"Are natural resources a blessing or a curse? Bravo-Ortega and De Gregorio present a model in which natural resources have a positive effect on the level of income and a negative effect on its growth rate. The positive and permanent effect on income implies a welfare gain. There is a growth...

"Chen and Dahlman assess the effects of knowledge on economic growth. By using an array of indicators, each of which represents an aspect of knowledge, as independent variables in cross-section regressions that span 92 countries for the period 1960 to 2000, they show that knowledge is a...

The scope of this report is twofold. First, it documents skills gaps and mismatches and attempts to understand the reasons for them. Second, it provides a framework for thinking about skills development, drawing on international best practices, with the intent of stimulating further discussion....

"In this paper the authors reconsider the idea of an earnings-related pension system with reserves invested in indexed government bonds as a mechanism to both ensure financial sustainability and improve security. They start by reviewing the characterization of the sustainable rate of return of...

The shortage of skills sought by key export-oriented and import competing industries in Bosnia and Herzegovina (henceforth, 'BH') is substantial and if left unaddressed, threatens to constrain future economic growth of the country. Prior to the onset of the global economic crisis, BH enjoyed...

Improved access to and quality of upper secondary schools, teacher training colleges, Higher Learning Institutions (HLIs), and demand-driven Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) courses to supply the demand for the higher-level skills and competencies relevant to labor market...

This report argues that if a growth surge is to evolve into a virtuous spiral that stimulates even higher and sustained growth rates in a substantial number of African countries, a significant increase in investment in physical and human capital is needed over an extended period. This report...

This report draws on limited, available data to analyze selected economic, and social issues, which include better understanding of poverty, and inequality in relation to real income, and, improving the allocation of social expenditures, while increasing the effectiveness of social programs. The...

Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) hamper the development of human capital for current and future generations. NCDs are chronic conditions that are often untreatable and require close monitoring to control the progression of the disease. They account for 70 percent of all deaths worldwide and...