Social capital matters in the economy. This study shows how different forms of individual social capital affect access to formal credit in rural Thailand. Social capital is defined as interpersonal network (ties) resources. A data collection approach is used that originates in the field of...

In the health economics literature, many studies have assessed the association between environmental degradation and health outcomes. This paper extends this literature by investigating how the presence of air pollution might explain health inequalities both between and within developing...

This paper uses panel Granger causality tests to study the relationship between sector-specific foreign direct investment (FDI) and CO₂ emissions. Using a sample of 18 Latin American countries for the period 1980--2007, we find causality running from FDI in pollution-intensive industries (“the...

Past studies on gender wage inequality in Africa typically attribute the gender pay gap either to gender differences in characteristics or in the return to characteristics. The authors suggest, however, that this understanding of the two sources may be far too general and possibly overlook the...

It is widely believed that the acceleration of growth since reforms began in 1978 has increased regional disparities in China. This paper examines whether this is the case for GDP per capita, labour productivity and technical efficiency in industry in 30 regions from 1978 to 2005. The unexpected...

This article examines the relationship between pro-poor growth and the size distribution of manufacturing enterprises in Vietnam. Analysis focuses on the consequences for both efficiency and equity of the predominance of very large firms in the size distribution, i.e. the “rightward skew”....

This article reviews the relationship between social protection and disability in theory and practice. Persons with disabilities and their families may be considered among the most worthy recipients of social protection due to their vulnerability to chronic poverty and social exclusion. A review...

Studies of undernutrition in India (and elsewhere) have focused exclusively on interpersonal inequalities, and estimates of the magnitude of inter-group inequalities are unavailable. A focus on "horizontal" , or group-based, inequalities offers vital policy insights that would be lost in an...

In order to catch up with the current technological frontier, firms, especially in developing countries, try to acquire technological advancement through internal R&D efforts, as well as through external technology-sourcing activities. This study tests whether these two sources of technology...