In this review we synthetize the existing contributions that use econometric approaches to examine the influence of institutions and governance on environmental policy, environmental outcomes, and investments. The paper describes how the relationship between institutions and various response...

Vote-buying is widely used by parties in developing countries to influence the outcome of elections. We examine the impact of vote-buying on growth. We consider a model with a poverty trap where redistribution can promote growth. We show that vote-buying contributes to the persistence of poverty...

Why do inefficient - non-growth enhancing - institutions emerge and persist? This paper develops a simple framework to provide some answers to this question. Political institutions determine the allocation of political power, and economic institutions determine the framework for policy-making...

In this review we synthetize the existing contributions that use econometric approaches to examine the influence of institutions and governance on environmental policy, environmental outcomes, and investments. The paper describes how the relationship between institutions and various response...

It is clear that some of the fundamental principles of the modern economic model have changed significantly over the past decades: the number of jobs with average skills is declining, and only the owners of capital receive high incomes.Technologies by themselves do not have predetermined results...

We model the concept of embedded autonomy, introduced by Peter Evens, as an interaction between bureaucrats and entrepreneurs, where bureaucrats must approve projects proposed by entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurs are better informed about their own projects than are bureaucrats, but bureaucrats can...

We report on an on-going project, which asks a number of questions relevant to the study of state capacity. What are the main economic and political determinants of the state's capacity to raise revenue and support private markets? How do risks of violent conflict affect the incentives to invest...

This paper explores the consequences of creating and improving property rights so that fixed assets can be used as collateral. This has become a cause célèbre of Hernando de Soto whose views are influential in debates about policy reform concerning property rights. Hence, we refer to the...

This paper investigates the relationship between democracy and economic growth in the context of a linear index threshold regression model. We rst introduce the baseline model with endogeneity and propose a two-step smoothed GMM estimation method. We show the consistency and derive the...

Increasing the realism with respect to the representation of actors, decision-making, and institutions is critical to better understand the transition towards a low-carbon sustainable society since actors, decision-making, and institutions are the defining elements of transition pathways. In...