Publication:
Universal(ly Bad) Service : Providing Infrastructure Services to Rural and Poor Urban Consumers

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dc.contributor.authorClarke, George R. G.
dc.contributor.authorWallsten, Scott J.
dc.date.accessioned2014-08-05T21:25:57Z
dc.date.available2014-08-05T21:25:57Z
dc.date.issued2002-07
dc.description.abstractUntil recently, utility services (telecommunications, power, water, and gas) throughout the world were provided by large, usually state-owned, monopolies. However, encouraged by technological change, regulatory innovation, and pressure from international organizations, many developing countries are privatizing state-owned companies and introducing competition. Some observers worry that even if reforms improve efficiency, they might compromise an important public policy goal-ensuring "universal access" for low-income and rural households. The authors review the motivation for universal service, methods used to try to achieve it under monopoly service provision, how reforms might affect these approaches, and the theoretical and empirical evidence of the impact of reform on these consumers. Next, using household data from around the world, they investigate empirically the historical performance of public monopolies in meeting universal service obligations and the impact of reform. The results show the massive failure of state monopolies to provide service to poor and rural households everywhere except Eastern Europe. Moreover, while the data are limited, the evidence suggests that reforms have not harmed poor and rural consumers, and in many cases have improved their access to utility services. Nevertheless, because competition undermines traditional methods of funding universal service objectives (cross-subsidies), the authors also review mechanisms that could finance these objectives without compromising the benefits of reforms.en
dc.identifierhttp://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2002/07/1971352/universally-bad-service-providing-infrastructure-services-rural-poor-urban-consumers
dc.identifier.doi10.1596/1813-9450-2868
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10986/19264
dc.languageEnglish
dc.language.isoen_US
dc.publisherWorld Bank, Washington, DC
dc.relation.ispartofseriesPolicy Research Working Paper;No. 2868
dc.rightsCC BY 3.0 IGO
dc.rights.urihttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/igo/
dc.subjectASSETS
dc.subjectAUCTIONS
dc.subjectCASH TRANSFERS
dc.subjectCHILD HEALTH
dc.subjectCLEAN WATER
dc.subjectCLINICS
dc.subjectCOMMUNICABLE DISEASES
dc.subjectCOMPETITION POLICY
dc.subjectCONNECTION FEES
dc.subjectCONSUMERS
dc.subjectCONSUMPTION LEVELS
dc.subjectCREAM SKIMMING
dc.subjectCROSS SUBSIDIES
dc.subjectCROSS-SUBSIDIES
dc.subjectCUBIC METER
dc.subjectCUBIC METER OF WATER
dc.subjectCUBIC METERS
dc.subjectDEVELOPED COUNTRIES
dc.subjectDEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES
dc.subjectDEVELOPMENT STRATEGY
dc.subjectECONOMICS
dc.subjectECONOMISTS
dc.subjectEMPIRICAL ANALYSIS
dc.subjectEMPIRICAL EVIDENCE
dc.subjectEQUILIBRIUM
dc.subjectEXTERNALITIES
dc.subjectEXTREME POVERTY
dc.subjectHEALTH CARE
dc.subjectHEALTH OUTCOMES
dc.subjectHOUSEHOLDS
dc.subjectHOUSING
dc.subjectINCOME
dc.subjectINCOME GROUPS
dc.subjectINCOME LEVELS
dc.subjectINEFFICIENCY
dc.subjectINVESTMENT DECISIONS
dc.subjectLAWS
dc.subjectLEGISLATION
dc.subjectLOW INCOME
dc.subjectLOW-INCOME COUNTRIES
dc.subjectLOW-INCOME HOUSEHOLDS
dc.subjectMARGINAL COST
dc.subjectMERIT GOOD
dc.subjectMONOPOLIES
dc.subjectMONOPOLY
dc.subjectMUNICIPALITIES
dc.subjectNATIONAL WATER SUPPLY
dc.subjectNETWORK EXTERNALITIES
dc.subjectNORMAL GOOD
dc.subjectPER CAPITA INCOME
dc.subjectPOLICY RESEARCH
dc.subjectPOSITIVE EXTERNALITIES
dc.subjectPRICE ELASTICITIES
dc.subjectPRIVATE MARGINAL COST
dc.subjectPRIVATIZATION
dc.subjectPUBLIC HEALTH
dc.subjectQUALITY STANDARDS
dc.subjectRESIDENTIAL CUSTOMERS
dc.subjectSANITATION SERVICES
dc.subjectSERVICE PROVIDERS
dc.subjectSERVICE PROVISION
dc.subjectSEWAGE
dc.subjectSMALL TOWNS
dc.subjectTAX REVENUES
dc.subjectTAXATION
dc.subjectTECHNOLOGICAL CHANGE
dc.subjectTELECOMMUNICATIONS
dc.subjectTELEPHONE COVERAGE
dc.subjectTOWNS
dc.subjectTRANSITION ECONOMIES
dc.subjectUTILITIES
dc.subjectUTILITY SERVICES
dc.subjectWATER COMPANIES
dc.subjectWATER CONSUMPTION
dc.subjectWATER SECTOR
dc.subjectWATER SERVICES
dc.subjectWATER SUPPLY
dc.subjectWATER SUPPLY SERVICES
dc.subjectWATER USE
dc.subjectWATER UTILITIES
dc.subjectWEALTH
dc.subjectWELLS SERVICE DELIVERY
dc.subjectINFRASTRUCTURE
dc.subjectRURAL COMMUNITIES
dc.subjectURBAN POVERTY
dc.subjectUTILITY FUNCTIONS
dc.subjectSTATE-OWNED ENTERPRISES
dc.subjectMONOPOLIES
dc.subjectTECHNOLOGICAL CHANGE
dc.subjectREGULATORY STRUCTURE
dc.subjectPRIVATIZATION POLICY
dc.subjectCOMPETITIVENESS
dc.subjectPUBLIC SERVICE DELIVERY
dc.subjectACCESSIBLE SERVICES
dc.subjectLOW-INCOME PEOPLE
dc.subjectCONSUMER SATISFACTION
dc.subjectHOUSEHOLD DATA
dc.titleUniversal(ly Bad) Service : Providing Infrastructure Services to Rural and Poor Urban Consumersen
dspace.entity.typePublication
okr.crossref.titleUniversal(ly Bad) Service: Providing Infrastructure Services to Rural and Poor Urban Consumers
okr.date.disclosure2002-07
okr.date.doiregistration2025-04-10T09:32:22.331037Z
okr.doctypePublications & Research::Policy Research Working Paper
okr.doctypePublications & Research
okr.docurlhttp://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2002/07/1971352/universally-bad-service-providing-infrastructure-services-rural-poor-urban-consumers
okr.globalpracticeSocial, Urban, Rural and Resilience
okr.globalpracticeGovernance
okr.globalpracticeGovernance
okr.globalpracticeHealth, Nutrition, and Population
okr.globalpracticeWater
okr.guid304391468739485423
okr.identifier.doi10.1596/1813-9450-2868
okr.identifier.externaldocumentum000094946_02081004010494
okr.identifier.internaldocumentum1971352
okr.identifier.reportWPS2868
okr.language.supporteden
okr.pdfurlhttp://www-wds.worldbank.org/external/default/WDSContentServer/WDSP/IB/2002/08/23/000094946_02081004010494/Rendered/PDF/multi0page.pdfen
okr.sectorPublic Administration, Law, and Justice :: General public administration sector
okr.topicEconomic Theory and Research
okr.topicWater Supply and Sanitation::Town Water Supply and Sanitation
okr.topicEnvironmental Economics and Policies
okr.topicPublic Sector Development::Decentralization
okr.topicHealth Economics and Finance
okr.topicUrban Development::Municipal Financial Management
okr.topicHealth, Nutrition and Population
okr.unitOff of Sr VP Dev Econ/Chief Econ (DECVP)
okr.volume1
relation.isSeriesOfPublication26e071dc-b0bf-409c-b982-df2970295c87
relation.isSeriesOfPublication.latestForDiscovery26e071dc-b0bf-409c-b982-df2970295c87
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