World Development Report 1996: From Plan to Market (World Bank Development Report)

Between 1917 and 1950, countries with 1/3 of the world's population seceded from the market economy and launched an experiment in constructing alternative systems of centrally planned economies. This transformed the political and the economic map of the world. 'World Development Report 1996', the 19th in this annual series, is devoted to the transition of these countries--in particular, those in Central and Eastern Europe, the newly independent states of the former Soviet Union, China, and Vietnam-- back to a market orientation. The Report analyzes 2 sets of overarching questions in detail. Part 1 addresses the initial challenges of transition and how these have been met in different countries and may be met in others. Part 2 looks beyond the early reforms and analyzes the longer term agenda of consolidating them by developing the institutions and policies that will help the new system to develop and prosper over time.The final chapter distills the key messages: *Consistent policies, combining liberalization of markets and trade, the freedom of entry into production or trade, and reasonable price stability, can achieve a great deal--even in countries lacking clear property rights and strong market institutions. *Country differences are very important, both in setting the feasible range of policy choice and in determining the response to reforms. *Clear property rights are required for an efficient response to market processes, and this will eventually require wide widespread ownership. *Major changes in social policies are needed to complement the move to the market--to focus on relieving poverty, to cope with mobility, and to address the intergenerational effects of reform. *Institutions in support of markets arise both by design and from demand.In the final analysis, reforms will not succeed unless they are underpinned by a broad political and social consensus, which is perhaps the highest priority of all.

Business & Money

The ^AWorld Bank

Economics

Oxford University Press

Almost one-third of the worlds population has embarked on a transition from planned to market economies. Like economic reforms elsewhere, the long-term goal of this transition is to build a thriving market economy capable of delivering long-term growth in living standards. Now in its 19th annual edition the World Development Report 1996, the definitive source for international economic data, takes an in-depth look at these transition countries, focusing on the key lessons that have taken place thus far within the 28 countries. The Report looks at how these countries have tackled the challenge of transition from different starting points and political conditions, and also focuses on the additional challenges these transition countries face.

The seventh biannual issue of the most authoritative report on the global environment brings together in a highly readable format the latest ideas on a broad spectrum of urban environmental issues and suggests strategies for addressing them. The authors pool the vast resources of the World Resources Institute, the United Nations Development and Environment Programmes, and the World Bank to analyze the impact of urban development on human health and welfare, on the environment, and on economic performance. The report provides a fascinating analysis of the environmental challenges facing the world's cities--where 50 percent of the global population will live by the year 2000. Included in this comprehensive survey are cities such as Detroit, where urban sprawl is leading to poverty and environmental degradation in the inner city core; Manila, where three out of every four people live in unauthorized housing; Mexico City, where air pollution contributes to 6,400 deaths each year; and densely packed Jakarta, whose 8 million residents live without a water-borne sewage system. The 170-page section on the urban environment includes a comparison of urban conditions and trends throughout the developing and developed world, a sobering look at the impacts of urban environmental conditions on human health and productivity, a timely analysis of how urban transportation systems are contributing to environmental problems, and, finally, a close-up look at creative strategies based on case studies from cities and communities across the globe. True to its reputation as the definitive reference on the world environment, the new Report also includes up-to-date tables and analysis on numerous topics, including basic economic indicators, forests and rangelands, atmosphere and climate, biodiversity, and water resources. Key data on more than 150 countries are included. Published simultaneously in seven languages, this indispensable resource arms students and decisionmakers with valuable information for the development of policies that effectively and sparingly manage the global environment and natural resources.

World Resources 1996-97

World Resources Institute

The ^AUnited Nations Environment Programme

The ^AUnited Nations Development Programme

This is the 8th edition in a series which provides an authoritative assessment of the world's natural resource base. This edition focuses on the relationship between environmental change and human health. Drawing on the latest scientific data, it explores how environmental conditions contribute to death and disease around the world, and how that may change in the coming decades. The book examines several trends that have the potential to influence human health by changing the physical environment, such as the intensification of agriculture, industrialization and the rising use of energy. As in previous editions, "World Resources 1998-99" looks at the current state of the environment as it relates to population, human well-being, resources at risk, and consumption and waste. The book also contains the latest core data from 157 countries and new information on poverty, inequality and food security. It is intended for economists, environmentalists and college courses (undergraduate and graduate) in the environment.

World Resources 1998-99

United Nations Development Program

United Nations Environment Program

East Asia: The Road to Recovery carefully analyzes the events that led to the current economic crisis in East Asia, the tremendous effects the crisis has had on the Asian economies, and prospects for the region's future. Chapters in the book cover the region's trade and competitiveness; the financial sector at the center of the crisis; the corporate sector's financial performance and governance; the social crisis resulting from the financial crash; protection of the environment as well as the people; and policies for sustainable recovery. This book not only discusses how this catastrophe could ever have taken place, but more importantly, what can be done to ensure that it won't happen again.

East Asia: The Road to Recovery

Provides up-to-date statistics on economic, population, natural resources, environmental trends and conditions for nearly every country in the world. Ideal for both quick fact-checking and for sophisticated research and analysis, the World Resources Database Diskette allows easy access to all of the statistics found in the print edition of World Resources 1996-97, and more.

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by The ^AWorld Bank. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by The ^AWorld Bank

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by The ^AWorld Bank. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

World Development Report 1996: From Plan to Market (World Bank Development Report)

World Development Report 1996: From Plan to Market (World Bank Development Report)

World Resources 1996-97

World Resources 1998-99

East Asia: The Road to Recovery

World Resources 1996-97