This report raises a number of fundamental questions about the multidimensional and interrelated nature of social exclusion and moves beyond the traditional emphasis on outcomes and groups to view exclusion as a process that results from societal traits that limit the functionings of the...

This report moves beyond the conventional scope of economics to examine three entrenched structural factors -demography, geography and institutions- that are closely connected to economic and social development. Historical in nature and slow to evolve, these variables are not always in the...

According to the economic theory and recent empirical evidence, improved market access through trade arrangements is likely to favor export diversification. In this paper, we assess whether this has been the case of Colombian exports to the United States and whether an FTA with the United States...

El presente documento de discusión (Issues Paper) no pretende abracar todos los elementos que se abordarán en la Nota Temática, sino que se limita a identificar de manera preliminar algunos temas de críticos para facilitar la discusión interna al Banco sobre el rumbo estratégico de la...

En este artículo, documentamos los cambios en la tasa de desempleo distinguiendo entre movimientos en la demanda y oferta de trabajo. Para ello, primero investigamos si existe evidencia de cambios en la elasticidad empleo producto. En segundo lugar, se analiza si el fuerte crecimiento de los...

This presentation argues that trade policy in the region has been too focused on removing tariffs, to the detriment of trade facilitation, particularly in transportation. It explores the impact of transport costs on trade in Latin America and the Caribbean, and argues that transport costs have...

This presentation aims at analyzing the impact of institutional and systemic effects of clustering and its consequences on upgrading and differentiation and division of labor in the electronics industry in Malaysia. The methodological approach consists of case studies. Two centers within the...

Seguro Popular (SP) is a social program introduced by the Mexican government in 2002 to provide health insurance to the 50 million Mexicans without coverage. The program has raised a debate on whether the program has had unintended consequences and distorted incentives facing workers,...

This paper provides evidence on the channels through which export promotion institutions affect bilateral trade using a sample of Latin American and Caribbean countries over the period 1995-2004. We find that these institutions have a larger impact on the extensive margin of exports, especially...

Do all exporters benefit the same from export promotion programs? Surprisingly, not matter how obvious this question may a priori be when thinking of the effectiveness of these programs there is virtually no empirical evidence on how they affect export performance in different parts of the...