This paper presents empirical evidence on the determinants of industry-level multifactor productivity growth. It focus on traditional factors, including the process of technological catch up, human capital and R&D as well as institutional factors affecting labor adjustment costs. The link...

Unemployment insurance has been the subject of numerous theoretical and empirical studies. These studies elucidate the benefits and the cost of unemployment insurance, namely, the improved allocation of risk bearing and the reduced incentives for work. In the past two decades a branch of the...

This paper considers the implementation of, and rationale for, pension reforms based on notional accounts (sometimes known as notional defined contribution plans or NDCs). The distinguishing feature of such reforms is that a structure of individual accounts is established, in which contributions...

The purpose of the paper is to review the structure and performance of the Czech pension system and examine alternative reform options. The paper shows that in the absence of reform the deficits of the Czech pension system may exceed 8 percent of GDP in 2050. To contain these deficits the paper...

Singapore is an affluent city state which finances its social security system through a mandatory, publicly managed, defined contribution system based on individual accounts. The main vehicle embodying this is the Central Provident Fund (CPF). There are two other pension systems operating in...

Formal retirement income provision in Australia, can be traced back to occupational schemes first offered by banks, and state governments in the nineteenth century. However, the year 1909 marks the beginning of a national retirement income policy, with the introduction of means-tested age...

Social protection can be defined as interventions intended to assist individuals, households, and communities in managing risk in order to reduce vulnerability, smooth consumption, and improve equity. Social protection in Togo has been put to test by the political and economic developments of...

Labor market regulation involves many aspects, ranging from how employers contract for the services of workers to the nature of the exchange, including terms of conditions of employment. This area of regulation represents an important and often controversial aspect of public policy in both...

The World Bank's operations in labor markets are reviewed in this report. The findings show that lending in labor markets has increased significantly in the last four years. The Bank supported close to 950 projects in FY92 to FY96. An examination of the 941 project reports approved during this...

This paper focuses on the role the of social programs in economic restructuring. Restructuring often results in significant downsizing of labor. When this occurs a negative social reaction can slow and/or stall restructuring. This is increasingly recognized by development agencies, governments,...