This paper reviews some of the major strands of the debate on growth-oriented adjustment programmes. Section I looks at recent domestic and external trends in developing countries in order to highlight the motivation for increased emphasis on growth with adjustment. Section II discusses general...

This paper examines the linkage between economic developments in industrial economies and the economic performance of six Asian countries. A simple model is constructed to investigate these links, with particular emphasis on developments in the Asian countries' external positions and their...

The significant increase in exchange rate variability over the last several years has made it necessary for all countries, regardless of their exchange rate policies, to consider the effect of multilateral exchange rate changes on their balance of payments. This study presents an attempt to...

Countries differed in their adjustment to the commodity price shocks of the 1970s. In some countries there was little wage adjustment, so that the brunt of the terms-of-trade loss was borne by profits; in others greater wage adjustment allowed the term-of-trade loss to be distributed more evenly...

Before the movement toward a generalized system of floating exchange rates, it was hoped that flexible rates would permit countries to pursue independent monetary policies. Experience with the system has led both policymakers and theoreticians to recognize the high degree of monetary...

This paper examines whether ESAF-supported programs during 1986-91 had significant independent effects on growth, inflation and the external debt service ratio. Econometric estimates of the Generalized Evaluation Estimator (GEE) identify statistically significant beneficial effects on output...

Getting back to business in emerging Europe (by S. Schadler; pp. 1-6) Keywords real convergence, crisis, fiscal policy Countries covered New EU Member States Topics Macroeconomic Analysis and Policy The crisis of the euro area and the need for a structural reform (by K. Busch; pp. 7-11) Keywords...

This paper evaluates progress made under ESAF-supported programs in attaining external viability, restoring economic growth, and implementing structural reforms. Performance is evaluated for 19 countries that entered ESAF arrangements by mid-1992, against the background of their initial...

The central challenges facing the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, and Slovenia as they work to catch up to advanced European Union (EU) income levels are discussed in this new book. Focusing on the region’s growth performance, and outlining two...

This paper explores the experience of six countries (Chile, Colombia, Egypt, Mexico, Spain and Thailand) with capital inflows. It illustrates that although capital inflows are usually beneficial, too great an inflow can become a problem and make it difficult for authorities to choose the...