Narrow Your Choices

Refine By Countries

Refine By Series

Refine By Language

Refine By Date

—

Refine By IMF Taxonomy

Refine By JEL Taxonomy

Refine by LOC Taxonomy

Refine By THEMA Taxonomy

  • Print
  • Save

Business and Economics > Public Finance

You are looking at 1 - 10 of 44 items for :

  • Type: Journal Issue x
  • Technological Change: Choices and Consequences; Diffusion Processes x
Clear All Modify Search
Cover IMF Working Papers
Government Debt and Growth: The Role of R&D
Can Sever
Economic growth in the advanced economies (AEs) has been slowing down since the early 2000s, while government debt ratios have been rising. The recent surge in debt at the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic has further intensified concerns about these phenomena. This paper aims to offer insight into the high-debt low-growth environment in AEs by exploring a causal link from government debt to future growth, specifically through the impact of debt on R&D activities. Using data from manufacturing industries since the 1980s, it shows that (i) government debt leads to a decline in growth, particularly in R&D-intensive industries; (ii) the differential effect of government debt on these industries is persistent; and (iii) more developed or open financial systems tend to mitigate this negative impact. These findings contribute to our understanding of the relationship between government debt and growth in AEs, given the role of technological progress and innovation in economic growth.
Keywords:
Government debt; fiscal policy; economic growth; R&D; innovation; financial development; economic growth in the advanced economies; R&D activity; impact of debt; debt level; affect tax dynamics; Financial sector development; Manufacturing; Productivity; Aging; Global
Cover IMF Working Papers
External Knowledge, R&D, and Innovation: Mapping the Market for Technology Across European Industries
Christoph Grimpe
,
Fuad Hasanov
,
Wolfgang Sofka
,
Geoffrey Borchardt
, and
Philip Schulz
A well-functioning market for technology, or ideas, is an important determinant for the type, scope, and distribution of innovation activities. We use a panel of 20 industries across 24 European countries to study the key determinants driving the market for technology. We explore whether the expenditures on external knowledge depends on the sectoral pattern of innovation and an industry’s distance to the global technological frontier. Disseminating knowledge and technology within the industry, bringing it closer to the global technological frontier, tends to reduce the expenditures for external knowledge except in supplier-dominated industries. We also find important complementarity effects in the market for external knowledge. Industries with high R&D spending, with increasingly large firms, and with large investments in machinery and software foster growth of the market for technology. Our findings suggest tailoring innovation policies to help expand both the size of the market for technology and the use of these markets in specific industries.
Keywords:
Markets for technology; patterns of innovation; industry studies; R&D; external knowledge; industrial policy; innovation policy; market size; IMF working paper 25/20; innovation activity; software foster growth of the market; Technological innovation; Emerging technologies; Total expenditures; Global; Europe
Cover Selected Issues Papers
Using Digitalization to Enhance Public Finance in Kosovo: Republic of Kosovo
Carolina Bloch
,
Mariano Moszoro
,
Mona Wang
,
Frank van Brunschot
, and
Yasemin Hurcan
Kosovo has embarked on a journey of digital transformation, developing digital infrastructure to provide access to households, companies, and educational institutions and modernizing its public finance system through GovTech. Digitalization and GovTech can facilitate Kosovo leapfrogging into advanced infrastructure and public service delivery. While Kosovo has achieved significant milestones—including nearly universal internet coverage and the comprehensive front-end e-Kosova portal—unconnected systems, relatively high consumer prices for digital inclusion, limited digital skills, and cybersecurity risks hinder the full realization of digital benefits.
Keywords:
Digital Transformation; GovTech Solutions; Public Finance Management; E-Government; Cybersecurity; maturity index; using digitalization; cybersecurity risk; potential of GovTech adoption; Digitalization; Public employment; Cyber risk; Europe
Cover IMF Staff Country Reports
Republic of Kosovo: Selected Issues
International Monetary Fund. European Dept.
This Selected Issues paper highlights recent trends in the Kosovo labor market and emigration. Like other Western Balkan countries, Kosovo experienced a sharp decline in population over the previous decade, as emigration increased. Using a structural model of the labor market and migration, the paper examines the potential impact of further EU integration. While lower migration costs hurt the economy, productivity convergence brought on by EU integration has an offsetting impact by increasing wages, lowering unemployment, and increase immigration. Policy simulations show that policymakers have a diverse set of tools—including structural reforms, active labor market policies, business support, and labor participation support—to boost potential and support the labor market. A key result from the policy simulations is that, while the policies target various stages of the labor market, they have similar macroeconomic impacts. In this regard, it is important for policymakers to focus on policies with the largest potential impact relative to the cost of implementation. Additionally, policies should be combined with careful monitoring and updating to ensure that they remain effective and efficient.
Keywords:
gender wage gap; ECB monetary policy PASSTHROUGH; EU integration; women wage; ECB policy rate Passthrough; wage gender gap; Pensions; Pension spending; Labor markets; Digitalization; Public employment; Europe; Global; Western Europe
Cover IMF Staff Country Reports
Benin: Selected Issues
International Monetary Fund. African Dept.
This Selected Issues paper presents stylized facts on Benin’s ongoing economic transformation, and analyzes the country’s new eco-system. A recent IMF paper explores conditions under which the country’s industrial policy could meet its intended goals while avoiding unintended economic distortions down the road. While economic diversification is found to be associated with higher economic growth, evidence on the causal impact of industrial policies is hard to establish. While empirical evidence suggests that Benin’s reliance on traditional sectors, notably the Port of Cotonou, is moderating, economic diversification remains limited. The government embarked on industrial policy with the transformation of local commodities as main engine, including via the launching of a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in 2020. It is recommending that the authorities should pursue efforts to ensure transparency in the selection of SEZ-related incentives. Intra-regional trade integration holds significant potential for Benin and could support economic diversification. Ongoing post-electoral policy shifts in Nigeria and formalization underway of economic ties between both nations, if permanent, would curb rent-seeking in Benin.
Keywords:
demographics dividend; B. addressing Internet accessibility; infrastructure investment; Beninese government; completion rate; Digitalization; Exports; Global; Sub-Saharan Africa; West Africa
Cover High-Level Summary Technical Assistance Reports
Islamic Republic of Mauritania: Customs diagnostic and needs assessment mission
Robert Kokoli
,
Mourad Arfaoui
, and
Genc Celi
The Ministry of Finance has developed the Public Finance Reform Master Plan 2021-2025 (SD-RFP 2021-2025), which aims to set strategic orientations for reforms and operational guidelines for their implementation over a five-year period. The masterplan includes objectives for the General Directorate of Customs (GDC) reform, focusing on revising customs law, enhancing revenue collection, and combating fraud.
Keywords:
Customs function; Customs automation; Customs procedures; Strategic management; Enforcement; Customs diagnostic; Needs assessment mission; customs law; post-clearance audit; Trade liberalization; Trade agreements; Post-clearance customs audit
Cover VITARA Reference Guide
VITARA Reference Guide
Organization
Inter-American Center of Tax Administrations
,
International Monetary Fund
,
Intra-European Organisation of Tax Administrations
, and
Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development

Abstract

This guide is part of a series of Virtual Training to Advance Revenue Administration (VITARA) reference guides that has been developed based on the contents of the VITARA online modules. This reference guide focuses on international good practices in organizational design. It explains how tax administrations can organize people, processes, and work effectively. It builds knowledge and understanding of critical features and dependencies in the organizational design of tax administrations, defining the concept of organizational design, and explaining why it is important. This guide also identifies the main organizational models (function-based, tax type-based, segment-based, and hybrid) used in the design of tax administrations and explains the advantages and disadvantages of the different models. It compares the roles of headquarters and field operations in a tax administration's organizational structure and also describes the importance of special units and functions within a tax administration's organizational structure. The guide helps tax administration leaders better understand how tax administration organizational models can be adapted to accommodate new responsibilities and roles.

Keywords:
tax; tax administration; revenue administration; organizational design; organizational chart; business process; revenue collection; domestic revenue mobilization; large taxpayers office; high-net wealth individuals; collection capability; high-integrity taxpayer register; HQ unit; tax administrator; HQ function; OD process; management forum; Tax administration core functions; Taxpayer services; Human capital; Tax collection; Internal audit
Cover Technical Notes and Manuals
Налоговое администрирование: основные возможности аналитики для управления комплаенс-рисками
Joshua Aslett
,
Gustavo González
,
Stuart Hamilton
, and
Miguel Pecho
В этой технической справке представлена аналитика для управления комплаенс-рисками в рамках налогового администрирования. Вместе с сопровождающим ее набором инструментов эта справка предназначена для использования в качестве стартового набора для содействия развитию потенциала в области комплаенс-планирования , оценки рисков и работы групп по сбору аналитических данных. В этой справке, разработанной в первую очередь для начинающих аналитиков, которые только приступают к работе в области налогового администрирования, представлены как теоретические, так и практические аспекты аналитики. Его инструментарий состоит из первоначального набора аналитических форм, призванных помочь реализовать представленную здесь теорию на практике в таких областях, как: 1) комплаенс-планирование; 2) составление профиля налогоплательщика; и 3) отбор кандидатов для проведения проверок.
Keywords:
налоговое администрирование; управление комплаенс-рисками; комплаенс-стратегия; анализ рисков; аналитические данные; данные; аналитика; цифровизация; информационные технологии
Cover IMF Working Papers
Strengthening Social Protection to Pave the Way for Technological Innovation: Evidence from the U.S.
Fernanda Brollo
This paper investigates the impact of automation on the U.S. labor market from 2000 to 2007, specifically examining whether more generous social protection programs can mitigate negative effects. Following Acemoglu and Restrepo (2020), the study finds that areas with higher robot adoption reduced employment and wages, in particular for workers without collegue degree. Notably, the paper exploits differences in social protection generosity across states and finds that areas with more generous unemployment insurance (UI) alleviated the negative effects on wages, especially for less-skilled workers. The results suggest that UI allowed displaced workers to find better matches The findings emphasize the importance of robust social protection policies in addressing the challenges posed by automation, contributing valuable insights for policymakers.
Keywords:
Automation; Innovation; Gen-AI; Social Protection; Social Assistance; Social Safety Nets; Labor Market; Unemployment Insurance; labor market program; IMF working paper 24/95; protection policy; wage measure; job searching; employment polarization; Robotics; Labor markets; Employment; Wages; Unemployment benefits; Europe
Cover Policy Papers
Review of the Fund’s Capacity Development Strategy—Towards a More Flexible, Integrated, and Tailored Model
International Monetary Fund. Institute for Capacity Development
Capacity Development (CD), comprising technical assistance and training, fosters economic development by improving human capital and institutions in member countries. Every five years, the IMF reviews its CD Strategy to ensure that CD continues to be of high quality and well-focused on the needs of its members. This review calls for CD to become more flexible, integrated with the Fund’s policy advice and lending, and tailored to respond to member needs. The review benefitted from the recent independent evaluation of the Fund’s CD and a wide range of inputs, including internal and external consultations, surveys of recipients and development partners, staff background studies and recommendations of an External Advisory Group. The vision for CD is informed by the Fund’s comparative advantages and surveillance priorities. The proposals of the current review center around the six key areas: (1) strengthening CD prioritization and integration; (2) enhancing the funding model; (3) strengthening monitoring and evaluation; (4) modernizing modalities; (5) enhancing field presence; and (5) strengthening human resources policies for staff working on CD.
Keywords:
Capacity Development; Technical Assistance; Training; Institution; Priorities; Evaluation; Impact; Field Presence; Regional Capacity Development Center; Background Papers; CD personnel structure; CD priority; CD financing initiative; CD Strategy Review; CD governance; CD integration; CD relative; CD partner; strategy review; CD model; CD efficiency; CD stabilization mechanism; Comparative advantage; Artificial intelligence; Revenue mobilization; Climate change; Global