"Product standards can have a dual impact on production and trade costs. Standards may impose additional costs on exporters as it may be necessary to adapt products for specific markets (cost-effect). In contrast, standards can reduce exporters' information costs if they convey information on...

"The pallet is a platform used for storing, handling, and transporting products. There are hundreds of different pallet sizes around the world. Raballand and Aldaz-Carroll examine the case of pallets to illustrate the impact of multiplicity of standards on trade costs. They select this case...

"Regional agreements on standards have been largely ignored by economists and unconditionally blessed by multilateral trade rules. Chen and Mattoo find, theoretically and empirically, that such agreements increase trade between participating countries but not necessarily with the rest of the...

These Standard Bidding Documents (SBD) have been prepared by the World Bank for use by borrowers and their implementing agencies in the procurement of goods through International Competitive Bidding (ICB). The procedures and practices presented in this document have been developed through broad...

This assessment of public sector accounting and auditing for Bangladesh is meant generally to help implement more effective Public Financial Management (PFM) through better quality accounting and public audit processes in Bangladesh and to provide greater stimulus for more cost effective...

The objectives of this report are: (a) to provide the country's accounting and audit authorities and other interested stakeholders with a common well-founded knowledge as to where local practices stand in accordance with the internationally developed standards of financial reporting and audit;...

This assessment of public sector accounting and auditing is generally meant to assist with the implementation o f more effective Public Financial Management (PFM) through better quality accounting and public audit processes in Sri Lanka. Following the introduction, and chapters on public sector...