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Journal Article
Informality and firm performance in MyanmarPart of Journal Special Issue What sustains informality
NOTE: ALL PROJECT ACTIVITIES IN MYANMAR ARE CURRENTLY SUSPENDED
UNU-WIDER, the Central Statistical Organization (CSO) of the Ministry of Planning and Finance of Myanmar, and the Development Economics Research Group (DERG) of the University of Copenhagen, supported financially by Danida, are working together to strengthen evidence-based policy-making and analysis, supporting the country’s move through a challenging structural transformation and development process.
A cornerstone of the ‘Towards inclusive development in Myanmar’ project is the establishment of a rigorous Myanmar Enterprise Monitoring System (MEMS) focused on the industrial small and medium enterprise (SME) sector. The MEMS is primarily aimed at improving information and knowledge about economic policy issues in Myanmar and strengthening the government’s capacity to appropriately address key development challenges associated with the country’s reform process, especially regarding SMEs.
The development potential of the private business sector in contributing to inclusive, sustainable growth and shared prosperity — a declared government priority — goes beyond that of the formal large-scale firm sector located in major cities. The distributional considerations of increasing wealth generation are a central policy issue, which the MEMS will address through a nationally representative effort, based on comprehensive quantitative data collection, to better understand the dynamics and constraints of the private industrial enterprises at large. The aim is to strengthen CSO’s planning and analytical capacity and increase the number of policy studies used in policy formulation.
Another important component of the project is the development of a Social Accounting Matrix (SAM) for Myanmar. A SAM is a consistent data framework that captures data and information contained in national income accounts and industry and product accounts, as well as the monetary flows between the institutions of the economy. SAMs are economy-wide databases used in conjunction with analytical techniques to strengthen the evidence underlying policy formulation processes and decision-making. SAMs are also the underlying data for Computerized General Equilibrium (CGE) models, and the project will carry out a series of CGE studies on key policy issues.
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Journal Article
Informal institutions, transaction risk, and firm productivity in MyanmarIn many low-income transition countries, where formal institutions such as courts do not function effectively, informal institutions are often used by firms to minimize transaction risks. We examine the role of informal institutions, in the forms of...
Journal Article
On the link between managerial attributes and firm access to formal credit in MyanmarUsing a survey of enterprises in Myanmar, we examine demand for formal credit and the extent to which firms are self-constrained by not applying for credit or if they apply and are constrained by bank’s rejections. We have information about firm...
Working Paper
Climate change and agricultural productivity in MyanmarMyanmar is facing climate change (CC) induced changes to the productivity of their critically important rice sector over the coming century. Moreover, the recent five-year Myanmarese Agriculture Development Strategy (ADS) sets out a vision of...
Working Paper
Labour market projections and time allocation in MyanmarMyanmar has, in recent years, strengthened its focus on human capital as a development pillar, and introduced legislation and adopted conventions on child labour. But child exploitation continues, including use of forced labour by the military and...
Working Paper
Taxation and income distribution in MyanmarDespite major public finance reform efforts over the last decade, Myanmarese public finances continue to be characterized by relative weakness in revenue collection, budget execution, and long-term sustainability. Myanmar is therefore in need of...
Working Paper
How good are manufacturing jobs in Myanmar?The quality of people’s jobs is a fundamental determinant of their well-being, and judging the state of a labour market on the basis of job quantity alone delivers a very partial picture. This study is an attempt to place the spotlight on the working...
Report
Business Practice Intervention SurveyMyanmar’s manufacturing sector is at the heart of the country’s commercial landscape. From garment production for the international market to diverse food, furniture, gemstones, and metal provision, the more than 70,000 micro, small, and medium firms...
Working Paper
An economy-wide perspective on aspects of electricity supply in MyanmarMyanmar’s economy has experienced political and economic transformations since 2011 by means of diverse economic reforms. However, the power sector is still struggling to fulfil electricity demand. This study will examine aspects of the electricity...
Working Paper
Good business practices improve productivity in Myanmar’s manufacturing sectorWe look into the relationship between business practices and enterprise productivity using panel data with matched employer and employee information from Myanmar. The data show that micro, small, and medium-size enterprises in Myanmar typically do...
Working Paper
Traditional and modern employee benefits in Myanmar’s manufacturing sectorEmployer-provided benefits are independent elements in the compensation packages that make up firms’ payment strategies. Such benefits are aimed at attracting and retaining preferred employees and improving incentives. In Myanmar, there are two...
Working Paper
Informality and firm performance in MyanmarUsing a novel panel survey of enterprises in Myanmar, we compare the performance of manufacturing firms by three different informality definitions. The first is binary, based on whether firms pay taxes. The second captures five categories of...
Working Paper
Agro-industry, exports, and income distributionThis paper considers the impacts of agro-industry development and international trade on income distribution in Myanmar, focusing on low-income rural households. We use a social accounting matrix multiplier (SAM) decomposition model featuring...
Report
Myanmar Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise Survey 2019The 2019 descriptive report of the Myanmar Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprise Survey is the second quantitative report of the Myanmar Enterprises Monitoring System (MEMS) project. MEMS is a four-year project, and is implemented by the Central...
Working Paper
Structural features of the Myanmar economy through the lens of a 2017 Social Accounting MatrixBased on a recently constructed 2017 Social Accounting Matrix, we examine structural aspects of the Myanmar economy. The exposition ranges from industry, trade, household income, and expenditure to labour market issues. Agriculture remains dominant...
Working Paper
A 2017 Social Accounting Matrix for MyanmarThis paper documents the compilation of a 2017 Social Accounting Matrix for Myanmar. This is based on partial and unpublished National Accounts data and unpublished Supply and Use Table data, as well as Balance of Payment data and Government Finance...
Working Paper
Informal institutions, transaction risk, and firm productivity in MyanmarIn many low-income transition countries, where formal institutions such as courts do not function effectively, informal institutions are often used by firms to minimize transaction risks. We examine the role of informal institutions, in the forms of...
Working Paper
Key behavioural characteristics of small-business ownersThis study investigates the role of owners’ personal preferences and behaviour in determining the success of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises using a lab-in-the-field experiment with small-business owners in Myanmar. The study is a...
Working Paper
The governance of global value chains, the state, and small businessesWe use the case of the timber industry in Myanmar to analyse how national regulatory frameworks and international ecological discourses affect forest management and small businesses. The state plays two roles in the timber industry in Myanmar: it is...
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Theme: 2014-18, Transformation