"Since the 1960s Colombia has exhibited notorius economic stability and institutional continuity. Until rencently, the political system was based on an entreched bipartisan coalition, with little ideological confrontation. Power sharing, which was mandatory during the National Front (NF, 1954-74), lasted until 1991. Coffee, the main export, is a labor-intensive activity, taking place in thousands of family-owned small ...

This technical paper, prepared as a part of FEDESARROLLO's research programme on Colombian economic policy analysis, presents the new database developed for the its long-run Computable General Equilibrium (CGE) model. The database takes the form of a detailed Social Accounting Matrix (SAM) estimated for the 1994 year. The dociment list all the relevant data sources and data adjustments that were necessary to archive a ...

In an era of globalization, patterns of economic growth and employment will depend critically upon domestic labour market conditions. This paper presents empirical evidence on how labour market regulations might interact with expanded trade. We present computable general equilibrium model simulations of recent trade reform proposals for Chile.

"En este trabajo estimamos la evasión de la base gravable del impuesto a la renta durante 1988-95. Entre 1988-1992 la tasa de evasión para personas jurídicas se redujo de 24.8% a 11%. En los años siguientes la evasión aumentó ligeramente, llegando a un 14% en 1995. EN el caso de las personas naturales, el porcentaje de la base gravable evadida paso de 37% en 1989 a 52% en 1991, manteniéndose en este nivel hasta 1993. ...

En este trabajo se calcula el costo de uso del capital de las empresas en Colombia, teniendo en cuenta tanto el tipo de financiamiento empleado en la nuevas inversiones como el tipo de activo fijo adquirido. Con base en información para 1996, nuestros resultados indican el endeudamiento sigue siendo la mejor alternativa de financiación con un costo de uso del capital de 29.7%.

"Why has Colombia been a case of low outputvariability and moderate-to-high inflation? This paper argues that regardless of the institutional arrangement, monetary authorities have stabilized the business cycle, and inflation control has not been the only objective of monetary policy, The goverment-controlled Junta Monetaria (1963-1991) often ignored the advice of the Asesores, an anti-inflation group of technocrats ...

"The dynamic commons problem aries when different groups in society engage in intense redistributive activity as a result of an export boom. This paper analyzes the role that institutions play in ameliorating that problem in the case of coffee and oil in Colombia, The paper presents model that rationalizes the existence of a federatior, of coffee producers that effectively reduces inefficient redistribution to other ...

This technical paper, prepared as part of FEDESARROLLO's research programme on Colombian economic policy analusis, presents the complete technical specifications of the COGEM (Colombian General Equilibrium Model). The document list all the model equations and by explaining details of the various specifications, which are normally bypassed in technical papers, gives full justification of the modeling choices.

"En este trabajo estudiamos tres aspectos relacionados con el impuesto del valor agregado en Colombia. En primera instancia mostramos que si bien la "productividad" del impuesto es aceptable por estándares internacionales, la misma se ha reducido en el periodo reciente. Como segunda medida, estimamos el nivel de evasión/ elusión del impuesto para 1994. los resultados señalan que la evasión del IVA interno es de 34.5% ...

This paper presents an averview of the most recent trade policy reforms in Colombia and a brief analysis of their potential effects in this county's trade flows. This set the stage for the main objective of this paper: a preliminary general equilibrium assessment of the economic effects of Colombia's hypotetical accession to the North America Free Agreement.