"Previous work has shown that firms in low and middle-income countries in Eastern Europe and Central Asia that feel greater pressure to innovate from their competitors are more likely to introduce new products and services than firms that do not feel pressure (Carlin and others 2001; World Bank...

"Introducing private sector participation (PSP) into the water and sewerage sectors in developing countries is difficult and controversial. Empirical studies on its effects are scant and generally inconclusive. Case studies tend to find improvements in the sector following privatization, but...

"There has been much concern about Africa's recent export performance. Even though tariff and non-tariff barriers to trade have been falling, Africa's share of world exports has declined and most African countries remain highly dependent on a narrow range of primary commodities for export...

How does entry by foreign banks affect lending to small and medium-size anterprises in developing countries? Analysis of data from a large cross-country survey of enterprises finds that foreign bank entry benefits firms of all sizes, although it seems to benefit larger firms more

Foreign banks are playing an increasingly large role in many developing countries, holding more than 50 percent of banking assets in several of these countries. But important issues about foreign bank entry continue to be debated

The lower the risk of expropriation and the greater the rule of law (that is, the greater the security of property and contract rights), the greater the research and development spending in developing countries and the greater the likelihood that foreign direct investment will increase; two...