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This paper analyzes recent trends in Sweden's labor market regulations in relation to comparator economies and examines the relationship between labor market regulations and outcomes. The paper finds that the Swedish labor market responded more rapidly to the recent global financial crisis than the majority of the European Union economies, which helped Sweden to recover quickly. Sweden's hiring regulations are more flexible than those of many comparator economies, however, fixed-term contracts of short duration might have adverse consequences for the economy. In addition, Sweden's regulations on work during the weekly holidays and mandatory paid annual leave are stricter than those of the majority of comparator economies. Moreover, among the economies of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, Sweden has one of the largest differences in employment protection between permanent and temporary employees, which could lead to a segmented labor market, where insiders enjoy high job security and outsiders are largely marginalized. This could be cause for concern, given that Sweden has a higher share of involuntary temporary workers among youth and involuntary part-time workers than both the Nordic and European Union averages. While protecting employees is important, excessive protection, particularly if it differs across different types of employment contracts, has been shown to have adverse effects on welfare and economic performance.

Banks and Banking Reform --- Labor Management & Relations --- Labor Market Regulations and Flexibility --- Labor Markets --- Labor Policies --- Markets & Market Access --- Private Sector Development --- Productivity --- Social Protections and Labor --- Temporary Employment --- Unemployment --- Wage Determination

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This study connects two important findings in Sub-Saharan Africa. First, digital technologies such as mobile money have become widespread and have increased investment by businesses, especially in East Africa. Second, women-owned business in the region significantly lag their male counterparts in capital investments. Using data for 16 Sub-Saharan African economies, the study connects the two findings by exploring whether mobile money use by women-owned firms increases their investment. The findings indicate that the positive relationship between mobile money use and investment is largely driven by women-owned firms and is statistically insignificant for men-owned firms. Potential channels of these effects are explored. Women-owned firms that use mobile money to transact with suppliers are more likely to invest. Mobile money also seems to facilitate greater provision of customer credit and generally greater demand for more credit by women-owned firms. Such patterns are not observed for men-owned firms.

Access to Finance --- Banks and Banking Reform --- Business Services --- E-Business --- E-Finance and E-Security --- Enterprise Development and Reform --- Female Entrepreneurs --- Female-Owned Business --- Finance and Financial Sector Development --- Financial Development --- Financial Structures --- Fintech --- Firms --- Gender --- Gender and Economics --- Information and Communication Technologies --- Information and Communication Technology --- Information Technology --- Investment --- Mobile Money --- Private Sector Economics --- Women Entrepreneurs

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Little is known about innovation in developing countries, partly because of the lack of comparable and reliable data. Collecting data on firm-level innovation is challenging because of the subjective definition of what determines an innovation, a problem that is exacerbated in developing countries where innovation is likely to be more incremental and less radical. This paper contributes to the literature by presenting the results of an experiment aiming to identify the survey instrument that better captures firm-level innovation in developing countries. The paper shows that a small set of questions included in a multi-topic, firm-level survey does not provide an accurate picture of firm-level innovation and tends to overestimate innovation rates. Issues related to framing explain some of the unreliability of innovation responses, while cognitive problems do not appear to play a significant role.

E-Business --- Education --- Private Sector Development --- Science and Technology Development --- Social Development --- Social Protections and Labor

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While efforts are currently in place to collect data on the economic consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, this note looks at the experience of the 2008 financial crisis to gain insights on possible differential effects of crises on female and male entrepreneurs. Specially, the note uses firm-level data collected immediately after the 2008 financial crisis in six countries in Eastern Europe and Central Asia (Bulgaria, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, and Turkey) to look at two aspects of the differential effect of the crisis. First, whether there is a difference in the exit rate for firms with male vs. female top managers; and second, whether, among firms that stayed in business, female-managed firms are affected disproportionally. Results show that firms run by female top managers are more likely to exit the market. Secondly, when able to stay in business, male and female-managed firms suffered a similar impact in the short term; however, female-managed firms suffered more than male-managed firms in the longer term.

Access to Finance --- Business Cycles and Stabilization Policies --- Business Environment --- Employment and Unemployment --- Financial Crisis --- Gender --- Gender and Economics --- Labor Markets --- Macroeconomics and Economic Growth --- Private Sector Development --- Private Sector Economics --- Social Protections and Labor

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Private investment can be an important engine of economic growth in East African countries, which, despite recent growth rates, are still plagued with adverse economic conditions. Against this backdrop, there has been substantial penetration of mobile money, moving beyond simple person-to-person exchanges toward adoption by private firms. This study explores whether there is a relationship between firm adoption of mobile money and firm investment. Using firm-level data that are nationally representative of the private sector in three East African countries-Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda-a positive relationship is found between mobile money use and the probability of a firm's purchase of fixed assets. This relationship is attributed to reduced transaction costs, increased liquidity, and increased credit worthiness associated with the use of mobile phone financial services.

Financial Development --- Firms --- Investment --- Mobile Money