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It has been more than two decades since the widespread initiation of global power sector reforms and restructuring. However, empirical evidence on the intended microeconomic, macroeconomic, and quality-related impacts of reforms across developing countries is lacking. This paper comprehensively reviews the empirical and theoretical literature on the linkages between power sector reforms, economic and technical efficiency, and poverty reduction. The review finds that the extent of power sector reforms has varied across developing countries in terms of changes in market structures, the role of the state, and the regulation of the sector. Overall, the reforms have improved the efficiency and productivity in the sector among many reforming countries. However, the efficiency gains have not always reached the end consumers because of the inability of sector regulators and inadequate regulatory frameworks. Reforms alleviate poverty and promote the welfare of the poor only when the poor have access to electricity. From a policy-making perspective, this implies that the reforms need to be supplemented with additional measures for accelerating electrification to help the poor.

Energy --- Environment --- Infrastructure Economics and Finance

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The huge volume of multi-modal neuroimaging data across different neuroscience communities has posed a daunting challenge to traditional methods of data sharing, data archiving, data processing and data analysis. Neuroinformatics plays a crucial role in creating advanced methodologies and tools for the handling of varied and heterogeneous datasets in order to better understand the structure and function of the brain. These tools and methodologies not only enhance data collection, analysis, integration, interpretation, modeling, and dissemination of data, but also promote data sharing and collaboration. This Neuroinformatics Research Topic aims to summarize the state-of-art of the current achievements and explores the directions for the future generation of neuroinformatics infrastructure. The publications present solutions for data archiving, data processing and workflow, data mining, and system integration methodologies. Some of the systems presented are large in scale, geographically distributed, and already have a well-established user community. Some discuss opportunities and methodologies that facilitate large-scale parallel data processing tasks under a heterogeneous computational environment. We wish to stimulate on-going discussions at the level of the neuroinformatics infrastructure including the common challenges, new technologies of maximum benefit, key features of next generation infrastructure, etc. We have asked leading research groups from different research areas of neuroscience/neuroimaging to provide their thoughts on the development of a state of the art and highly-efficient neuroinformatics infrastructure. Such discussions will inspire and help guide the development of a state of the art, highly-efficient neuroinformatics infrastructure.

Neuroimaging --- database --- neuroinformatics --- workflow --- infrastructure --- high-throughput --- data processing

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The authors have assembled 1960-2012 infrastructure stock data from 145 countries to estimate the demand for infrastructure services in emerging markets and developing economies. This paper identifies that the required resource flows to satisfy new demand while maintaining service for existing infrastructure amounts to USD 836 billion or 6.1 percent of current gross domestic product per year over the period 2014-20. The annual infrastructure investment gap for emerging markets and developing economies is USD 452 billion per year, which implies that emerging markets and developing economies should almost double their current spending. The paper also estimates that half of the spending should be allocated to maintenance of existing assets. Acknowledging the challenges to compare infrastructure investment estimates across different methodologies, the authors recognize this result as a lower bound estimate and compare the results with others available in the literature.

Finance and Financial Sector Development --- Infrastructure Economics and Finance --- Transport

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Policy makers are often confronted with a myriad of factors in the investment decision-making process. This issue is particularly acute in infrastructure investment decisions, as these often involve significant financial resources and lock-in technologies. In regions and countries where the infrastructure access gap is large and pubic budgets severely constrained, the importance of considering the different facets of the decision-making process becomes even more relevant. This paper discusses the trade-offs policy makers confront when attempting to prioritize infrastructure investments, in particular with regard to economic growth and welfare, and proposes a methodological framework for prioritizing infrastructure projects and portfolios that holistically equates such trade-offs, among others. The analysis suggests that it is not desirable to have a single methodology, providing a single ranking of infrastructure investments, because of the complexities of infrastructure investments. Rather, a multidisciplinary approach should be taken. Decision makers will also need to account for factors that are often not easily measured. While having techniques that enable logical frameworks in the decision-making process of establishing priorities is highly desirable, they are no substitute for consensus building and political negotiations.

Banks and banking reform --- Economic theory & research --- Finance and financial sector development --- Infrastructure economics and finance --- Infrastructure priorities --- Investment planning --- Macroeconomics and economic growth infrastructure economics --- Non bank financial institutions --- Policy & planning --- Public investment management --- Transport --- Transport economics

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Infrastructure is an important driving force for economic growth. It reduces trade and transaction costs and stimulates the productivity of the economy. Africa has been lagging behind in the global manufacturing market. Among others, infrastructure is an important constraint in many African countries. Using firm-level data for East Africa, the paper reexamines the relationship between firm performance and infrastructure. It is shown that labor costs are by far the most important to stimulate firm production. Among the infrastructure sectors, electricity costs have the highest output elasticity, followed by transport costs. In addition, the paper shows that the quality of infrastructure is important to increase firm production. In particular, quality transport infrastructure seems to be essential. The paper also finds that agglomeration economies can reduce firm costs. The agglomeration elasticity is estimated at 0.03-0.04.

Energy --- Infrastructure Economics and Finance --- Macroeconomics and Economic Growth --- Private Sector Development --- Transport