The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of the institutional reforms in the World Bank's sector adjustment operations (SECALs) and to assess the Bank's experience in implementing them. The review covers institutional reforms in 55 of the 65 SECALs approved by the Bank during fiscal...

This paper develops a conceptual framework to analyze the problem of public service accountability in developing countries and to identify alternative ways to strengthen it. An important proposition derived from this framework is that effective public accountability can be sustained only when...

Recent theory posits that accountability in public service can be enhanced by the use of"exit"and a"voice"mechanisms. With exit mechanisms, users of public services can choose alternative sources of supply. Exit mechanisms are viable when there is competition. They are not viable for essential...

Pressure to move toward privatization has mounted in the face of severe economic crises both in the developed and developing world. To date, the pace of privatization in the developing world has been slow and its impact modest. This report accordingly discusses the issue of privatization in the...