The current account surplus of the Republic of Korea (henceforth Korea) increased significantly in the immediate recovery period after the 1997-1998 Asian financial crisis. Since then the surplus has gradually diminished, and from 2006 to 2008, the current account was close to being balanced....

This paper suggests that area studies and economics have a better chance to be married successfully if we shift our attention from the exclusive emphasis on economic growth towards improvements in human development, especially the much broadened version of that concept. Different areas are shown...

This paper investigates the impact of broadband availability on economic activity as measured by local employment rates. Using panel data on broadband coverage in 8,460 West German municipalities for the period from 2005 to 2009, we find, in fixed effectsregressions, an overall positive, but...

The main part of Japanese aid is directed to Asia and there has been a strong emphasis on economic infrastructure, that is building railways, roads and ports etc. Recently however there is a refocusing towards environmental aid and “softer” types of aid such as poverty alleviation and social...

This paper discusses the nature, determinants and extent of alcoholism with its burden on the society. The logit and multi-logit models are used for the data analysis based on a qualitative survey method. Findings suggest that standard of living index and education will help to reduce alcoholism...

The current framework for improving aid effectiveness, the ‘Paris’ agenda of harmonization and alignment, has been found lacking. Alternatives are needed. This paper highlights some examples of recent innovations in the management and delivery of development aid. Drawing upon Barder (2009)...

The incorporation of historical data, issues and perspectives into the theory and practice of urban planning has yet to be fully embraced by the planning profession. Though scholars, practitioners and professional associations have long attempted to do so, planners still struggle to develop...

Much of development policy has been based on the search for a short to do list that would get countries moving. In this paper I argue that economic activity requires a large and highly interacting set of public policies and services, which constitute inputs into the production process. This is...

Birth registration, the official recording of a child's birth by a government agency, is one of the most important events in a child's life. Birth registration establishes the existence of the child under law and provides the foundation for ensuring many of the child's rights. Although birth...

This article analyzes a number of yearly reports from the World Bank's Doing Business project, an ambitious international effort to measure various aspects of law and development, analyze their inter-relationship, develop benchmarks for assessment of legal systems, and suggest legal reforms....