April 2000 - In a new approach to measuring typically subjective variables, BEEPS - the 1999 Business Environment and Enterprise Performance Survey, the transition economies component of the World Business Environment Survey - quantitatively assesses governance from the perspective of about...

In this sample of 49 Latin America, OECD, and transition economies, it is the ineffective and discretionary administration of tax and regulatory regimes--not higher tax rates alone--as well as corruption, that increases the size of the unofficial economy. And countries with a large unofficial...

The economies of Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union (FSU) escaped communism with a heavy burden. Despite the collapse of central planning, these economies continued to suffer from heavy political control of economic activity, reflected in massive subsidization of state firms, heavy...

Inter-household transfers in Russia, Ukraine, and Latvia to provide an important supplement to individual incomes. These transfers are as high as in many developing countries. Transfers are from richer to poorer, from older to younger, and to femaleheaded households. We find no evidence that...