It is shown that the evolution of modern developed societies results into reduction of the role of centralized governance as well as economic and political competition, whereas the role of collaboration mechanisms is growing. This process is supported by cultural changes: increasing trust,...

This chapter was written in 2007 in order to inform the diagnostic of Liberia’s Poverty Reduction Strategy. Little has been written on the education system in Liberia since the start of the conflict in large part because of lack of good data. The chapter provides a diagnostic of Liberia’s...

I discuss goals of institutional experimentation as well as obstacles for its realization. The special attention is given to regional experiments. Institutional experiment reduces transformation costs, in particular, by diminishing probability of formation of erroneous reforms trap. The analyses...

This paper considers the evidence on the comparative extent to which faith-based civil society organizations (FB-CSOs) have benefited from increased funding related to the HIV/AIDS response in Africa. First, we review the literature on whether FB-CSOs have benefited from such funding, and find...

As for education, little has been written on the health system in Liberia since the start of the conflict in large part because of lack of good data. This chapter was also written in 2007 to inform the diagnostic of Liberia’s Poverty Reduction Strategy. It provides a diagnostic of Liberia’s...

The problem of finding a Pareto point which would satisfy additional conditions in the form of equalities is stated. A theorem on existence of a solution is proved. Examples are given.

Charitable tax deductions are one of the largest tax expenditures at the state and federal levels, and they are also crucial for the sustainability of the charitable nonprofit sector. Understanding some of the factors that drive changes in charitable tax deductions over time is needed to inform...

Faith-inspired institutions (FIIs) commonly have as their stated mission a desire to provide quality health services to all, and in particular a commitment to serve the poor, for example, by providing services in remote areas where there are none, or by making services more affordable for those...

The paper examines whether banks’ funding structure amplifies procyclicality. Using data for GCC banks for the period 1996-2009, the evidence suggests that banks with higher wholesale dependence cut back lending by a greater amount. In addition, the procyclicality of the financial system and...

We describe the negotiated-price mechanism, introduced in the USSR in 1985, to increase flexibility of retail prices. We discuss a possibility to improve interactions between manufacturing and retailing through negotiated prices, and demonstrate a methodology to estimate them, using consumer...