Banking sectors in transition economies have experienced major transformations throughout the 1990s. While some countries have been successful in eliminating underlying distortions and restructuring their financial sectors, in some cases financial sectors remain underdeveloped and the rates of financial intermediation continue to be low. We estimate indicators of commercial bank efficiency by applying a non-parametric estimation technique, data envelopment analysis (DEA), to bank-level data from a wide range of transition countries. In addition to stressing the importance of some bank-specific variables, the censored Tobit analysis suggests that: (1) foreign ownership with controlling power and enterprise restructuring enhance commercial bank efficiency; (2) the effects of prudential tightening on the efficiency of banks vary across different prudential norms; and (3) consolidation is likely to improve efficiency of banking operations. Overall, the results confirm the usefulness of DEA for transition-related applications and shed some light on the question of the optimal architecture of a banking system. Comparative Economic Studies (2006) 48, 497–522. doi:10.1057/palgrave.ces.8100129

Banking sectors in transition economies have variables. In addition to stressing the importance of some experienced major transformations throughout the bank-specific variables, the censored Tobit analysis 1990s. While some countries have been successful in suggests that: eliminating underlying distortions and restructuring their * Foreign ownership with controlling power and financial sectors, in some cases financial sectors remain enterprise restructuring enhance commercial bank underdeveloped and the rates of financial intermediation efficiency. continue to be quite low. * The effects of prudential tightening on the efficiency Grigorian and Manole estimate indicators of of banks vary across different prudential norms. commercial bank efficiency by applying a version of Data * Consolidation is likely to improve efficiency of Envelopment Analysis (DEA) to bank-level data from a banking operations. wide range of transition countries. They further extend Overall, the results confirm the usefulness of DEA for the analysis by explaining the differences in efficiency transition-related applications and may shed light on the between financial institutions and countries by a variety optimal architecture of a banking system. of macroeconomic, prudential, and institutional This paper-a product of the Private and Financial Sector Development Unit, Europe and Central Asia Region-is part of a larger effort in the region to disseminate the results of research on transition issues. Copies of the paper are available free from the World Bank,

The paper uses data from Armenia to test the implications of remittance flows on behavior of receiving households. We find that remittance-receiving households work fewer hours and spend less on the education of their children. While saving more, these households are not leveraging their savings to borrow from the banking system to expand their business activities. This evidence suggests that the benefits of remittances might be overstated and emphasizes the importance of measuring their impact in a general-rather than a partial-equilibrium context.

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The paper attempts to empirically test the link between Institutional Quality Indicators and Industrial Growth. We found significant evidence of the effect of the above indicators on Industrial Growth in 27 Asian and Latin American countries. The results suggest that developed legal and regulatory framework work their way to industrial growth both through investment and Total Factor Productivity. The findings are robust with respect to the type of institutional quality measures used in the analysis. The main policy recommendation made in the paper is that institution building in Transition Countries should be an essential complementary measure to accompany privatization, flow of public and private investments in education and R&D, and measures promoting Foreign Direct Investment.

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This Working Paper should not be reported as representing the views of the IMF.The views expressed in this Working Paper are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent those of the IMF or IMF policy. Working Papers describe research in progress by the author(s) and are published to elicit comments and to further debate.Despite recording double digit growth since 2000, Armenia's tax-to-GDP ratio has been fairly stable at about 14½ percent. This paper catalogues a range of factors that may account for Armenia's stubbornly for tax collection by benchmarking Armenia's tax-to-GDP against some comparator countries and conducting an extensive econometric study of the main determinants of tax collection. We find empirical support for the hypothesis that the persistence of Armenia's low tax-GDP ratio can be traced to persistence of weak institutions and a large shadow economy. The gap between the potential and actual tax collection in Armenia could be as high as 6½ percent of GDP. We conclude with some policy recommendations that, if adopted, can boost revenue buoyancy. JEL Classification Numbers: H2, H3, P52

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