This paper describes important regulation issues that concern microfinance. It starts by considering literature on how and why to regulate and supervise microfinance. Considering the specific case of microfinance in Albania, it analyzes the context of this industry and some particular issues...

Differences in environmental regulation between rich and poor countries have caused a geographical relocation of polluting industry from the former to the latter. In several cases the reduction in domestic emissions is at least partly compensated by an increase in trans-boundary pollution which...

Undocumented migration is a pervasive and increasingly relevant phenomenon in modern societies. In this paper we shed some lights on the factors affecting the return plans of irregular migrants and in particular on the role of individual skills and abilities. We show that highly skilled...

The most important policy instrument to promote regional development in the European Union is Strucutral Funds, covering approximately a third of the EU budget. An empirical analysis demonstrates that these funds have on average been ineffective in speeding up the process of convergence with in...

In this paper we extend previous models of migration networks and ethnic cluster formation by considering migration as an ethnic-community wide phenomena where established migrants strategically provide support to newcomers. The incentive to provide support is associated with positive...

Diasporans can contribute to the development of their home countries by investing their capital in existing businesses and/or setting up new ventures in their countries-of-origin. This paper analyzes whether these growingly important investors differ from domestic firms and foreign investors in...

The presence of organized crime is a pervasive feature of many developed and developing countries. Even if ‘mafia’ organizations have greatly enlarged the geographical scope of their activities, as in the past they are still deeply rooted in specific territories where their presence...

The role of the government in industrialization is heavily debated. Some claim that extensive government involvement is key to initiate a sustainable development process, others see the government as an obstacle to it, pointing to the importance of government failure. We formulate a model, which...

This paper investigates the determinants of backward linkages of foreign manufacturing firms in 19 Sub-Saharan African countries. We shed light on the micro and macro level factors which contribute to a higher degree of interactions between foreign subsidiaries and local firms. Our results...