'Mega-foundations' will help global aid programmes

Subject The role of 'mega-foundations' in aid programmes to developing countries. Significance International development has changed with the advent of private-sector 'mega-foundations', which have gained influence in how NGOs operate, how public-private partnerships are formed and how international aid programmes shape domestic policies and agendas. Especially in global health, the rise of mega-foundations has been auspicious and cautionary. In areas of international development assistance such as healthcare, education and agriculture, they have become influencers on par with traditional organisations such as the World Bank and the UK Department for International Development. Impacts Mega-foundations will facilitate programmes in areas once considered too costly for large individual foundations, such as HIV programmes. A sole funder or a few funders will dominate some sectors, particularly when there are low resources. 'Orphan sectors' may see more interest; these are sectors that are currently neglected as too minor by traditional funders. Provision of resources controlled by mega-foundations will allow them to transcend advocacy, engaging in agenda setting and implementation.

2019 ◽  
Vol 33 (2) ◽  
pp. 310-327 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sheheryar Banuri ◽  
Stefan Dercon ◽  
Varun Gauri

Abstract Although the decisions of policy professionals are often more consequential than those of individuals in their private capacity, there is a dearth of studies on the biases of policy professionals: those who prepare and implement policy on behalf of elected politicians. Experiments conducted on a novel subject pool of development policy professionals (public servants of the World Bank and the Department for International Development in the UK) show that policy professionals are indeed subject to decision-making traps, including the effects of framing outcomes as losses or gains, and, most strikingly, confirmation bias driven by ideological predisposition, despite having an explicit mission to promote evidence-informed and impartial decision making. These findings should worry policy professionals and their principals in governments and large organizations, as well as citizens themselves. A further experiment, in which policy professionals engage in discussion, shows that deliberation may be able to mitigate the effects of some of these biases.


2017 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 8-18 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sydney Chikalipah

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the determinants of financial inclusion (FI) in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Design/methodology/approach The paper uses the World Bank country-level data from 20 SSA countries for the year 2014. Findings The empirical findings in this study indicate that illiteracy is the major hindrance to FI in SSA. The findings provide useful information to government agencies and international development organisations. Also, the findings can help accelerate and strengthen FI strategies among SSA countries. Research limitations/implications Some countries were excluded from the final analysis due to lack of data. Practical implications In the last two decades, there has been renewed interest in fighting financial exclusion in Africa. Therefore, this study provide evidence which clearly shows that enhancing literacy levels in a country can immensely contribute towards building the financially inclusive societies in the SSA region. Originality/value To the best of the author’s knowledge, this is the first study to empirically test the determinants of FI in SSA using the World Bank FI data set. Furthermore, this is the first attempt to estimate the determinants of FI with a combined data of SSA countries.


Author(s):  
Wong Meagan ◽  
Elias Olufemi

This chapter focuses on the role of the World Bank in ocean governance. Created in 1944, the World Bank is an international financial institution belonging to the United Nations (UN) system. It comprises two institutions: the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and the International Development Association (IDA). The chapter first provides an institutional overview and structure of the World Bank before discussing its position in the UN system as well as its mission. It then considers the World Bank’s role in the conservation and management of oceans, and particularly in the areas of food security, marine biodiversity and climate change. It also examines the World Bank’s strategy towards helping to restore ocean health to an optimal through its so-called blue projects.


Significance The comments come as the World Bank is pressing donors to provide at least 65 billion dollars for the International Development Association (IDA), the Bank's financing arm for low-income countries (LICs), in 2018-21. Impacts Transport, energy and water investments are likely to gain increased World Bank funding under the IDA-plus model. IDA will deepen its role as a lynchpin of international response to fragile state situations that threaten global spillover effects. The World Bank may evolve a new division of labour with the AIIB and other new institutions.


2020 ◽  
Vol 40 (1/2) ◽  
pp. 184-203 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rouhin Deb ◽  
Harsh Vardhan Samalia ◽  
Santosh Kumar Prusty

Purpose Competitive pressure from informal firms has always been a threat to the formal enterprises. However, the strategic choices a firm makes to deal with such competitive pressures still remain under-explored. The purpose of this paper is to examine the influence of informal competitive pressures in driving export propensity of formal firms. Design/methodology/approach The paper is based on a standard error logistic model, and the model takes into account the contingent relationships along with the primary relationship. The authors draw the sample of 9,812 manufacturing firms spanning across the Indian sub-continent from the World Bank enterprise survey conducted in the year 2014. Findings The empirical results indicated that the level of competition from informal firms is positively associated with the propensity to export. The primary relationship is also affected by various contingent factors such as regulatory obstacles, bribery and new product development. Research limitations/implications Although the World Bank enterprise survey data provide a broad coverage, the study warranted few proxy measures in order to operationalize formal competition as it was not captured directly in the concerned data set. Practical implications The analysis demonstrates that informal competition has direct effect on the firm’s propensity to export. The findings indicate that export is an attractive action alternative for firms facing informal completion in an emerging economy. The results further indicate that this effect strengthens as institutional factors such as regulatory obstacles and bribery increase. Social implications The paper is an attempt to alter the prevailing negative view on informality. The findings indicate that informal competition spurs competitiveness in the formal sector indicating its positive role in the economic growth of the nation. Originality/value The paper takes cue from attention-based view of the firm and the institutional escapism logic to affirm the role of informal competition and various contingent institutional and strategic factors in driving export propensity.


Author(s):  
Baubek SOMZHUREK ◽  
Raushan ELMURZAEVA ◽  
Nurzhanat TALAPOVA

This article describes the structure and role of the largest international financial institution, the World Bank, which provides credit services through two institutions, the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, established in 1944, and the International Development Association, established in 1960, in the global lending system and the specifics of recent years. The structure of the World Bank, which unites about 200 countries, occupies a prominent place in the financial system of the world. Since investment and development loans are a source of financing for the developing and lagging countries of the world. The object of the study is the credit indicators provided by the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the International Development Association to States in various regions in the period from 2016 to 2019. The article uses the method of comparative research. As a result, a sufficient assessment of the projects implemented by the international financial organization will be given.


2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Andrew Clemens ◽  
Michael R. Kremer
Keyword(s):  

2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (4) ◽  
pp. 406-424 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maryam Kriese ◽  
Joshua Yindenaba Abor ◽  
Elikplimi Agbloyor

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the moderating role of financial consumer protection (FCP) in the access–development nexus. Design/methodology/approach The study is based on cross-country data on 102 countries surveyed in the World Bank Global Survey on FCP and Financial Literacy (2013). The White heteroscedasticity adjusted regressions and Two-stage least squares regressions (2SLS) are used for the estimation. Findings Interactions between FCP regulations that foster fair treatment, disclosure, dispute resolution and recourse and financial access have positive net effects on economic development. However, there is no sufficient evidence to suggest that interactions between financial access and enforcement and compliance monitoring regulations have a significant effect on economic development. Practical implications First, policy makers should continue with efforts aimed at instituting FCP regimes as part of strategies aimed at broadening access to financial services for enhanced economic development. Second, instituting FCP regimes per se may not be enough. Policy makers need to consider possible intervening factors such as the provision of adequate resources and supervisory authority, for compliance monitoring and enforcement to achieve the expected positive effect on economic development. Originality/value This study extends evidence in the law–finance–growth literature by providing empirical evidence on the effect of legal institution specific to the protection of retail financial consumers on the access–development nexus using a nouvel data set, the World Bank Global survey on FCP and Financial Literacy (2013).


1964 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 440-442
Author(s):  
Ronald Robinson

At the fourth Cambridge conference on development problems, the role of industry was discussed by ministers, senior officials, economic advisers, and business executives, from 22 African, Asian, and Caribbean countries, the United Nations, and the World Bank. Have some, if not all, of Africa's new nations now reached the stage when it would pay them to put their biggest bets on quick industrialisation? Or must they go on putting most of their money and brains into bringing about an agricultural revolution first, before striving for industrial take-off? These questions started the conference off on one of its big themes.


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