Postcard from Davos
An EBRD delegation took to the Swiss Alps this week for the traditional World Economic Forum in Davos. An annual get-together of the great and the good, it’s the sort of place where you can’t walk more than 50 yards …
Is it time to write off group loans?
Microfinance institutions across the world are moving from group lending to individual lending. Yet, there is not much rigorous evidence on the borrower impact of both types of microcredit to either substantiate or challenge such a strategic shift. We present some such evidence from a randomised field experiment in Mongolia.
Short film competition: the impact of water
Films by the two finalists in the TVE / EBRD short-film competition are now posted on Youtube, where viewers are invited to cast a vote to decide the eventual winner.
The category of the competition sponsored by the Bank was …
On the move in Taipei
“A good traveler has no fixed plans, and is not intent on arriving” (Lao Tse)
Ancient Chinese philosopher Lao Tse might have been writing of the plight of many of today’s commuters. I know this, for public transportation is the …
Which Households Use Banks? Evidence from the Life in Transition Survey
Martin Brown, University of St. Gallen
Access to banking services is viewed as a key determinant of economic well-being for households, especially in low-income countries. Savings and credit products make it easier for households to align income and expenditure …
PISA Results: how does quality of education compare across the EBRD’s countries of operation?
Every three years the OECD Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) conducts knowledge tests among 15-year old secondary school students in all OECD and a number of non-OECD countries.
In the EBRD countries of operation, the top performers were Estonia, Poland and Slovenia (in that order, with Estonia leading in all three disciplines). The lowest average scores were recorded in Azerbaijan, Albania and the Kyrgyz Republic, the latter also being the weakest performer globally.
Regional Economic Prospects in EBRD Countries of Operations: January 2011
By Piroska Nagy, Franziska Ohnsorge, Peter Sanfey
Steady private-sector led growth but increasing downside risks
Our estimate for overall growth in 2010 remains at around 4.2 per cent for the region, with upward revisions in most countries but downward revisions …
How will Fiscal Austerity Dampen Growth in 2010-11?
By Franziska Ohnsorge and Veronika Zavacka
Pre-crisis, underlying fiscal positions of EBRD countries were significantly worse than apparent in headline fiscal deficits.
Until 2007, many countries in the EBRD region enjoyed high real GDP growth which inflated tax …
Intraregional trade: Blessing or Curse?
The region’s export ties have changed fundamentally over the decade—away from the advanced EU15 and towards either regional neighbours or non-EU and non-CIS countries. Especially, the Baltic countries and South Eastern Europe almost doubled the share of within regional exports …
Mongolian microfinance: Some first insights from a randomised field experiment
In Mongolia, as in numerous other countries, microfinance has attracted attention as a potentially powerful tool to generate pro-poor growth. Many Mongolians live in poverty and income disparities between urban and rural areas are significant. The rural economy remains vulnerable …
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