This paper provides the first systematic attempt to measure cultural diversity at national and subnational levels. Our measure reflects the degree to which values and beliefs are shared in society and captures a dimension of diversity not previously discussed. We assess the importance of...

Andhra Pradesh is one of the pioneering States to earnestly initiate economic and fiscal reform at the Subnational level in India. Prior to the 1996 reform program, the State's budgetary position was under severe stress as in many States in India. The economic growth was below potential,...

The economic slow-down of several States in India including Gujarat during the later half of 90s has caused considerable disturbance in the State's fiscal equilibrium. The fiscal deficit has more than doubled during last five years and government's debt has jumped up from 17 percent of GSDP to...

Delays and cost overruns in Public Sector investments can raise the capital-output ratio in the sector and elsewhere, bringing down the efficacy of investments. Yet there are no estimates of the delays and cost overruns, and of their opportunity cost. This study arrives at rough estimates of the...

Through a review of the literature, this chapter describes observed forms of alternative finance around the world, as well as their roles. It also uses World Bank Survey Data to empirically compare alternative finance development across countries. We find that alternative finance is essential...

This study aims to determine the impact of the Latin American Integrated Market (MILA) start-up in the main indicators of the stock markets of the countries that conform it (Chile, Colombia, and Peru). At the end, several indicators were reviewed to measure the impact on profitability, risk,...

This paper describes the changes in ownership and internationalization of the brokerage firms in Colombia as a result of the regional integration process of its stock exchange market through the Latin American Integrated Market (MILA). It proposes that the integration of stock exchanges...

Financial integration in Europe should affect the competition between markets and intermediaries and generate a convergence of both interest rates and margins among the different countries. This paper analyses the evolution of the convergence in interest rates and the level of competition and...

This paper analyses how tax morale and countries’ institutional quality affect the shadow economy, controlling in a multivariate analysis for a variety of potential factors. The literature strongly emphasizes the quantitative importance of these factors to understand the level and changes of...