Deforestation is a phenomenon that has largely been concentrated in the developing world. We construct a theoretical model of deforestation that focuses on the factors affecting the incentives to transform forested land into agricultural land. We show that: (i) lower discount rates and stronger...

In this paper they examine whether absorptive capacity can constitute sufficient justification for rejecting the proposal of a large aid increase to support the ‘big push’. They argue that the probability of a poverty trap exists for many countries, in particular the least developed...

Deforestation is a phenomenon that has largely been concentrated in the developing world. We construct a theoretical model of deforestation that focuses on the factors affecting the incentives to transform forested land into agricultural land. We show that: (i) lower discount rates and stronger...

Since the implementation of the economic reforms in 1978, there is a remarkable diversification trend in rural China characterized by an impressive development of rural enterprises. The main objective of this paper is to understand the forces driving this agro-industrial diversification which...

In Burkina Faso, forest is an imperfect public good: non-exclusion in the use of derived goods and services and rivalry in wood exploitation and the non-woody forest product consumption. The free access characterizing it and the free-riding behaviour lead to the forest resources an...

This paper addresses the issue of the low level of private investment in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, with special emphasis on the role of governance. Based on the existing literature, we have categorized what types of governance institutions are more detrimental to...

Production frontiers and inefficiency determinants are estimated by using stochastic models. Textile manufacturing is considered for a sample of eight developing countries encompassing about one thousand firms. We find that the most influential individual inefficiency determinants relate to...

This paper adds to the literature on the economic determinants of crime by examining the impact of macro-economic instability. Instability increases the frustration level of individuals and incites them to smooth their income by using illegal earnings. Results from a panel of developed and...

This paper adds to the literature on the economic determinants of crime by examining the impact of macro-economic instability. Instability increases the frustration level of individuals and incites them to smooth their income by using illegal earnings. Results from a panel of developed and...

This paper aims to ascertain the effects of convergence in governance on investment decisions among a sample of 43 developing countries, using dynamic system GMM estimations. In an increasingly interdependent economic world, regions with good governance are considered to be areas of higher...