A comprehensive report on OECD activities in 2004-2005.

A comprehensive report on OECD activities in 2001-2002.

The OECD has faced many challenges in the last 50 years, but perhaps none as great as the current global crisis. Response to the crisis has been swift and massive. But despite some cautious optimism, the immediate future does not offer much relief. The global economic system must undergo many structural changes if we are to avoid a repetition of this scenario. The job ahead is substantial and requires great perseverance. This is a key feature of the OECD , which has consistently worked with governments with a long-term view, to address structural problems through enhanced global co-operation. The crisis has left virtually no area of policy making untouched. It has brought many long-simmering issues, such as tax evasion, income inequality, good governance and competition issues, back to the centre stage. But other substantive, medium and long-term matters, such as climate change and poverty reduction, which were at the forefront of most government agendas only one year ago, are adding to the sense of urgency. This crisis presents opportunities as well as challenges, and the OECD is seizing these opportunities to formulate policies that will lead to a stronger, cleaner, fairer world economy. Over the past year, the OECD has pressed for a "stronger" world economy through its work in areas such as regulation; governance; trade (especially Doha); investment and competition; and, of course, developing policies for sustainable growth. Work on anticorruption, corporate governance and tax evasion has sought to restore trust in globalisation by making it "cleaner". So has, literally, our work on environment and climate change, another face of "cleaner". Finally, our work on employment and social inclusion, education, health care and economic development is key to developing a "fairer", more participative world economy. The OECD is the global standard setter in many of these fields. It helps governments to determine where policy changes are needed and how governments can implement those reforms. It is not surprising that the focus of much of this year's Annual Report is on the Organisation's analysis of and response to the crisis. The OECD 's unique ability to address the complex nature of the global crisis, which affects virtually every aspect of policy making, is presented and developed in the pages that follow. We will continue working with member and non-member countries, as well as with other international organisations, to establish the basis for a better world economy.

A new, biennial publication, Government at a Glance provides over 30 indicators describing OECD governments' performance. It compares their political and institutional frameworks, provides data on revenues, expenditures and employment, and indicators on openness, integrity, and e-government.

Provides an annual assessment of labour market developments and prospects in the OECD area. This edition includes chapters on regional disparities in labour markets, employment in the service economy, unemployment benefits, and self-employment. A Statistical Annex is provided.

This book presents and analyses interesting recent developments in the field of community capacity building, in a variety of OECD and non-OECD countries. The focus is on how CCB has effected change in three major areas: social policy, local economic policy and environmental policy.

Rising densities of human settlements, migration and transport to reduce distances to market, and specialization and trade facilitated by fewer international divisions are central to economic development. The transformations along these three dimensions density, distance, and division are most noticeable in North America, Western Europe, and Japan, but countries in Asia and Eastern Europe are changing in ways similar in scope and speed. 'World Development Report 2009: Reshaping Economic Geography' concludes that these spatial transformations are essential, and should be encouraged. The conclusion is not without controversy. Slum-dwellers now number a billion, but the rush to cities continues. Globalization is believed to benefit many, but not the billion people living in lagging areas of developing nations. High poverty and mortality persist among the world's 'bottom billion', while others grow wealthier and live longer lives. Concern for these three billion often comes with the prescription that growth must be made spatially balanced. The WDR has a different message: economic growth is seldom balanced, and efforts to spread it out prematurely will jeopardize progress. The Report: documents how production becomes more concentrated spatially as economies grow. proposes economic integration as the principle for promoting successful spatial transformations. revisits the debates on urbanization, territorial development, and regional integration and shows how today's developers can reshape economic geography.

What does the OECD have to say about the state of education today? What are the main OECD messages on early childhood education, teacher policies and tertiary education? What about student performance, educational spending and equity in education? OECD work on these important education topics and others have been brought together in a single accessible source. Organised into eight chapters, this report examines early childhood education, schooling, transitions beyond initial education, higher education, adult learning, outcomes and returns, equity, and innovation. The chapters are structured around key findings and policy directions emerging from recent OECD educational analyses. Each entry highlights the main message in a concise and accessible way, with a brief explanation and reference to the original OECD source. This report will prove to be an invaluable resource for all those interested in the broad international picture of education, as well as for those wanting to know more about OECD work in this important domain. Contents Chapter 1. Early childhood education and care Chapter 2. Schooling: Investments, organisation and learners Chapter 3. Transitions beyond initial education Chapter 4. Higher education Chapter 5. Lifelong learning and adults Chapter 6. Outcomes, benefits and returns Chapter 7. Equity and equality of opportunity Chapter 8. Innovation and knowledge management

This 2010 edition of the OECD Development Co-operation Report describes how the Development Assistance Committee has responded to the economic, food and climate change crises of recent years and how DAC countries are working to make aid more effective.

A multidisciplinary analysis of the role of values and virtue in public administration, this book calls for a rediscovery of virtue. It explores ways of enabling the public sector to balance the values that are presently dominant with classic values such as accountability, representation, equality, neutrality, transparency and the public interest.