The Asia Foundation

Nepal Economic Forum Report - Issue 4

This series of quarterly reports, supported by The Asia Foundation, provides analysis on Nepal's economy. This issue provides a general overview of the overall macroeconomic state of Nepal's...

Nepal Economic Forum Report - Issue 4

This series of quarterly reports, supported by The Asia Foundation, provides analysis on Nepal's economy. This issue provides a general overview of the overall macroeconomic state of Nepal's economy, and analyzes capital markets and the ongoing Visit Nepal 2011 year.

Occasional Paper No. 5, March 2011

A review of the basic theoretical and programmatic rationale for the series of Economic Governance Indices (EGIs) conducted by The Asia Foundation in countries throughout South and Southeast Asia,...

Occasional Paper No. 5, March 2011

A review of the basic theoretical and programmatic rationale for the series of Economic Governance Indices (EGIs) conducted by The Asia Foundation in countries throughout South and Southeast Asia, including Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Indonesia.

The purpose of the Asia Foundation's Public-Private Partnership (PPP) initiative is to assist the Government of Bangladesh (GoB) and private section to transform the concept of PPP into reality. The Foundation considers this initiative as a...

The purpose of the Asia Foundation's Public-Private Partnership (PPP) initiative is to assist the Government of Bangladesh (GoB) and private section to transform the concept of PPP into reality. The Foundation considers this initiative as a priority for the long term development of Bangladesh where public and private sections can join hands to achieve common development goals. Since July 2010, the Foundation has conducted analysis of PPP related documents for Bangladesh and few other countries in Asia, as well as held consultative meetings and group discussions with representatives for GoB and the private section on key facets of PPP including: key concepts, expectations, progress and challenges and respective partners role in the process among other things.

Regulatory Impact Assessment, or RIA, is a method widely- used in developed countries to identify the need for certain regulations. The method calculates the costs and benefits of regulation, and weighs alternative solutions to the problems...

Regulatory Impact Assessment, or RIA, is a method widely- used in developed countries to identify the need for certain regulations. The method calculates the costs and benefits of regulation, and weighs alternative solutions to the problems that are identified.

Regulatory Impact Assessment, or RIA, is a method widely- used in developed countries to identify the need for certain regulations. The method calculates the costs and benefits of regulation, and weighs alternative solutions to the problems...

Regulatory Impact Assessment, or RIA, is a method widely- used in developed countries to identify the need for certain regulations. The method calculates the costs and benefits of regulation, and weighs alternative solutions to the problems that are identified.

Since 1999, The Asia Foundation has supported initiatives to simplify business licensing at the local level.Initially, programs supported local governments to establish agencies that integrated the "front office" receipt of licensing...

Since 1999, The Asia Foundation has supported initiatives to simplify business licensing at the local level.Initially, programs supported local governments to establish agencies that integrated the "front office" receipt of licensing applications, but kept "back office" processing of permits decentralized across various other agencies. While this resulted in some improvements, the impact of these "One- Roof One-Stop Shop" (OSS) licensing reforms remained limited. The Foundation supports reforms that have resulted in "One-Door" OSS, in which both front office and back office authorities are united in a single location.

To help identify and address key challenges confronting MSMEs in their local and regional business environments, The Asia Foundation has developed a program of Public- Private Dialogues, focused on the subnational level. Local Public-Private...

To help identify and address key challenges confronting MSMEs in their local and regional business environments, The Asia Foundation has developed a program of Public- Private Dialogues, focused on the subnational level. Local Public-Private Dialogues (LPPDs) bring together local authorities, civil servants, and the private sector to discuss local impediments to business. LPPDs help local stakeholders eliminate obstacles to economic development, by providing a forum for consultation and cooperation, and fostering mutual trust and understanding.

To help identify and address key challenges confronting MSMEs in their local and regional business environments, The Asia Foundation has developed a program of Public- Private Dialogues, focused on the subnational level. Local...

To help identify and address key challenges confronting MSMEs in their local and regional business environments, The Asia Foundation has developed a program of Public- Private Dialogues, focused on the subnational level. Local Public-Private Dialogues (LPPDs) bring together local authorities, civil servants, and the private sector to discuss local impediments to business. LPPDs help local stakeholders eliminate obstacles to economic development, by providing a forum for consultation and cooperation, and fostering mutual trust and understanding.

Nepal Economic Forum Report - Issue 3

The report, supported by The Asia Foundation, provides economic analysis that addresses the needs of business people, potential investors, development practitioners, management professionals,...

Nepal Economic Forum Report - Issue 3

The report, supported by The Asia Foundation, provides economic analysis that addresses the needs of business people, potential investors, development practitioners, management professionals, academics and students both in Nepal and abroad. It covers international economy, real estate, manufacturing, tourism, education, foreign aid, and more over the second and third quarters of fiscal 2010/2011.

Occasional Paper No. 4, October 2010

To examine the critical issues surrounding the global challenge of food security, The Asia Foundation joined with the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO),...

Occasional Paper No. 4, October 2010

To examine the critical issues surrounding the global challenge of food security, The Asia Foundation joined with the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) for a major conference, "Food for All: Investment Forum for Food Security in Asia and the Pacific," at the ADB headquarters in Manila from July 7-9, 2010. Douglas Bereuter, president of The Asia Foundation, moderated a key plenary session on "Fostering Food Security Through Regional Cooperation and Integration." Eminent food security economist Peter Timmer laid out the challenges, opportunities, and likely action points for achieving shared food security. We are pleased to reproduce his remarks in this, the fourth in our continuing series of Occasional Papers.

Since 1999, The Asia Foundation has supported initiatives to simplify business licensing at the local level.Initially, programs supported local governments to establish agencies that integrated the "front office" receipt of licensing...

Since 1999, The Asia Foundation has supported initiatives to simplify business licensing at the local level.Initially, programs supported local governments to establish agencies that integrated the "front office" receipt of licensing applications, but kept "back office" processing of permits decentralized across various other agencies. While this resulted in some improvements, the impact of these "One- Roof One-Stop Shop" (OSS) licensing reforms remained limited. The Foundation supports reforms that have resulted in "One-Door" OSS, in which both front office and back office authorities are united in a single location.

The Regional Autonomy Watch (KPPOD) was established in 2000 by stakeholders from the business community, journalists and researchers to monitor the impact of regional autonomy on economic growth. With support from The Asia Foundation, Regional...

The Regional Autonomy Watch (KPPOD) was established in 2000 by stakeholders from the business community, journalists and researchers to monitor the impact of regional autonomy on economic growth. With support from The Asia Foundation, Regional Autonomy Watch ranked regional competitiveness between 2001 and 2005, using perception surveys of business owners coupled with secondary data about key indicators of factors that support the regional business climate and promote healthy competition.

The Regional Autonomy Watch (KPPOD) was established in 2000 by stakeholders from the business community, journalists and researchers to monitor the impact of regional autonomy on economic growth. With support from The Asia Foundation, Regional...

The Regional Autonomy Watch (KPPOD) was established in 2000 by stakeholders from the business community, journalists and researchers to monitor the impact of regional autonomy on economic growth. With support from The Asia Foundation, Regional Autonomy Watch ranked regional competitiveness between 2001 and 2005, using perception surveys of business owners coupled with secondary data about key indicators of factors that support the regional business climate and promote healthy competition.

Occasional Paper No. 3, September 2010

This paper sketches out the operational features of emerging political economy-based approaches to sectoral economic policy reform. Section 1 traces some of the literature on the political...

Occasional Paper No. 3, September 2010

This paper sketches out the operational features of emerging political economy-based approaches to sectoral economic policy reform. Section 1 traces some of the literature on the political economy analysis of reforms. Section 2 outlines the international development community’s increasing recognition of the political economy aspects of economic governance, and their efforts to undertake sharper political economy analysis of reform challenges. Finally, in Section 3 the paper identifies elements of operational reform approaches that move beyond disengaged political economy analysis towards on-the-ground implementation of political strategies in policy reform processes.

V. Bruce J. Tolentino, Director, Economic Reform and Development, The Asia Foundation

A Measure of Economic Governance at the District Level (June 2010)

The Asia Foundation releases a pioneering survey ranking the business-friendliness in 19 districts in Bangladesh. 3,800 firms – many of them micro, small, and...

A Measure of Economic Governance at the District Level (June 2010)

The Asia Foundation releases a pioneering survey ranking the business-friendliness in 19 districts in Bangladesh. 3,800 firms – many of them micro, small, and medium-sized businesses – were polled on their perceptions of the local business environment, such as entry costs, transparency, informal charges, tax administration, and land security.

A Case Study of Bangladesh

Occasional Paper No. 1, July 2010

In the midst of the recent financial and economic crisis, factory owners in Bangladesh showed remarkable confidence in the future of their industry in Bangladesh....

A Case Study of Bangladesh

Occasional Paper No. 1, July 2010

In the midst of the recent financial and economic crisis, factory owners in Bangladesh showed remarkable confidence in the future of their industry in Bangladesh. But, if the country wants to expand and remain competitive, this paper finds, it will need to make investments in human capital and technology, rather than just reduce input costs. The paper offers policy recommendations to improve efficiency at the factory level and suggests reforms to the business environment that could provide an overall boost to the economy as a whole. Research for this paper included extensive interviews with factory workers and government officials, and seven focus-group discussions with 33 factory workers.

Dr. Sanchita Banerjee Saxena, Associate Director, Center for South Asia Studies, University of California, Berkeley, Véronique Salze-Lozac'h, Regional Director for Economic Programs, The Asia Foundation

Nepal Economic Forum Report - Issue 2

The report, supported by The Asia Foundation, provides economic analysis that addresses the needs of business people, potential investors, development practitioners, management professionals,...

Nepal Economic Forum Report - Issue 2

The report, supported by The Asia Foundation, provides economic analysis that addresses the needs of business people, potential investors, development practitioners, management professionals, academics and students both in Nepal and abroad. It covers international economy, real estate, manufacturing, tourism, education, foreign aid, and more over the last quarter of fiscal 2009/2010 and the first quarter of 2010/2011.

In order to understand how provinces are contributing to or preventing business growth, International Finance Corporation and The Asia Foundation have collaborated in developing the Provincial Business Environment Scorecard (PBES). PBES 2009...

In order to understand how provinces are contributing to or preventing business growth, International Finance Corporation and The Asia Foundation have collaborated in developing the Provincial Business Environment Scorecard (PBES). PBES 2009 ranks all 24 provinces on the quality of their economic governance. The PBES, which was first conducted in 2006 in 10 Cambodian provinces, and in 2009 covers all 24 provinces, relies largely on the perceptions of business leaders to generate a scorecard that ranks provinces on measures of business environment quality.

This study is an assessment of local economic governance and the enabling environment for private enterprise in Sri Lanka's Eastern Province. Good economic governance is of paramount importance to the creation of a dynamic economic environment...

This study is an assessment of local economic governance and the enabling environment for private enterprise in Sri Lanka's Eastern Province. Good economic governance is of paramount importance to the creation of a dynamic economic environment and sustained growth. For Sri Lanka's Eastern Province, which has been affected by civil war for over two decades, the creation of such an environment is critical to its recovery. The Asia Foundation's (The Foundation's) approach to fostering effective economic governance in Asia is grounded in recognition of the private sector as the engine for economic growth. However, private sector activity is often constrained by a wide range of institutional obstacles. To address the constraints to private sector growth, the Foundation has developed specialized tools to measure the quality of local economic governance in a country and to engage with both public and private sector actors on policy reform.

From March to April 2008, The Asia Foundation conducted a qualitative assessment of local economic governance in Sri Lanka's Eastern Province. This Policy Brief presents the assessment's main findings and resulting policy implications. Local...

From March to April 2008, The Asia Foundation conducted a qualitative assessment of local economic governance in Sri Lanka's Eastern Province. This Policy Brief presents the assessment's main findings and resulting policy implications. Local economic policies and the conduct of local government officials shape the enabling environment for private sector dynamism and sustained economic growth. In Sri Lanka's Eastern Province, which has been affected by civil war for over two decades, economic growth is particularly critical to its recovery. The overall purpose of this assessment was therefore to provide local government officials, the business community, and the general public with relevant information about major impediments in the business environment in the Eastern Province as a starting point for policy discussions and reform.

This publication is intended to serve as a guide to clarify services provided by the Provincial Councils in Sri Lanka. It provides a detailed outline of the legalities, eligibility, fees, application process, timeline and resources available...

This publication is intended to serve as a guide to clarify services provided by the Provincial Councils in Sri Lanka. It provides a detailed outline of the legalities, eligibility, fees, application process, timeline and resources available for a broad range of Council services. The results of a survey sponsored by The Asia Foundation indicated that information of this type was not readily available to the public in a simple and comprehensive manner. This Guide Book seeks to clarify step-by-step what is involved in the payment of turnover tax, or the process of admitting a child to a home for children, for example. It seeks to inform members of the public and business community about the services, authority, and responsibilities of Provincial Councils and their role in improving the conditions for economic growth and creating an enabling environment for small and medium enterprises to flourish in every Provincial Council area of Sri Lanka. The guide book is available in English, Sinhala and Tamil.

(Sinhala) This publication is intended to serve as a guide to clarify services provided by the Provincial Councils in Sri Lanka. It provides a detailed outline of the legalities, eligibility, fees, application process, timeline and resources...

(Sinhala) This publication is intended to serve as a guide to clarify services provided by the Provincial Councils in Sri Lanka. It provides a detailed outline of the legalities, eligibility, fees, application process, timeline and resources available for a broad range of Council services. The results of a survey sponsored by The Asia Foundation indicated that information of this type was not readily available to the public in a simple and comprehensive manner. This Guide Book seeks to clarify step-by-step what is involved in the payment of turnover tax, or the process of admitting a child to a home for children, for example. It seeks to inform members of the public and business community about the services, authority, and responsibilities of Provincial Councils and their role in improving the conditions for economic growth and creating an enabling environment for small and medium enterprises to flourish in every Provincial Council area of Sri Lanka. The guide book is available in English, Sinhala and Tamil.

(Tamil) This publication is intended to serve as a guide to clarify services provided by the Provincial Councils in Sri Lanka. It provides a detailed outline of the legalities, eligibility, fees, application process, timeline and resources...

(Tamil) This publication is intended to serve as a guide to clarify services provided by the Provincial Councils in Sri Lanka. It provides a detailed outline of the legalities, eligibility, fees, application process, timeline and resources available for a broad range of Council services. The results of a survey sponsored by The Asia Foundation indicated that information of this type was not readily available to the public in a simple and comprehensive manner. This Guide Book seeks to clarify step-by-step what is involved in the payment of turnover tax, or the process of admitting a child to a home for children, for example. It seeks to inform members of the public and business community about the services, authority, and responsibilities of Provincial Councils and their role in improving the conditions for economic growth and creating an enabling environment for small and medium enterprises to flourish in every Provincial Council area of Sri Lanka. The guide book is available in English, Sinhala and Tamil.

This publication is intended to serve as a guide to clarify services provided by the Urban Development Authority (UDA). It provides a detailed outline of the legalities, fees, application process, timeline and recourse available for a broad...

This publication is intended to serve as a guide to clarify services provided by the Urban Development Authority (UDA). It provides a detailed outline of the legalities, fees, application process, timeline and recourse available for a broad range of UDA services. The results of a recent survey sponsored by the Asia Foundation indicated that information of this type was not readily available to the public in a simple and comprehensive manner. This Guide Book seeks to clarify step-by-step what is involved in obtaining a permit for a change of use of residential buildings, or the process of demolishing unauthorized constructions, for example. It seeks to inform members of the public and business community about the services, authority, and responsibilities of the UDA and its role in improving the conditions for economic growth and creating an enabling environment for small and medium enterprises to flourish in Sri Lanka. The Guide Book is available in English, Sinhala and Tamil.