Books
2002
May 1, 2002
Into the EU: Policy Frameworks in Central Europe
Description: This book examines the opportunities and challenges involved for five central European applicants-the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, the Slovak Republic, and Slovenia-in joining the European Union. The central focus is on the issues that policymakers in central Europe face as they craft macroeconomic and financial sector policies to help ensure growth that is both strong and sustainable, in a setting that may feature large and potentially volatile capital flows. It examines the competing pressures on these countries in the run-up to EU accession later, and monetary union.
April 19, 2002
Macroeconomic Management: Programs and Policies
Description: Macroeconomic Management: Programs and Policies edited by Mohsin S. Khan, Saleh M. Nsouli, and Chorng-Huey Wong. 2002. x + 346 pp. ISBN 1-58906-094-6 Since its founding in 1964, the IMF Institute has provided macroeconomic management training to over 20,000 officials from almost all of the International Monetary Fund's 183 member countries-more than 13,000 at IMF headquarters in Washington, and about 8,000 overseas. This volume, edited by Mohsin S. Khan, Saleh M. Nsouli, and Chorng-Huey Wong-respectively Director, Deputy Director, and Senior Advisor in the IMF Institute-compiles some of the analysis that the Institute uses in its macroeconomic training to address key questions that policymakers face in managing their national economies. The chapters, by IMF staff and external economists, cover salient topics in monetary, fiscal, and exchange rate management and show that there are no definitive prescriptions for effective economic policymaking, but rather a range of options, and that any course of policy action has explicit pros and cons.
April 11, 2002
Kosovo : Institutions and Policies for Reconstruction and Growth
Description: Kosovo was placed under temporary UN administration in 1999, and a final political settlement remains pending. Since that time, however, the province has developed the instruments and institutions necessary to formulate and implement an independent economic policy. This paper provides an overview of Kosovo’s economy and its institutions to date, including those of self-government, and discusses the main economic policy challenges currently facing the province.
January 15, 2002
Can the Poor Influence Policy? Participatory Poverty Assessments in the Developing World
Description: The second edition of this book outline show to include the poor using the Participatory Poverty Assessment (PPA) method. This method was developed by the World Bank in partnerships with NGOs, governments, and academic institutions, and has been implemented in over 60 countries worldwide duringthe last decade. This book also draws on new PPA case examples. Joint publication with the World Bank.
2001
November 5, 2001
Financial Policies and Development
Description: IMF economists work closely with member countries on a variety of issues. Their unique perspective on country experiences and best practices on global macroeconomic issues are often shared in the form of books on diverse topics such as cross-country comparisons, capacity building, macroeconomic policy, financial integration, and globalization.
November 5, 2001
The Modern VAT
Description: Value-added tax, or VAT, first introduced less than 50 years ago, is now a pivotal component of tax systems around the world. The rapid and seemingly irresistible rise of the VAT is probably the most important tax development of the latter twentieth century, and certainly the most breathtaking. Written by a team of experts from the IMF, this book examines the remarkable spread and current reach of the innovative tax and draws lessons about the design and implementation of the VAT, as experienced by different countries around the world. How efficient is it as a tax, is it fair, and is it suitable for all countries? These are among the questions raised. This highly informative and well-researched book also looks at the likely future of the tax.
October 25, 2001
The Road to EU Accession: A collection of papers covering The Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, The Slovak Republic, Slovenia
Description: IMF economists work closely with member countries on a variety of issues. Their unique perspective on country experiences and best practices on global macroeconomic issues are often shared in the form of books on diverse topics such as cross-country comparisons, capacity building, macroeconomic policy, financial integration, and globalization.
September 21, 2001
Macroeconomic Issues and Policies in the Middle East and North Africa
Description: This book brings together recent IMF research on how the Middle East and North African countries are grappling with various macroeconomic challenges. It rigorously analyzes policy alternatives for a range of relevant topics, including the implications of changing demographic trends for growth and unemployment, determinants of inflation, financial-sector reform and Islamic banking, fiscal sustainability in oil-dependent economies, exchange rate and trade arrangements, and impediments to foreign direct investment. The book’s overall theme-self-sustaining and faster growth can be achieved through comprehensive structural reforms and closer collaboration between the region’s policymakers and the international community.
August 28, 2001
The West Bank and Gaza: Economic Performance, Prospects, and Policies: Achieving Prosperity and Confronting Demographic Challenges
Description: This is the latest in a series of economic reports by staff economists in the IMF’s Middle Eastern Department. This book discusses the latest economic data coming out of the West Bank and Gaza Strip, with a particular emphasis on growing demographic concerns. The work is enhanced by the addition of numerous data tables and graphs, which extensively analyze economic trends in the region.
August 20, 2001
Policies to Promote Competitiveness in Manufacturing in Sub-Saharan Africa
Description: The papers in this volume address three important issues: the role ofexchange-rate policy in enhancing the competitiveness of African manufactured exports; the steps that can be taken to improve production efficiency; and the role of institutional and structural reforms in promoting competitiveness in manufacturing and in improving Africa's attractiveness to foreign direct investment. An epilogue evaluates progress and developments since the conference that gave rise to this volume was held.