Books published by World Bank Publications

With 21 papers on issues concerning financial sector transition in Europe and Central Asia, this book places the transition economies in the context of developments in global financial markets, looks at the experience of the 1990s, examines transactions in the banking and capital markets, and more.

High-quality public debt management plays a critical role in reducing countries' vulnerability to financial crises. Good debt management encompasses sound risk and cash management, good governance, and adequate institutional and staff capacity. This book draws insights from 12 developing and emerging market country case studies.

Provides an overview of the key issues that arise in the measurement of health variables and living standards. This book outlines and explains essential tools and methods for distributional analysis, and, using worked examples, shows how these tools and methods can be applied in the health sector.

Suggests pathways for Sub-Saharan Africa to sustain economic growth by aligning its tertiary education systems with national economic strategies and labor market needs.

Vanuatu is a traditional and largely patriarchal society; women have extremely low representation in Parliament and in other decision-making bodies. This title argues that designing and implementing measures that benefit both women and men makes good economic sense and strengthen all businesses in Vanuatu.

Addresses two key areas of health workforce policy in developing countries: the effect of government wage policies on costs and staffing levels in this public sector and of human resources management policies and practices, based on four country case studies - Kenya, Zambia, Rwanda and the Dominican Republic.

Explores policy options for China to implement its strategy of enterprise-led innovation. This book recommends actions along 4 dimensions: pursuing a balanced strategy, creating the right incentives, building capacity of the private sector, and strengthening the ecosystem for the venture capital industry.

Provides tools to measure, describe, monitor, evaluate, and analyse poverty. It provides background materials for designing poverty reduction strategies. This book is intended for researchers and policy analysts involved in poverty research and policy making.

Provides an analytical framework and operational approaches needed for the implementation of results-based accountability. This volume covers: performance based accountability, e-government, legal and institutional framework to hold government to account; fighting corruption; and external accountability.

The main focus of this study is on improving the policy regime in Africa to stimulate agricultural growth. It examines the state of agricultural incentives in Sub-Saharan Africa, taking stock of the current policy environment and its recent evolution, to update knowledge and to help develop a stronger consensus on appropriate policies.

Identifies a range of issues that should be considered in assessing the adequacy of forest legal frameworks, and presents options for addressing those issues in order to improve the effectiveness of law as a foundation for sustainable forest management.

Presents a strategic policy framework to governments in the Western Balkans and the international donor community for facilitating the development of a modern agrifood sector and a vibrant rural space in the Western Balkans in the context of the region's integration process with the European Union.

Assesses and measures regulatory governance in 21 infrastructure regulators in Brazil. This work sets up the analytical framework for the report, identifying key components of regulatory governance, namely, autonomy (political and financial), procedures for decision-making, tools and means (including personnel), and accountability.

Explores and highlights promising partnerships in the world between secular and faith development entities. This title recounts the evolving history of relationships between faith and secular development institutions. It focuses on the Millennium Development Goals as a common framework for action.

Provides a structured and comparative review of important aspects of land reform and documents important differences in policies between countries to examine why the reforms have not yet lived up to their potential. This work is based on data from farm and household surveys and interviews conducted in 2003 and 2004.

Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) is the key tool for integrating environmental considerations into policies, programs and plans. This book focuses on SEA applied to policies. From past experiences using SEA on policies, it draws lessons on the strengths and weaknesses of SEA methodology.

This book attempts to explain current policy thinking and update the World Bank's perspective on pension reform. It incorporates lessons learned from recent Bank experiences and research that have significantly increased knowledge and insight regarding how best to proceed in the future.

Investing to promote agricultural growth and poverty reduction is a central pillar of the World Bank's current rural strategy. This Sourcebook addresses how to implement the rural strategy. It provides information on investment options and innovative approaches to aid the design of future lending programs for agriculture.

'Contribution of Information and Communication Technologies to Growth' is part of the World Bank Working Paper series. These papers are published to communicate the results of the Bank's ongoing research and to stimulate public discussion.

This environmental strategy report identifies current thinking of the Africa region within the World Bank Group. It details commitment to assist African countries make the transition to sustainable economic development by implementing improved management of natural resources and the environment.

This volume examines wide-ranging issues confronting cites, and reviews tools, strategies and practices to address them. It examines nine 'windows' of urban management in the context of the new urban strategy of the World Bank, and recognises that cities are crucial in efforts to address poverty and development issues.

Based on a two-day workshop held in June 1998, this report examines the need for integrated research approaches in social and economic development, presents case studies of integrated approaches in practice, and talks about lessons learned.

The World Bank has invested considerable resources in analysing public expenditures and the impacts of different interventions on sustainable development. This handbook provides a broad framework for thinking about public expenditure management and how it affects budgetary outcomes.

Explores the effects of ownership reform in China on the performance of reformed industrial state-owned enterprises, and proposes privatization as a course of action to truly transform these enterprises into world class firms which compete on the basis of sound strategy, effective organization, and innovation.