Iran's economic performance in the last two decades has been very disappointing. This is highlighted by the fact that per capita GDP was 16 percent lower in 1998 than in 1979. However, the most important single reason for this poor performance was not any domestic economic policy, but the long...

"The authors apply regime-switching methods to a monetarist model of exchange rates and identify well-defined intervention policy cycles. The policy response indices include a standard exchange market pressure-based index and a model-based volatility ratio that is endogenized relative to Japan,...

This report identifies several themes that cover both macroeconomic constraints as well as structural factors affecting small, medium, and micro enterprises (SMME) in South Africa. After the introduction, Chapter 2 continues to discuss firm demographics for the 800 SMME firms surveyed....

The report is the third in a series of reports that evolved from a collaboration between the local government of the City of Johannesburg, and the World Bank in 1999-2000 on the theme of local economic development. It presents the main findings of the 1999 World Bank informal sector survey,...

This reports examines the importance of efficient public procurement for the national economy for South Africa. The country faces a unique task of merging a dual economy consisting of the exiting "main stream economy" and, an "emerging economy". To provide a national environment for optimal...

This reports examines the importance of efficient public procurement for the national economy for South Africa. The country faces a unique task of merging a dual economy consisting of the exiting "main stream economy" and, an "emerging economy". To provide a national environment for optimal...

This report assesses the corporate governance practices of listed companies in South Africa, within the broader context of the institutional capacity needed to ensure compliance and enforcement. The diagnostic reflects the corporate governance framework as of December 2001. South Africa has a...