This paper empirically examines the relation between economic growth and poverty alleviation in the case of Kazakhstan using province-level data. It shows that provinces with higher growth rates achieved faster decline in poverty. This happened largely through growth, which led to increased...

The disappointments of the Washington Consensus have led to the search for a new paradigm to replace it. The chief failing of the Washington Consensus was that it represented an approach based on "rules of thumb". As such it was not well grounded either in economic theory or in the reality of...

Over the last few years economists have started referring to the existence of “global payments imbalances”, reflected in the growing current account surpluses and deficits among different regions of the world (surpluses mostly, but not only, by a number of Asian countries; deficits mainly by...

This paper reviews the literature on rural employment and employment generation. It considers three models of rural employment: neoclassical, dualeconomy, and dynamic linkages. Evidence favors the third model, which explains rural underemployment in terms of labor surplus, and points to local...

Labor regulations designed to protect workers, promote workplace equality, and improve working conditions achieve social objectives and affect international competitiveness. Considering these dual outcomes has taken on added urgency as Asian economies adjust to an increase in global...

This paper analyzes the equity of opportunity in basic education and infrastructure services in seven developing countries, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Indonesia, Pakistan, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, and Viet Nam. The analysis applies a method developed by the World Bank called the Human Opportunity...

ADB Distinguished Lecture delivered at ADB Headquarters in Manila on 11 January 2013. © 2013 Asian Development Bank and Asian Development Bank Institute.

The People's Republic of China (PRC) is currently promoting indigenous technology development through support of Chinese firms and, arguably, by restricting operations of foreign multinational firms. This policy seems to overlook the impact of foreign firms on technology development in local...

Inequality in access to education is known to be a key driver of income inequality in developing countries. Viet Nam, a transitional economy, exhibits significant segmentation in the market for skilled labor based on more remunerative employment in government and state firms. We ask whether this...

This paper analyzes the dynamics of assets held by low-income households facing various types of income shocks in pre-independence and post-independence Pakistan. Focusing on the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (formerly known as the North–West Frontier Province or NWFP), the paper first...