Most readers, especially those with car loans or home mortgages, know about "collateral"--property that the lender can take away from the borrower in the event that the borrower defaults. In low/middle income countries, it is understood that conservative lenders exclude firms from credit markets with their excessive collateral requirements. Usually, this is because only some property is acceptable as collateral: large holdings of urban real estate and, sometimes, new motor vehicles. Microenterprises, SMEs, and the poor have little of this property but they do have an array of productive assets that could easily be harnessed to serve as collateral. It is only the legal framework which prevents firms from using these assets to secure loans. In countries with reformed laws governing collateral, property such as equipment, inventory, accounts receivable, livestock are considered excellent collateral. This book aims to better equip project managers to implement reforms to the legal and institutional framework for collateral (secured transactions). It discusses the importance of movable property as a source of collateral for firms, the relationship between the legal framework governing movable assets and the financial sector consequences for firms (better loan terms, increased access, more competitive financial sector), and how reforms can be put in place to change the lending environment.

This book's prime audience is government policy-makers. It provides a policy framework for governments to increase micro, small and medium enterprises' access to financial services?one which is based on empirical evidence from around the world. Financial sector policies in many developing countries often work against the ability of commercial financial institutions to serve this market segment, albeit, often unintentionally. The framework guides governments on how to best focus scarce resources on three things: ? developing an inclusive financial sector policy; ? building healthy financial ins

Collateral can increase access to finance, especially for small firms, and lead to better terms for loan contracts. Many argue that firms are excluded from formal credit markets because they lack assets that can serve as collateral. In fact, firms generally have a wide array of productive assets that could secure a loan-but the legal framework prevents this. Reforming collateral laws can unlock dead capital, as seen in Albania and Romania.

The economic empowerment of women is increasingly seen as one of the most important forces behind economic growth and the fight against poverty. Indeed, women's economic participation in an economy as entrepreneurs, employees, and leaders is recognized as a measure of a country's dynamism and viability. 'Gender Dimensions of Investment Climate Reform' provides fresh solutions to common issues that women entrepreneurs face. It presents actionable, replicable, and scalable tools for promoting gender-sensitive investment climate reforms that would benefit both women and men. The book enables development practitioners and policy makers who are not gender specialists to diagnose gender issues in an investment climate; design creative and practical solutions and recommendations for addressing gender constraints; and monitor and evaluate the implementation of those recommendations.

Seventeen in a series of annual reports comparing business regulation in 190 economies, Doing Business 2020 measures aspects of regulation affecting 10 areas of everyday business activity.

The "Model Law" deals with security interests in all types of tangible and intangible movable property, such as goods, receivables, bank accounts, negotiable instruments, negotiable documents,

The book is unique. . . It brings together articles on the economics and the law of property rights, and combines these with case studies, observations of what works and what does not, and a checklist of things to watch for. . . This is a very useful book that should appeal to reformers working in the field, whether they are governmental officials trying to modernize their economies, or economists and lawyers working in developmental agencies. . . There are few other books or publications that bring together the views of experts working in this important, albeit somewhat neglected, are of financial sector plumbing. William P. Armstrong, Banking and Finance Law Review . . . a well-presented collection of interesting papers within which one finds a rich resource of information and perspectives on secured transactions reform from parts of the world which are often overlooked in comparative commercial law scholarship. Noel McGrath, Journal of Business Law . . . with its insightful analysis, interesting empirical studies and knowledgeable team of contributors, the book will be illuminating and useful not just for those interested in development, but also anyone who has anything to do with granting credit and taking security. Dora S. Neo, Singapore Journal of Legal Studies This is an excellent, unique book. The material is very well written and presented in a carefully thought-out, coherent way. It tells us a legal story of our own, unique time. Any lawyer working in transition economies, whether or not directly on reform projects, would find it of great interest. Even economists should perhaps take a look at it! Roger McCormick, Law and Financial Markets Review Secured transactions reform, also known as collateral or pledge law reform, is increasingly seen as an important building block for economic development. The commonly held view is that the availability and cost of credit, as well as the efficiency of the market for secured credit, are directly influenced by the laws affecting secured transactions and their implementation. However, there is still a lot of confusion about this relatively complex and technical area of the law and its role in promoting access to credit and economic growth. The chapters presented here provide, for the first time, a comprehensive and cutting-edge view of the subject from both a legal and economic perspective. They start at the macro level of financial systems, moving towards the behaviours of lenders (commercial banks and micro-lenders), policy options for government and the mechanisms of collateral law reform. By approaching the subject from different angles and experiences, the work advocates an inclusive approach to the subject where all stakeholders interests can be taken into account. It addresses the question of what role laws and institutions can play to encourage access to credit. This book will be of primary interest to those involved in economic development and the interaction between law and economics, either for practical reasons (for example, working on reform or providing advice on investment in transition economies) or for research purposes.