Other Public Sector Study
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Publication
Myanmar Pay, Compensation, and Human Resource Management Review
(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2018)The Myanmar Pay, Compensation and Human Resource Management Review was undertaken in 2015-2017 in response to the Government of Myanmar’s request for advice to inform compensation and human resource policies that reflect country-specific challenges. The analysis, generously supported by Denmark, Australia and UK-DFID, was jointly conducted by the Government of Myanmar and the World Bank.In addition to the analysis, the review aimed to develop capacity of government agencies responsible for wage-bill and human resource management. Capacity development happens within institutions, and can only be effective, if government assumes strong ownership. In this context, the Union Cabinet established the “Pay, Compensation, and Human Resource Review Implementation Inter-Ministerial Committee” comprising key ministries to oversee the review. The World Bank team worked closely with a task team in the Ministry of Planning and Finance.The main methods used to review the government’s pay and compensation system included: i) review of government regulations; ii) analysis of administrative data; iii) focus group discussions and a small survey to assess civil servants’ perception about pay and human resource functions; and iv) a model that simulates the impact of potential changes to pay and employment, customized to Myanmar’s circumstances. This model can be applied by the Ministry of Planning and Finance for future wage-bill planning. Specifically, the model helped highlight that size of the wage bill is not an immediate concern. Its rapid growth in recent years, as well as growing fiscal vulnerabilities from potential external shocks, demand closer attention to overall growth in the public-sector wage bill. Future salary increases may need careful targeting given the growing attractiveness of the private sector as a career option for young talent and professionals.The review also drills down on the education sector. Constituting nearly 40 percent of the total workforce employed by the Union Government, the education sector makes up nearly one-half of the union budget’s wage bill. The review also provides important context for teacher policy on employment and pay, and suggests reform options for managing teacher workforce for better education outcomes.The findings suggest a series of policy priorities for improving the performance of the civil service. The report includes a wealth of findings and practical, realistic recommendations. However, it is only the first step on the long journey of evidence-based reforms to manage wage bill and performance of the Myanmar civil service. The Government of Myanmar and the Bank will continue to work together during implementation of the recommendations, and for future research and analysis. -
Publication
Formal Informality: Informal Practices of Formal Firms as a Key Business Constraint
(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2017-10)Despite strong economic growth in recent decades led by the resource-based sectors, Lao PDR facessignificant challenges, including high poverty rates and limited productivity. A highly challenging business and investment environment continues to hamper stronger private sector-led growth, especially outside the natural resource sectors, where job creation could be larger. In the still largely unreformed business and trade environment, the World Bank’s 2016 Enterprise Survey identified "practices of firms in the informal sector" as the biggest problem reported by firms in the country, and addressing these and other challenges fundamentally will be critical to generate inclusive growth. Based on interviews with business owners and top managers, this note finds that there are four main types of problematic informality in Lao PDR’s business environment: inadequately registered enterprises that "fly under the radar"; widespread tax evasion; irregular adherence to complex and burdensome regulations; and a culture of noncompliance with basic rules and standards. Fully registered and formalized firms incur higher costs and feel unfairly targeted by authorities who are eager to collect revenue and fulfil their mandates. Unregistered or rule-evading competitors are alleged to escape the same level of scrutiny, due to the difficulty of enforcement and prevalence of petty corruption. Tackling problematic informality in the business environment will require stronger institutions and a continued government focus on eliminating petty corruption. In the near-term, this note recommends eliminating unnecessary regulations and streamlining others by leveraging public support for transparency and consistency in the tax and regulatory systems. This should be complemented by a functional, efficient one stop window for enterprise registration to encourage formalization. Putting these recommendations into practice will require improved monitoring, evaluation, and assessment practices based on reliable and timely common data. -
Publication
PFM Design under Capacity Constraints : Planning Public Financial Management Reforms in Pacific Island Countries
(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2013-07)This note is intended to inform Public Financial Management (PFM) reform in small Pacific Island Countries (PICs). PFM systems in PIC contexts are often very different from the sophisticated and comprehensive systems operating in larger, wealthier countries. The authors give two key messages. Firstly, PFM capacity should be prioritized to areas that matter most in achieving development outcomes, and reforms should be intended to address specific, identified, problems, rather than to achieve blueprint good practice standards. Secondly, with small numbers of staff and high staff turnover limiting potential for sustainable gains from standard capacity building solutions (such as training programs and workshops), broader options for meeting capacity gaps should be considered, including accessing ongoing support for specialized tasks or even the wholesale outsourcing of certain functions. The three main sections of this note are as follows: (i) how to plan PFM reforms, including through the development of PFM roadmaps; (ii) how to prioritize limited PFM reform capacity to address the most pressing constraints to development; and (iii) how to access additional capacity to implement and sustain required PFM reforms. -
Publication
Lao People's Democratic Republic - Investment and Access to Land and Natural Resources : Challenges in Promoting Sustainable Development, A Think Piece (A Basis for Dialogue)
(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2011-11)The aim of this discussion paper is to ascertain the government of Lao's (GoL) current practices in negotiating, awarding, and managing land concessions; enhance GoL understanding and commitments to develop national capacities targeting improved land management, that will generate revenues for GoL, and ensure sustainable development as an urgent priority; and provide a basis for dialogue within the government to enable its determination of priorities to better address land development issues in Laos, to enable the achievement of sustainable, responsible economic development. The paper also examines key issues revolving around the sustainable utilization of land, and the mechanisms, through an examination of GoL s policy statements. The findings are provided, and the report advises that GoL pay special attention to four major points: the availability of adequate and accurate information on which to make decisions on concessions; adequate capacity within GoL agencies to determine, award and monitor/oversee the operation of concessions; and governance over land and natural resources. These points of guidance are expected to contribute towards developing sustainable approaches for land administration and management programs in Lao PDR, and enabling GoL to adopt more rigorous oversight of the land and natural resources sector, as well to the political economy aspects of resource management. -
Publication
Tax Reform in Vietnam: Toward a More Efficient and Equitable System
(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2011-09-30)In 2010, after two decades of rapid economic growth, Vietnam passed the threshold to become a lower-middle-income economy. Sustained market-oriented reforms combined with intensive efforts to integrate into the world economy are among the key drivers of this achievement. The reform of tax policy and administration has been a vital part of this transition. This is leading to a fundamental change in the composition of taxpayers, from large state-owned enterprises (SOEs) and foreign-invested companies to a myriad of small and medium private enterprises. Economic transition is also leading to an equally important change in the sources of government revenue, away from cross-border trade-related taxes and revenue collection from crude oil toward a greater share of domestic tax revenue, in particular taxation of business profits, labor income, and capital gains on land. However, completing the transition to a market economy will require changes going beyond tax collection and administration procedures, and will involve changes to the tax instruments themselves. At the end of this process, Vietnam should have a set of taxes that is simple and transparent, secures a stable flow of revenues for the government, encourages an efficient allocation of resources, and does not risk constituting a source of inequality or unfairness. The purpose of the series of studies in this volume is to shed light on the issues Vietnam will be facing in the process of reforming its tax policy and administration. The studies are also expected to lead to concrete policy recommendations contributing to the preparation of key policies and legislative documents to ensure the achievement of the state budget revenue target and other tax administration reform targets in the SEDP 2011-2015. It is expected that the individual studies in this series will become useful inputs into the debate surrounding the issuance of new laws and regulations. It is also hoped that the volume will support the reform momentum in the tax policy area, leading to increased efficiency, transparency, and equity. -
Publication
The Need, Capacity and Willingness of Regional Governments to Finance Public Infrastructure from Long-Term Loans
(Washington, DC, 2011-06)This report reviews the need for long-term loans for regional governments, assesses the capacity of regional governments to repay long-term loans, identifies existing constraints to long-term borrowing by the regions, and recommends options for removing or mitigating existing constraints. The Government of Indonesia issued a government regulation on regional borrowing and unlike its legal predecessor, the newer regulation allows regional governments to borrow long term for public infrastructure projects that are indirectly revenue-generating, such as roads and flood control systems. Until the late 1990s, a major portion of long-term loans to regional governments was financed by international financial institutions, mainly the Asian Development Bank and the World Bank. In view of the need to increase investments in public infrastructure, and the absence of a domestic market for long-term financing, Government of Indonesia is currently considering re-opening this window by establishing a Municipal Development Fund in the Ministry of Finance. -
Publication
Cambodia : Post-Ketsana Disaster Needs Assessment
(Washington, DC, 2010-03)This report was undertaken in the wake of the Ketsana Disaster, to assess damage, losses, and resource requirements for recovery. Typhoon Ketsana hit Cambodia between September 29 and October 5, 2009. Fourteen out of 24 provinces were affected by the storm and subsequent flash floods. The report addresses macro-economic impacts, livelihood and social impacts, disaster risk management requirements, and recovery and reconstruction requirements. The report concludes that the process of data collection and management for assessing damages and losses as well as tracking emergency assistance has to be improved, along with capacity building activities for both the line ministries and national and sub-national Committees for Disaster Relief to facilitate their participation in the recovery process. -
Publication
Kingdom of Thailand - Public Expenditure and Financial Accountability : Public Financial Management Assessment
(World Bank, 2009-10-01)The Government of Thailand has been undertaking wide ranging public financial management reforms since 1999 across the six core dimensions of Public Financial Management (PFM) performance identified in the performance measurement framework. Key reforms include: (i) the deployment of an integrated Government Fiscal Management Information System (GFMIS) for budget execution and reporting; (ii) implementation of Strategic Performance Based Budgeting (SPBB) framework; (iii) implementing the International Public Sector Accounting Standards for reporting; (iv) conducting financial, procurement, performance, and risk based audits; and (v) putting in place a system of key performance indicators (KPIs) to foster greater service delivery responsiveness by government agencies. This Public Expenditure and Financial Accountability (PEFA) report aims to assess the status of the PFM system in Thailand across the six core dimensions of PFM performance using the standard PEFA methodology of 28 high level indicators, excluding the donor practices indicators. -
Publication
Outsourcing Social Services to CSOs : Lessons from Abroad
(World Bank, 2009-06-01)This study aims to provide the Ministry of Civil Affairs (MoCA) of the People's Republic of China an overview of international experience with the use of direct and indirect, consumer and producer side instruments for engaging civil society organizations in the delivery of government-financed social and human services. The discussion in the report falls into three major parts. Part one offers an overview of the scale of the civil society sector globally and of the extent and patterns of government support for it. Against this backdrop, part two then examines in more detail the experience of particular countries with government-nonprofit cooperation with respect to outsourcing social services. Finally, based on these experiences, the final part offers some suggestions for the Government of China as it seeks to fashion a workable relationship with the emerging Chinese civil society organization (CSO) sector. -
Publication
Support to Civil Service Reform in Indonesia : Report from a Programming Mission to Jakarta
(Washington, DC, 2009-05-07)Civil service reform in Indonesia is needed to sustain the important institutional reform results achieved over the last ten years in various sectors and policy areas and to further consolidate Indonesia as a progressing middle income country. This report summarizes a mission to Indonesia on February 2-13, 2009. The purpose of the mission was to i) map, describe and assess current approach and status of ongoing civil service reform initiatives in selected central government institutions; ii) make recommendations related to scope, focus and approach of continued reforms; and iii) propose to the Government of Indonesia (GOI) a World Bank program of assistance in support of the government's reform agenda. The report is intended to provide a basis for a decision within the Bank on whether and how to continue and scale up an engagement on civil service reform in Indonesia. Aligned with the three objectives, the mission report first provides an introduction to the political economy of civil service reform in Indonesia and an overview and profile of ongoing reform initiatives. It then analyses key civil service challenges, using the dimension in the draft framework for Actionable Governance Indicators as a point of departure. Finally, a possible program for donor support is presented in light of the analysis of key challenges and the political economy of reform.