for helpful suggestions and Pierella Paci, Jerzy Rozanski and Jan Sasin for making the data avail... more for helpful suggestions and Pierella Paci, Jerzy Rozanski and Jan Sasin for making the data available to us. The views expressed herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the World Bank or the National Bureau of Economic Research.
Overall, the project implementation progress is on track and rated satisfactorily. Over the last ... more Overall, the project implementation progress is on track and rated satisfactorily. Over the last reporting period, 5 subprojects were approved by MOF, these were the last batch of subprojects to be implemented for TCC5 project before its closure in June 30, 2015. The selected subprojects indicates the PDO continues to be relevant as they address key reform issues on aging, fiscal and public expenditure reforms as well as China's integration into the world government procurement agreement. The project has continued to make achievements toward development objectives and has shown good outcomes from some subprojects. These include: i) recommendations from one subproject have been adopted to integrate the country's rural-urban pension schemes; ii) policy advice has pushed forward the agenda of implementing medium-term budget framework, the studies has also sparked debates and attracted MOF leadership's attention for the 3-year rolling budget program initiative; iii) introducing and applying electronic map in the country's third economic census; iv) the overseas training program for selected talents, focusing on innovation, was well planned and launched. The status of loan commitments indicated that USD 19.63 million has been allocated, accounting for 98% of the total loan. So far, 46 subprojects have been delivered and 13 subprojects are underway. On disbursement status, the cumulative loan disbursed is USD 13.78 million per Bank's system as of now. It indicates that reimbursement claims will reach to a highest level of USD 6.22 million in the coming 12 months. Post evaluation of the completed subprojects is in progress, the consultants have completed all desk work and design of questionnaires and organization of field work, and the field work is being carried out. The first draft report is expected in early August.
This study investigated the factors contributing to a successful and sustainable elimination of i... more This study investigated the factors contributing to a successful and sustainable elimination of iodine-deficiency disorders, drawing from salt fortification experiences in China, Indonesia, and Madagascar. Government officials, salt farmers, salt producers, and wholesalers were interviewed to collect data during field visits. Analyses used in the study include simple correlation, and wherever data permit, regression. The study found that measures crucial for combating iodine deficiency include raising public awareness of the disorders, ensuring easy access to iodated salt, promoting compliance in the salt industry, and
Recent years have seen a surge in the evidence on the impacts of active labor market programs for... more Recent years have seen a surge in the evidence on the impacts of active labor market programs for numerous countries. However, little evidence has been presented on the effectiveness of such programs in China. Recent economic reforms, associated massive lay-offs, and accompanying public retraining programs make China fertile ground for rigorous impact evaluations. This study evaluates retraining programs for laid-off workers in the cities of Shenyang and Wuhan using a comparison group design. To our knowledge, this is the first evaluation of its kind in China. The evidence suggests that retraining helped workers find jobs in Wuhan, but had little effect in Shenyang. However, in terms of earnings impacts, retraining appears to have increased earnings in Shenyang but not in Wuhan. The study raises questions about the overall effectiveness of retraining expenditures, and it offers some directions for policymakers about future interventions to help laid-off workers.
deficiencies have a significant and lasting impact on public health and disproportionately benefi... more deficiencies have a significant and lasting impact on public health and disproportionately benefit poorer segments of the population. When food fortification is used to address mnicronutrient deficiencies, conmmodities with few producers are preferable as vehicles to deliver An Ahalysis of Combating micronutrients. Iodine Deficiency: Case Studies of Dealing withan industry with China, Indonesia, and Madagascar few producers immensely facilitates the government's OED Working Paper Series * No. 18
This study examines the impact of Poland's trade liberalization 1994-2001 on the industry wage st... more This study examines the impact of Poland's trade liberalization 1994-2001 on the industry wage structure. The liberalization was undertaken in preparation for Poland's accession to the European Union and was more pronounced in industries with larger shares of unskilled labor. Our analysis indicates that a decrease in an industry tariff was associated with higher wages being earned by workers employed in the industry, controlling for worker characteristics and geographic variables. The result is robust to including year and industry fixed effects, controlling for industry-level exports, imports, concentration, stock of foreign direct investment and capital accumulation. The finding is consistent with liberalization increasing competitive pressures, forcing firms to restructure and improve their productivity, which in turn translates into higher profits being shared with workers. It could also be potentially attributed to trade liberalization lowering the costs of imported inputs which enhances firm profitability. The result holds when skilled workers are excluded from the sample, thus suggesting that reductions in trade barriers benefited the unskilled in terms of an increase in wages.
The Policy Research Working Paper Series disseminates the findings of work in progress to encoura... more The Policy Research Working Paper Series disseminates the findings of work in progress to encourage the exchange of ideas about development issues. An objective of the series is to get the findings out quickly, even if the presentations are less than fully polished. The papers carry the names of the authors and should be cited accordingly. The findings, interpretations, and conclusions expressed in this paper are entirely those of the authors. They do not necessarily represent the views of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development/World Bank and its affiliated organizations, or those of the Executive Directors of the World Bank or the governments they represent.
for helpful suggestions and Pierella Paci, Jerzy Rozanski and Jan Sasin for making the data avail... more for helpful suggestions and Pierella Paci, Jerzy Rozanski and Jan Sasin for making the data available to us. The views expressed herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the World Bank or the National Bureau of Economic Research.
Overall, the project implementation progress is on track and rated satisfactorily. Over the last ... more Overall, the project implementation progress is on track and rated satisfactorily. Over the last reporting period, 5 subprojects were approved by MOF, these were the last batch of subprojects to be implemented for TCC5 project before its closure in June 30, 2015. The selected subprojects indicates the PDO continues to be relevant as they address key reform issues on aging, fiscal and public expenditure reforms as well as China's integration into the world government procurement agreement. The project has continued to make achievements toward development objectives and has shown good outcomes from some subprojects. These include: i) recommendations from one subproject have been adopted to integrate the country's rural-urban pension schemes; ii) policy advice has pushed forward the agenda of implementing medium-term budget framework, the studies has also sparked debates and attracted MOF leadership's attention for the 3-year rolling budget program initiative; iii) introducing and applying electronic map in the country's third economic census; iv) the overseas training program for selected talents, focusing on innovation, was well planned and launched. The status of loan commitments indicated that USD 19.63 million has been allocated, accounting for 98% of the total loan. So far, 46 subprojects have been delivered and 13 subprojects are underway. On disbursement status, the cumulative loan disbursed is USD 13.78 million per Bank's system as of now. It indicates that reimbursement claims will reach to a highest level of USD 6.22 million in the coming 12 months. Post evaluation of the completed subprojects is in progress, the consultants have completed all desk work and design of questionnaires and organization of field work, and the field work is being carried out. The first draft report is expected in early August.
This study investigated the factors contributing to a successful and sustainable elimination of i... more This study investigated the factors contributing to a successful and sustainable elimination of iodine-deficiency disorders, drawing from salt fortification experiences in China, Indonesia, and Madagascar. Government officials, salt farmers, salt producers, and wholesalers were interviewed to collect data during field visits. Analyses used in the study include simple correlation, and wherever data permit, regression. The study found that measures crucial for combating iodine deficiency include raising public awareness of the disorders, ensuring easy access to iodated salt, promoting compliance in the salt industry, and
Recent years have seen a surge in the evidence on the impacts of active labor market programs for... more Recent years have seen a surge in the evidence on the impacts of active labor market programs for numerous countries. However, little evidence has been presented on the effectiveness of such programs in China. Recent economic reforms, associated massive lay-offs, and accompanying public retraining programs make China fertile ground for rigorous impact evaluations. This study evaluates retraining programs for laid-off workers in the cities of Shenyang and Wuhan using a comparison group design. To our knowledge, this is the first evaluation of its kind in China. The evidence suggests that retraining helped workers find jobs in Wuhan, but had little effect in Shenyang. However, in terms of earnings impacts, retraining appears to have increased earnings in Shenyang but not in Wuhan. The study raises questions about the overall effectiveness of retraining expenditures, and it offers some directions for policymakers about future interventions to help laid-off workers.
deficiencies have a significant and lasting impact on public health and disproportionately benefi... more deficiencies have a significant and lasting impact on public health and disproportionately benefit poorer segments of the population. When food fortification is used to address mnicronutrient deficiencies, conmmodities with few producers are preferable as vehicles to deliver An Ahalysis of Combating micronutrients. Iodine Deficiency: Case Studies of Dealing withan industry with China, Indonesia, and Madagascar few producers immensely facilitates the government's OED Working Paper Series * No. 18
This study examines the impact of Poland's trade liberalization 1994-2001 on the industry wage st... more This study examines the impact of Poland's trade liberalization 1994-2001 on the industry wage structure. The liberalization was undertaken in preparation for Poland's accession to the European Union and was more pronounced in industries with larger shares of unskilled labor. Our analysis indicates that a decrease in an industry tariff was associated with higher wages being earned by workers employed in the industry, controlling for worker characteristics and geographic variables. The result is robust to including year and industry fixed effects, controlling for industry-level exports, imports, concentration, stock of foreign direct investment and capital accumulation. The finding is consistent with liberalization increasing competitive pressures, forcing firms to restructure and improve their productivity, which in turn translates into higher profits being shared with workers. It could also be potentially attributed to trade liberalization lowering the costs of imported inputs which enhances firm profitability. The result holds when skilled workers are excluded from the sample, thus suggesting that reductions in trade barriers benefited the unskilled in terms of an increase in wages.
The Policy Research Working Paper Series disseminates the findings of work in progress to encoura... more The Policy Research Working Paper Series disseminates the findings of work in progress to encourage the exchange of ideas about development issues. An objective of the series is to get the findings out quickly, even if the presentations are less than fully polished. The papers carry the names of the authors and should be cited accordingly. The findings, interpretations, and conclusions expressed in this paper are entirely those of the authors. They do not necessarily represent the views of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development/World Bank and its affiliated organizations, or those of the Executive Directors of the World Bank or the governments they represent.
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