Books by World Bank

Divided into four sections, this book presents estimates of wealth for nearly 120 countries, using economic theory to decompose the wealth of a nation into its component pieces. Its tenet is that economic development can be conceived as a process of portfolio management, so that sustainability becomes an integral part of economic policy making.

Provides an account of the current understanding of social capital and covers both theoretical and empirical studies. Included in this volume is the 1987 article by James Coleman, 'Social Capital in the Creation of Human Capital', which formed the basis for the development of social capital as an organizing concept in the social sciences.

Research into the causes of conflict and civil war finds that developing countries' economic dependence on natural resources and commodities is associated with the risk of conflict. This book presents reports and case studies that explore what the international community can do to reduce this risk.

Co-edited by the Vice President of the World Bank, this volume offers work from a generation of thinkers in development economics.

Over the 1980s and 1990s most Latin American countries witnessed a retrenchment of the public sector from infrastructure provision and an opening up of infrastruture activities to the private sector. This book analyses the consequences of these policy changes.

Brings together the assessments and experiences of leading academics and practitioners from the international investor, lender and insurance communities, and examines the transformations in the political risk insurance market in the 1990s.

Discusses the principles and practicalities of a partnership, covering a broad range of development topics. It draws on an extraordinary conference held in Nairobi in March 2000, organized jointly by the Council of Anglican Provinces of Africa and the World Bank, to explore closer collaboration, especially at the grassroots level.

On a semiannual basis Global Economic Prospects examines global economic developments and prospects, with a special focus on developing countries. The report includes analysis of topical policy challenges faced by developing countries through in-depth research in the January edition and shorter analytical pieces in the June edition.

Too often, even reform leaders in countries fail to adopt and implement policies that they know are necessary for sustained economic development. They are encumbered by adverse political incentives, running the risk of losing office should they try to do the right thing. When technically sound policies are selected on paper, implementation through the public system can run into perverse norms of behavior among public officials and citizens to extract private benefits from the public sector at the expense of the greater public interest. ''Making Politics Work for Development'' is about how to make politics work for economic development rather than against it. It focuses on research about two forces citizens political engagement and transparency that explain and hold the potential to improve political incentives and norms of behavior in the public sector. The research shows that the confluence of transparency and political engagement can be a driving force for countries to transition toward better functioning public sector institutions, starting with their own initial and contextual conditions. To harness the potential of these forces, policy actors should target transparency to nourish the quality of political engagement so that citizens can hold leaders accountable for the public goods needed for development."

Investigates which mental abilities and behaviours allow Latin Americans to be successful in the labour market. It provides guidance for policy makers on how to foster learning and human development.

Presents an overview of university-industry (U-I) collaboration in Sri Lanka by analysing responses to a survey of companies and universities on their U-I collaboration in 2007 and 2015.