This paper develops and tests two efficiency wage models of corruption in the civil service. Under fair wage models, civil service wages are an important determinant of corruption. Under shirking models, the level of wages is of secondary importance, as potential bribes dwarf wage income. The...

This paper argues that the development of human capital in the public sector should be an important ingredient in any proposed set of “second-generation” reforms for Africa. In the post-colonial era the quality of governance has seriously declined, and the stock of human capital in the...

This Selected Issues paper and Statistical Appendix reviews the performance of New Zealand and compares its growth rates of output, inputs, and total factor productivity during 1978–96 with 10 other economies. This study applies a common methodology across countries, not only for the growth...

This paper reviews economic developments in New Zealand during 1992–95. According to the production measure, growth began to pick up in the middle of 1991, rising to about 3 percent in 1992/93, before jumping to nearly 6 percent in each of 1993/94 and 1994/95. Although export performance...

This Selected Issues paper and Statistical Appendix describes New Zealand’s evolving approach to inflation targeting. It describes the experience of New Zealand with inflation targeting, and discusses the motives behind the change in its approach toward a more flexible framework. The paper...

This 1999 Article IV Consultation highlights that economic performance of New Zealand improved during the 1990s. Inflation averaged about 2 percent, compared with nearly 10 percent in the 1980s, while economic growth also picked up. Despite these improvements, the current account deficit remains...

New Zealand’s recovery has stalled since mid-2010. Spare capacity has helped contain inflation. The Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ) lifted its policy rate in two steps from a record low of 2.5 percent to 3 percent in mid-2010. The exchange rate appreciated and financial markets have largely...