issue of the basic institutions needed for markets to function properly. This year's 'World Development Report' goes beyond a simple examination of institutional structure and explores the functions of institutions. Recognizing that one size does not fit all, the report asks what do all institutions which support markets do? The answer is simple: Institutions channel information, define and enforce property rights, and increase or prevent competition. Understanding the functions that current institutions and their proposed replacements would provide is the first step. The report contends that once you have identified the institutional functions that are missing, you can then build effective institutions by following some basic principles: - Complement what exists already - in terms of other supporting institutions, human capacities, and technology. - Innovate to suit local norms and conditions. Experimenting with new structures can provide a country with creative solutions that work. - Connect communities of market players through open information flows and open trade. Open trade and information flows create demand for new institutions and improve the functioning of existing structures. - Compete among jurisdictions, firms, and individuals. Increased competition creates demand for new institutions as old ones lose their effectiveness. It also affects how people behave - improving institutional quality. These broad lessons and careful analyses, which links theory with pertinent evidence, are provided in the report. 'World Development Report 2002: Building Institutions for Markets' contains selected 'World Development Indicators'.

Download or read book Accounting for Poverty in Infrastructure Reform written by Antonio Estache and published by World Bank Publications. This book was released on 2002 with total page 136 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Annotation This book provides practical guidelines and options for infrastructure reform that result in access and affordability for the poor. It includes a new model for reform that consists of three main components - policies, regulation, and provision which when properly balanced minimize the risks associated with reform.

Download or read book Uncovering the Drivers of Utility Performance written by Luis A. Andrés and published by World Bank Publications. This book was released on 2013-07-18 with total page 257 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book provides insights into infrastructure sector performance by focusing on the links between key indicators for utilities, and changes in ownership, regulatory agency governance, and corporate governance, among other dimensions. By linking inputs and outputs over the last 15 years, the analysis is able to uncover key determinants that have impacted performance and address why the effects of such dimensions resulted in significant changes in the performance of infrastructure service provision.

Download or read book Emerging Issues in Competition Collusion and Regulation of Network Industries written by Antonio Estache and published by CEPR. This book was released on 2011 with total page 157 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book presents a comprehensive review of the vast economic literature covering the governance issues of network industries and suggests paths to improve their efficiences.

Download or read book The Oxford Handbook of Regulation written by Robert Baldwin and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2012-07-19 with total page 680 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Regulation is often thought of as an activity that restricts behaviour and prevents the occurrence of certain undesirable activities, but the influence of regulation can also be enabling or facilitative, as when a market could potentially be chaotic if uncontrolled. This Handbook provides a clear and authoritative discussion of the major trends and issues in regulation over the last thirty years, together with an outline of prospective developments. It brings together contributions from leading scholars from a range of disciplines and countries. Each chapter offers a broad overview of key current issues and provides an analysis of different perspectives on those issues. Experiences in different jurisdictions and insights from various disciplines are drawn upon, and particular attention is paid to the challenges that are encountered when specific approaches are applied in practice. Contributors develop their own distinctive arguments relating to the central issues in regulation and apply scholarly rigour and clear writing to matters of high policy-relevance. The essays are original, accessible, and agenda-setting, and the Handbook will be essential reading both to students and researchers and to with regulatory and regulated professionals.

Download or read book Anticorruption in Transition written by and published by World Bank Publications. This book was released on 2000-01-01 with total page 138 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: With the increasing recognition across the world of the damaging effects of corruption on economic growth and social stability. This report seeks to unpack the varied practices of corruption to identify and compare different patterns of the transition countries of Central and Eastern Europe, the Baltic states, and the Commonwealth of Independent States. It then draws out lessons for tailoring anticorruption strategies to address the variation across the region in an effort to target reforms more effectively. The report draws on many sources of ongoing research and lessons of experience, including the World Bank's work in this area. It is intended as a contribution to the growing policy dialogue on developing practical strategies for reducing corruption.

Download or read book Governing Infrastructure Regulators in Fragile Environments written by World Bank and published by World Bank Publications. This book was released on 2019-07-30 with total page 209 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Countries exiting conflict and fragility face many urgent priorities and almost invariably suffer from substantial infrastructure deficits. There is typically very little infrastructure investment during periods of fragility and conflict, and existing installations are often damaged or destroyed. The purpose of this manual is to contribute to improvements in the quality of infrastructure regulation. It does so by identifying key principles for the governance of infrastructure regulators and by suggesting how these principles can be introduced successfully and maintained over time. The introduction of cross-cutting governance principles for regulators is based on the assumption that a uniform set of governance principles can be less costly and complex for governments to implement and enforce and will provide potential investors with a more consistent and predictable regulatory environment to navigate. The manual also discusses the process of implementing regulatory governance reforms in fragile contexts. Improvements in governance frameworks for infrastructure regulators will support better and accountable regulatory decision-making, as well as increased investment and overall economic development. Case studies from relevant country experience complement and provide context to the discussion on principles.

Download or read book Understanding the Political Economy of the Arab Uprisings written by Ishac Diwan and published by World Scientific. This book was released on 2014-05-26 with total page 308 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: For the millions of citizens in the Arab World who came together in 2010–2011 to discover their common yearning for dignity and liberty, the real revolutions only began after the wave of protests. Understanding the Political Economy of the Arab Uprisings reassess the interests, potential and constraints of various socio-political players and their importance in the building of a constructive environment for democratic progress in the Middle East. Initiated by the Cairo-based Economic Research Forum and edited by Ishac Diwan, this invaluable volume features contributions by Middle East academics across the world. They examine the reasons behind the uprisings, how democratic transitions transpire, the role of Arab capitalism in the crises, and how the experiences of other countries such as Indonesia, Turkey and Iran, can forecast where these uprisings may lead the Middle East in the years to come. Contents:PrefaceIntroductionThe Genesis of the Uprisings:The Political Economy of Arab Presidents for Life — and After (Roger Owen)Understanding Revolution in the Middle East: The Central Role of the Middle Class (Ishac Diwan)The Making of the Tunisian Revolution (Fadhel Kaboub)A Transition to Democracy?:On the Determinants of Democratic Transitions (Caroline Freund and Melise Jaud)Islamists in Power? Inclusion, Moderation, and the Arab Uprisings (Jillian Schwedler)Arab Capitalism in Crisis:Detecting Corruption and Evaluating Programs to Control It: Some Lessons for MENA (Jeffrey B Nugent)Enhancing Competition in a Post-Revolutionary Arab Context: Does the Turkish Experience Provide Any Lessons? (Izak Atiyas)Lessons from Elsewhere:Political and Economic Developments in Turkey and The Transformation of Political Islam (1950–2010) (Hasan Ersel)Social Order, Rents, and Economic Development in Iran Since the Early 20th Century (Hadi S Esfahani & Esra Ç Gürakar)What Happened in the Early Years of Democracy: Indonesia's Experience (Akhmad R Shidiq and Philips J Vermonte) Readership: Graduate and research students, political scientists, economists, social scientists who specialize in the political economy of the Middle East and current affairs in the MENA Region. Key Features:Written by distinguished Middle East scholars from around the worldTimely topic with the aftermath of Arab revolutions still unfoldingGoes beyond the political perspective of the uprisings (which is what many books tend to focus on), and provides analyses on socio-economic and political-economic aspects of eventsKeywords:Political Economy;Democracy;Transitions;MENA;Arab Spring;Tunisia;Egypt;Libya;Turkey;Yemen;Indonesia;Revolutions;Political Islam;The Middle East;Islamists;Corruption;Competition;Iran;Social Order;Rents;Economic DevelopmentReviews: “How are we to understand the origins and consequences of the momentous changes which have rocked the Middle East in the past four years? This book brings together some of the most insightful scholars of the region to begin to distill some of the lessons from this experience. It takes on board the extent of the variation and the rich historical legacies. An important and fascinating work.” James A Robinson David Florence Professor of Government Harvard University “This is an important book for those are interested in the Arab region and recent ground-breaking events. Ishac Diwan and his colleagues have made a great contribution by providing deep and thought-provoking perspectives on the causes and implications of the so-called Arab Spring.” Mustapha Kamel Nabli Former Governor, Central Bank of Tunisia “… efforts to understand why the uprisings took place, and what effects they have had so far, are of the greatest importance … The contributors to this volume are to be congratulated for the many skillful ways they use a Political Economy approach to provide trenchant evidence …” Roger Owen A J Meyer Professor Emeritus of Middle East History Harvard University “This volume makes a valuable contribution to the growing literature on the Arab uprisings.” Middle East Media and Book Reviews Online “It includes the most commentary on the structural factors behind the uprisings, and a credible hypothesis emerges from some of its essays: in recent decades, neoliberal reforms enacted by Arab states combined with corrupt privatization schemes and crony capitalism to undermine the economic base of the middle class to ally with the lower-middle class and the poor.” Foreign Affairs

Download or read book Measuring and Reducing the Impact of Corruption in Infrastructure written by Charles Kenny and published by World Bank Publications. This book was released on 2006 with total page 42 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This paper examines what we can say about the extent and impact of corruption in infrastructure in developing countries using existing evidence. It looks at different approaches to estimating the extent of corruption and reports on the results of such studies. It suggests that there is considerable evidence that most existing perceptions measures appear to be very weak proxies for the actual extent of corruption in the infrastructure sector, largely (but inaccurately) measuring petty rather than grand corruption. Existing survey evidence is more reliable, but limited in extent and still subject to sufficient uncertainty that it should not be used as a tool for differentiating countries in terms of access to infrastructure finance or appropriate policy models. The paper discusses evidence for the relative costs of corruption impacts and suggests that a focus on bribe payments as the indicator of the costs of corruption in infrastructure may be misplaced. It draws some conclusions regarding priorities for infrastructure anti-corruption research and activities in projects, in particular regarding disaggregated and actionable indicators of weak governance and corruption.