Reforms often occur in waves, seemingly cascading from country to country. We argue that such reform waves can be driven by informational spillovers: uncertainty about the outcome of reform is reduced by learning from the experience of similar countries. We motivate this hypothesis with a simple...

Many believe that an important benefit from membership in international organizations is the lessening of political constraints to domestic reforms which would, ultimately, generate greater trade openness, FDI inflows and economic growth. These ideas have received limited empirical testing. This...

This paper analyzes the effects of economic reforms for different income groups. My interest is spurred by the international debate on the social consequences of reforms and the potential adverse effects on poverty in particular. I find that the poor are in general positively affected by trade...

Since almost two decades back a large number of LDCs have embarked on World Bank supported structural adjustment programs with the objective to promote econ-omic growth and private investment. I consider how the design of reform programs can increase reform credibility and thus reduce...

This study was prepared by Nina Czernich while she was working with the Ifo Institute for Economic Research.It was completed in December 2010 and accepted as a doctoral thesis by the Department of Economics at the University of Munich. The study addresses the question whether the emergence of...

Die vorliegende Studie wurde im ifo Arbeitsbereich Branchenforschung erstellt und im Frühjahr 2005 abgeschlossen. Auftraggeber war das Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Arbeit. Gegenstand der Studie sind der Stand und die Perspektiven der „New Economy“ in Deutschland sowie ein Vergleich...