Pension systems in Europe and Central Asia are facing unprecedented challenges. While many of the countries in the region have undertaken reforms when their economies encounter diffi cult times, these reforms are frequently reversed as soon as the situation improves. However, the demographic trends in the region require new, sustained efforts toward changing the pension system to provide adequate yet sustainable benefi ts. The Inverting Pyramid documents the progressive generosity of pension systems in Europe since inception, with current popular expectations based on recent generous...

What can be done to create more and better jobs in Europe and Central Asia? And should there be specific policies to help workers access those jobs? The authors of this book examine these questions through the lens of two contextual factors: the legacy of centralized planned economies and the mounting demographic pressures associated with rapid aging in some countries and soaring numbers of youth entering the workforce in others. The authors find the following: - Market reforms pay off, albeit with a lag, in terms of jobs and productivity. - A small fraction of superstar high-growth firms...

With economic, demographic, and technological changes, the world of work and production is rapidly changing. Multiple skills are needed in modernizing economies, including foundational cognitive and socio-emotional skills as well as technical skills. Yet, despite unprecedented progress getting more children into schools, Sub-Saharan African countries have significant gaps in skills formation.