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Do roads induce mobility? This might sound like a strange question, yet it only stands to reason that building new roads -- or other infrastructure -- may actually encourage people to use the new additional capacity to travel more. Induced mobility is a hotly debated issue, but the experts are no longer in any doubt that it is a very real phenomenon. However, measuring it is another matter, since we do not have sufficient data or experience in this area. This Round Table presents the data that is available to date on infrastructure-induced mobility. From the introductory reports and discussions, it is clear that much progress has been made in the last few years. As recently as ten years ago, many experts would have disputed the very existence of the induced mobility phenomenon. Today a consensus is emerging: Round Table 105 gives the full report.

Since 1991, the Kyrgyz Republic has made significant progress in offering an attractive environment to foreign investors. It has a stable political environment, low inflation, recent and projected growth rates of at least 6 per cent per annum, and has made significant improvements in the legal regime regulating foreign investment. The Republic had initially no foreign investments in 1991 but by the end of 1997 these approached $250 million. Substantial further investment is expected in mining, energy production, agri-business, light industry and tourism in the future. The Investment Guide for the Kyrgyz Republic has been prepared with three objectives: firstly, to identify the opportunities which are likely to interest foreign investors; secondly, to provide the investor with relevant information on the historical, political, economic, financial and legal framework, and thirdly to draw attention to areas of policy and legislation where additional measures will further increase its comparative advantages as an investment location.

Since 1991, Kazakhstan, which is one of the two largest Central Asian republics, had attracted foreign direct investment worth US$4 billion by 1998. Whilst most of this investment has been in the energy and mineral sectors, there are also significant opportunities in other sectors of the economy. The Investment Guide for Kazakhstan has been prepared with three objectives in mind: firstly, to identify areas of opportunity for foreign investors; secondly to provide information about the historical, political, economic, financial and legal framework; and thirdly to help foreign direct investors from OECD Member countries draw balanced conclusions about the investment climate. The overview chapter contains constructive policy suggestions on the future attraction of foreign investment for the attention of the Government of Kazakhstan.

Since 1991, the Lithuanian Government has instituted a number of reforms which led to an increase in the level of foreign investment. The Investment Guide for Lithuania has been prepared with three objectives in mind : firstly, to identify those areas of economic activity which present opportunities for foreign investors; secondly, to provide the investor with comprehensive information relating to the historical, political, economic, financial and legal framework, essential for sound and secured foreign investment; thirdly, to draw on the experiences of the foreign investors in Lithuania, and to assess the business, investment and regulatory environment.

Institutional investors (insurance companies, investment companies and pension funds) have been gaining in importance in both OECD and non-OECD countries. The institutionalisation of savings is having a profound impact on the structure and functioning of capital markets. Institutional investors are the main forces shaping the new financial landscape. This publication gives a comprehensive overview of the major driving forces behind recent trends, future prospects, financial market implications as well as regulatory and supervisory challenges related to the rise in institutional assets.

In an age of globalising production, the internationalisation of industrial R&D is an increasingly pronounced feature in OECD countries. But just how extensive a phenomenon is it? What proportion of national research is under foreign control, and in which sectors? How much R&D do multinational corporations undertake outside their own home countries? This report also analyses the linkages between the production and R&D activities of foreign affiliates in OECD countries, and of affiliates of domestic firms abroad, on a sectoral level. It highlights the need to reassess each country's potential for R&D and innovation, in the light of what is being done both within and beyond its borders.

This annual publication gathers main official insurance statistics for all OECD countries. Information is provided on the diverse activities of this industry and on international insurance market trends. The data, standardised as far as possible, are broken down under numerous sub-headings, and a series of indicators makes the characteristics of the national markets more readily comprehensible. This 1999 edition provides data for the period 1990-1997.

High and persistent unemployment remains a major economic and social problem for many OECD countries. Currently, some 35 million persons are unemployed across the area and many others are so discouraged that they are not even looking for a job. There is also increasing concern about precarious jobs and in-work poverty in some countries. The OECD Jobs Strategy was launched five years ago in response to these problems. And it works: the available empirical evidence shows that its continued and comprehensive implementation leads to durably lower unemployment and higher employment. What lies behind the disparities in levels and trends of unemployment rates across countries? Why have some countries outperformed others in terms of successfully cutting unemployment? Why do some groups in society - the young, older workers, the low-skilled - have difficulty finding and keeping rewarding jobs in many countries? Should the rise in temporary and part-time jobs be welcomed or resisted? This publication reviews these issues in light of countries’ experience in implementing The OECD Jobs Strategy. It puts the spotlight on groups at the margin of the labour market, and looks at the policies required to better integrate them.

This yearbook gathers major official insurance statistics for all OECD countries, including extensive data on the number of insurance companies and employees, insurance premiums and investments by insurance companies as well as - this year for the first time -claims, expenses and commissions. The data are broken down under numerous sub-headings and standardised as far as possible to provide internationally comparable indicators and make the characteristics of the national markets more readily comprehensible

This publication provides a detailed description of the Sources and Methods which were used in the compilation of the quantitative indicators published in the now discontinued quarterly Indicators of Industrial Activity, which was a unique source of short-term industrial statistics broken down by industrial sectors in OECD member countries. The indicators selected are indices of output, deliveries, new orders, unfilled orders, producer prices and employment. The statistics are classified according to the International Standard Industrial Classification (ISIC).

This is the first OECD publication dealing with insurance issues in Asia. It provides a unique overview and analysis on insurance regulation and supervision in Asia. Dedicated studies are included on Brunei, Hong Kong China, Indonesia, Laos, Macau, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Chinese Taipei, Thailand and Vietnam.
Thanks to the broad range of high-quality information and the importance of issues addressed, this set of texts should constitute a reference work on insurance policy for policy makers and experts in the public sector, actors in the private sector and academics both in OECD Member countries and non-Member economies.

This fifteenth edition of Industrial Structure Statistics is in two parts. Volume 1 provides official annual data for detailed industrial manufacturing and non-manufacturing sectors, covering such variables as production, value added, employment, investment, exports, imports, wages and salaries, number of establishments and hours worked. Ten years' data are shown. The series are derived from industrial surveys, foreign trade data or national accounts. Data are classified according to both versions of ISIC and are shown in two parts (105 tables in ISIC Revision 2 and 212 tables in ISIC Revision 3). An annex presents qualitative information on national sources and definitions. Volume 2 presents annual energy consumption data in manufacturing sectors. Over the last 25 years, energy consumption has become just as important as energy supply for policy makers. There is a need for energy efficiency indicators and data to monitor developments in energy consumption and energy efficiency trends as they affect the environment. In order to analyse energy use and energy efficiency, it is essential to have disaggregated industry level consumption data. The Information System on Industrial Structures (ISIS) Energy Data Programme provides such data. The energy data presented in Volume 2 were collected during the Pilot phase of the project. Time series of annual energy consumption are provided at the disaggregated manufacturing industry level for most of the OECD countries (and the Slovak Republic) from 1990 to 1997 where available. Please note that Volume 2 is in English only.