Islam, Asif M.

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Islam, Asif M.

Development Economics, Enterprise Analysis Group

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Development Economics, Enterprise Analysis Group

Last updated September 12, 2023

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Imports of Intermediate Inputs and Country Size

(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2014-01) Amin, Mohammad ; Islam, Asif

The paper analyzes the relationship between country size and the use of imported intermediate inputs by firms in 76 developing countries. Recent evidence indicates that the use of imported inputs can have a large, positive effect on productivity and growth, thus motivating a better understanding of the determinants of foreign inputs. The results confirm that, as is the case with exports, use of imported intermediate inputs is much higher at the extensive and intensive margins in small relative to large countries. The results for imported inputs are comparable in magnitude with those for exports.
Are There More Female Managers in the Retail Sector? Evidence from Survey Data in Developing Countries

(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2014-04) Amin, Mohammad ; Islam, Asif

This paper uses firm-level data for 87 developing countries to analyze how the likelihood of a firm having female vs. male top manager varies across sectors. The service sector is often considered to be more favorable toward women compared with men vis-à-vis the manufacturing sector. Although the exploration of the data confirms a significantly higher presence of female managers in services vs. manufacturing, the finding is entirely driven by retail firms, with little contribution from other service sectors, such as wholesale, construction, and other services. The analysis also finds that the higher presence of female managers in the retail sector vs. manufacturing is much higher among the relatively small firms and firms located in the relatively small cities. These findings could serve as useful inputs for the design of optimal policy measures aimed at promoting gender equality in a country.
Imports of Intermediate Inputs and Country Size

(Taylor and Francis, 2014-04-01) Amin, Mohammad ; Islam, Asif

The article analyses the relationship between country size and the use of imported intermediate inputs by firms in 76 developing countries. Recent evidence indicates that the use of imported inputs can have a large positive effect on productivity and growth, thus motivating a better understanding of the determinants of foreign inputs. Our results confirm that as is the case with exports, use of imported intermediate inputs is much higher at the extensive and intensive margin in small relative to large countries. Our results for imported inputs are comparable in magnitude with that for exports.
Use of Imported Inputs and the Cost of Importing : Evidence from Developing Countries

(World Bank Group, Washington, DC, 2014-08) Amin, Mohammad ; Islam, Asif

For a representative sample of manufacturing firms in 26 countries, this paper shows that changes in the cost of importing over time are significantly and negatively correlated with changes in the percentage of firms' material inputs that are of foreign origin. Furthermore, the paper shows that there may be a nonlinear relationship between import costs and imports. These findings are important, as recent studies point toward a significant positive effect of imported inputs on productivity and growth. It is hoped that the present paper inspires more work on the determinants of the use of imported inputs, especially in developing countries.
Does Mandating Nondiscrimination in Hiring Practices Influence Women's Employment? Evidence Using Firm-level Data

(World Bank Group, Washington, DC, 2014-10) Amin, Mohammad ; Islam, Asif

This study explores the relationship between mandating a nondiscrimination clause in hiring practices along gender lines and the employment of women versus men in 58 developing countries. The study finds a strong positive relationship between a nondiscrimination in hiring clause and women's relative to men's employment. The relationship is robust to several controls at the firm and country levels. The results also show sharp heterogeneity in the relationship between the nondiscrimination in hiring clause and women's versus men's employment, with the relationship being much larger in richer countries and in countries with more women in the population as well as among relatively smaller firms.
Use of Imported Inputs and the Cost of Importing : Evidence from Developing Countries

(Taylor and Francis, 2014-08-26) Amin, Mohammad ; Islam, Asif

For a representative sample of manufacturing firms in 26 countries, the article shows that changes in the cost of importing over time is significantly and negatively correlated with changes in the percentage of firm’s material inputs that are of foreign origin. Furthermore, we show that there may be a non-linear relationship between import costs and imports. These findings are important as recent studies point towards a significant positive effect of imported inputs on productivity and growth. We hope that the present article inspires more work on the determinants of imported input usage especially in developing countries.
The Time Cost of Documents to Trade

(Taylor and Francis, 2015-06-04) Amin, Mohammad ; Islam, Asif

The article shows that the number of documents required to export and import tend to increase the time cost of shipments. However, the increase in the time cost of increased documentation is much larger for countries that are relatively poor and large in size. One interpretation here is that the relatively rich countries that have more resources and the relatively small countries that rely more on trade invest more in building efficient documentation systems. Our findings suggest caution in interpreting how input-based measures, such as the number of required documents to trade, affect outcome measures.
Women Managers and the Gender-Based Gap in Access to Education: Evidence from Firm-Level Data in Developing Countries

(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2015-05) Amin, Mohammad ; Islam, Asif

Several studies explore the differences in men’s and women’s labor market participation rates and wages. Some of these differences have been linked to gender disparities in education attainment and access. The present paper contributes to this literature by analyzing the relationship between the proclivity of a firm to have a female top manager and access to education among women relative to men in the country. The paper combines the literature on women’s careers in management, which has mostly focused on developed countries, with the development literature that has emphasized the importance of access to education. Using firm-level data for 73 developing countries, the analysis finds strong evidence that countries with a higher proportion of female top managers also have higher enrollment rates for women relative to men in primary, secondary, and tertiary education.
Does Mandating Nondiscrimination in Hiring Practices Influence Women's Employment? Evidence Using Firm-level Data

(Taylor and Francis, 2015-02-26) Amin, Mohammad ; Islam, Asif

This study explores the relationship between mandating a nondiscrimination clause in hiring practices along gender lines and the employment of women versus men in fifty-eight developing countries. Using data from the World Bank's Enterprise Surveys (2006–10), the study finds a strong positive relationship between the nondiscrimination clause and women's relative to men's employment. The relationship is robust to a large number of controls at the firm and country level. Results also show sharp heterogeneity in the relationship between the nondiscrimination clause and women's versus men's employment, with the relationship being much bigger in richer countries and in countries with more women in the population as well as among relatively smaller firms.
Women Managers and the Gender-Based Gap in Access to Education: Evidence from Firm-Level Data in Developing Countries

(Taylor and Francis, 2015-10-06) Islam, Asif ; Amin, Mohammad

A number of studies explore the differences in men's and women's labor market participation rates and wages. Some of these differences have been linked to gender disparities in education access and attainment. The present paper contributes to this literature by analyzing the relationship between the proclivity of a firm having a top woman manager and access to education among women relative to men in the country. The study combines the literature on women's careers in management, which has mostly focused on developed countries, with the development literature that has emphasized the importance of access to education. Using firm-level data for seventy-three developing countries in 2007–10, the study finds strong evidence that countries with a higher proportion of top women managers also have higher enrollment rates for women relative to men in primary, secondary, and tertiary education.