In the financial crisis literature, it is usually argued that, contrary to the case of currency crises, building a time series index to identify banking crisis episodes is highly difficult, particularly because of the lack of reliable data on banking sector variables (non-performing loans,...

This paper presents estimates of six dimensions of governance covering 199 countries and territories for four time periods: 1996, 1998, 2000, and 2002. These indicators are based on several hundred individual variables measuring perceptions of governance, drawn from 25 separate data sources...

In this discussion draft, linking research findings with concrete operational challenges, we review key issues in worldwide governance, and present recent empirical evidence. Focusing on defining and unbundling key governance components, such as rule of law, voice and accountability, corruption...

The causes and consequences of corruption have attracted much attention in recent years by both academics and policy makers. Central in the discussion on the impact of corruption are perception-based indices. While informative, these indices are ordinal in nature and hence provide no indication...

This paper addresses an aspect of the financial crisis in South Korea that has not been dealt with in depth. The question that will be analyzed is: how does the general population perceive the crisis? In attempting to answer this question we rely on new representative survey data, covering the...

This paper offers analysis of corporate governance issues behind stock market performance (stock returns and activity) in Moldova - one of the Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries. Born during the years of mass privatization, securities market of Moldova enjoyed the support for the...

International economic integration is often blamed for the deteriorating fortunes of unskilled workers in industrial countries. We look at the labor market impact of trade and foreign direct investment in the case of Italy. Our empirical framework allows for trade, technology and factor supply...

This paper analyses the determinants of inward foreign direct investment (FDI) flows into Turkey from four major geographical regions and at aggregate level with a special emphasis on Turkey’s application to the European Union (EU) to become a full member in 1987. In contrast to previous...

This paper compares estimates of the gains from eliminating barriers to trade in services with those from eliminating post-Uruguay barriers remaining in the traditional areas of agriculture and manufacturing. It uses a model that incorporates a bilateral treatment of foreign direct investment,...

This paper investigates the productivity effects of inward and outward foreign direct investment using industry and country level data for 17 OECD countries. The paper relates to a large recent literature on productivity spillovers from inward FDI, however, we also consider the relationship...