This publication describes how state-owned enterprises (SOEs) can access finance on commercial terms, without sovereign guarantees. Doing so can create fiscal space for governments and new sources of finance for needed investment. Under Strategy 2030, the Asian Development Bank is committed to SOE reform that supports access to commercial finance in its developing member countries. The publication confirms the rise of commercial finance for SOEs and details steps to enhance the bankability of SOEs. This includes practical guidance on how to improve governance and increase financial viability. The publication also explains how the risks of such borrowing, including defaults and moral hazards created by implicit guarantees, can be managed.

This publication describes how state-owned enterprises (SOEs) can access finance on commercial terms, without sovereign guarantees. Doing so can create fiscal space for governments and new sources of finance for important investments. ADB is committed to SOE reform that supports access to commercial finance in its developing member countries, as also emphasized in Strategy 2030. With the rise of commercial finance for SOEs, this publication details the steps to enhance the bankability of SOEs. It also explains how the risks of such borrowing, including defaults and moral hazards created by implicit guarantees, can be managed.

Refer review of this policy book in 'Journal of International Development, vol. 10, 7, 1998. pp.841-855.

State-owned enterprises (SOEs) are present in key sectors of the economies around the world. While they can provide an important public service, there is widespread concern that their activities are negatively affected by corruption. However, there is limited cross-country analysis on the costs of corruption for SOEs. We present new evidence on how corruption affects the performance of SOEs using firm level data across a large number of countries. One striking result is that SOEs perform as well as private firms in core sectors when corruption is low. Taking advantage of a novel database reforms, we also show that SOE governance reforms can generate significant performance gains.

Under Strategy 2030, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) is committed to state-owned enterprise (SOE) reform in its developing member countries (DMCs). The publication reviews the significance of SOEs in Asia and the Pacific, the role of SOE reform in ADB's strategy, and related requirements for nonsovereign and One ADB projects. Nonsovereign financing for SOEs can help reduce the burden of sovereign debt and mobilize new funding for vital investments, including climate change mitigation. Designed to guide ADB staff in their work with SOEs through sovereign projects, policy-based loans, and technical assistance, this publication may also be of use to DMC officials and SOE boards and management.

State-owned enterprises (SOEs) play an important role in Emerging Europe’s economies, notably in the energy and transport sectors. Based on a new firm-level dataset, this paper reviews the SOE landscape, assesses SOE performance across countries and vis-à-vis private firms, and evaluates recent SOE governance reform experience in 11 Emerging European countries, as well as Sweden as a benchmark. Profitability and efficiency of resource allocation of SOEs lag those of private firms in most sectors, with substantial cross-country variation. Poor SOE performance raises three main risks: large and risky contingent liabilities could stretch public finances; sizeable state ownership of banks coupled with poor governance could threaten financial stability; and negative productivity spillovers could affect the economy at large. SOE governance frameworks are partly weak and should be strengthened along three lines: fleshing out a consistent ownership policy; giving teeth to financial oversight; and making SOE boards more professional.

The volume on China: The Bankable State rejects neoliberal consensus and focuses on crucial contributions of the Chinese state in shaping Chinese economy. This book makes crucial theoretical contributions to the study of local political economy of China. This book engages with Chinese state responses to challenges China faces in the processes of reform, transition and development of both commercial and non-commercial banks. This book explores Chinese economic growth and development policy processes and its uniqueness in the wider world economy. The book examines Chinese financial policy praxis and offers an insightful account of its successes for the wider resurgence of alternative political economy of local development. Additionally, this book also showcases state led entrepreneurship in China.