DO REFORMS IMPROVE PERFORMANCE IN COMMUNICATIONS?

I posted some references on this topic April 30, 2003, and here are some more:

Prioritizing Countries for Assistance To Overcome the Digital Divide
Abstract: "In order to provide the right type of assistance to the right countries to overcome the digital divide, some method of prioritization is required. This paper attempts to take a first step in that direction. After a brief literature review, it develops two indicators of the present level and quality of ICT (Information and Communication Technologies) access in a country, as well as four indicators (beyond income) of the determinants of access and quality. After testing the determinant indicators to see if they are, indeed, related to the quality and quantity of access, it uses them to suggest priority countries for particular types of donor intervention to overcome to digital divide. The paper then turns to limitations of the proposed approach and conclusions." By Charles Kenny, Communications and Strategies, Volume 41 - 1st quarter 2001. (HTML).


Liberalizing Basic Telecommunications: Evidence from Developing Countries
This is a power point presentation by Carsten Fink, Aaditya Mattoo, and Randeep Rathindran of the Development Research Group of The World Bank. It is a nice graphical presentation of the benefits of telecom liberalization from the authors research. The text that accompanies the slides is useful.

An Assessment of Telecommunications Reform in Developing Countries
Abstract: "This paper analyzes the impact of policy reform in basic telecommunications on sectoral performance using a new panel data set for 86 developing countries across Africa, Asia, the Middle East, Latin America and the Caribbean over the period 1985 to 1999. We address three questions. First, what impact do specific policy changes – relating to ownership and competition – have on sectoral performance? Second, how is the impact of change in any one policy affected by the implementation of the other, and by the overall regulatory framework? Third, does the sequence in which reforms are implemented affect performance? We find that both privatization and competition lead to significant improvements in performance. But a comprehensive reform program, involving both policies and the support of an independent regulator, produced the largest gains: an 8 percent higher level of mainlines and a 21 percent higher level of productivity compared to years of partial and no reform. Interestingly, the sequence of reform matters: mainline penetration is lower if competition is introduced after privatization, rather than at the same time. We also find that autonomous factors, such as technological progress, had a strong influence on telecommunications performance, accounting for an increase of 5 percent per annum in teledensity and 9 percent in productivity over the period 1985 to 1999." By Carsten Fink, Aaditya Mattoo, and Randeep Rathindran, undated. (PDF, 37 pages.)

>Regulation and Internet Use in Developing Countries
This is a World Bank working paper by Scott Wallsten. (PDF, 24 pages.)

Regulating Telecommunications in Developing Countries: Outcomes, Incentives and Commitment
By Ahmed Galal, and Bharat Nauriyal. (PDF, 36 pages.)

Telecommunication Reforms, Access Regulation, and Internet Adoption in Latin America
By Marco Manacorda, Tommaso M. Valletti, and Antonio Estache. March 21, 2002 (PDF, 44 pages.)

World Bank Infrastructure Working Papers
This page has a number of working papers reporting research on building infrastructure in developing nations. Some deals with information infrastructure. However, analytic results vis a vis energy, transportation or other networked infrastructure may also inform debate on ICT infrastructure. The Policy Research Working Paper Series disseminates findings of work in progress to encourage the exchange of ideas about development issues. The series aims to share the findings out quickly, even if the presentations are less than fully polished.