This paper analyzes recent trends in Sweden's labor market regulations in relation to comparator economies and examines the relationship between labor market regulations and outcomes. The paper finds that the Swedish labor market responded more rapidly to the recent global financial crisis than...

Sweden's gender pension gap is about 33 percent at retirement, reflecting the gender earnings gap - itself a reflection of a structural gender difference in low-pay jobs for women and men and career advancement opportunities. The individual nonfinancial defined contribution (NDC) account data...

It is desirable that pension reforms and legislated rules have the backing of thepopulation or at least are accepted by voters. With the objective of achieving-acceptance,'*the Swedish Pensions Agency publishes an annual actuarial balance of the solvency of the whole public pension system and...

This paper analyzes old-age incomes in Sweden from a pension policy perspective, focusing on both the economic position of elderly citizens and the redistributive effects of the pension system's different parts. The empirical analyses show that each subsequent cohort that reaches retirement age...

The paper focuses on the interrupted careers in four countries where pensions are based on lifetime labor income, but they have different labor market patterns. High levels of employment in Germany and Sweden are in contrast with low levels of employment, particularly for women, in Italy and...

Payroll taxes in Sweden were reduced substantially for people ages 26 years or younger on July 1, 2007. The objective of this tax cut was to lower youth unemployment. The question of how gains from payroll taxes are distributed between workers and owners of firms has been the focus of...

Sovereign credit guarantees and government on-lending can catalyze private sector investment and fulfill specific policy objectives. However, contingent liabilities stemming from guarantees and contingent assets stemming from on-lending expose governments to risk. Prudent risk management,...

In the past decade, animal welfare has been increasingly recognized in importance in commercial livestock operations. Governments, academic institutions, and animal welfare professionals are addressing animal welfare at different points in the agricultural supply chain, while consumers are...

Climate variability and resource scarcity pose an increasing threat to the growth and competitiveness of industry, and nowhere is this issue more significant than in the world's emerging economies. Governments and industry must work together to tackle this challenge. The World Bank Group's...

The pattern of economic rates of return to investments in education can help us to understand the benefits of schooling. It was common knowledge that the returns to education were highest for the primary level of education and lower for subsequent levels. Recent evidence suggests that the...