Published this week: the latest VoxDevLit covers microfinance. After many decades,
microfinance is pervasive and popular in developing countries but is often
controversial. What have we learned about what works, how it works, and who it
helps – and what is there still to understand? Authors Simon Quinn, Muhammad
Meki, and Jing Cai talk to Tim Phillips about the problems of evaluation, the
surprising uses to which microfinance has been put, and the lessons that
policymakers can learn from the story of microfinance so far.
Read the full show notes here: https://voxdev.org/topic/finance/what-have-we-learned-about-microfinance
Read and download the VoxDevLit from our new look website here: https://voxdev.org/voxdevlit/microfinance
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31:11
S6 Ep3: How can countries develop their economies in a changed world?
In 2018, “Unorthodox policies for unorthodox times” was the title of the first in a
series of blogs published by the International Growth Centre. The authors argued
that the environment for development had changed, and so development policies
should change too. Seven years on, as delegates gather in Davos for the 2025
Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum, how prescient was the analysis in
these articles, and what does this mean for future growth policy? Tim Dobermann
and Francesco Caselli talk to Tim Phillips about which “unorthodox policies” the
delegates to Davos should be discussing this week.
Read the full show notes on VoxDev: https://voxdev.org/topic/macroeconomics-growth/how-can-countries-develop-their-economies-changed-world
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29:30
S6 Ep2: Rethinking evidence in development economics
Many development economists would argue that the most important innovation of
the last two decades has been a commitment to use only rigorous evidence for
policy, and usually what they mean is evidence generated by RCTs. But are
systematic reviews of the results a useful guide to policy? And should development
economics continue to be focusing so much on the programmes that flow from RCT-
driven research? Lant Pritchett of LSE talks to Tim Phillips about the nature of
“rigorous” evidence in development economics, and the future of the discipline itself.
Read the full show notes on VoxDev: https://voxdev.org/topic/macroeconomics-growth/rethinking-evidence-and-refocusing-growth-development-economics
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28:43
S6 Ep1: How does internet connectivity impact developing economies?
For more than 30 years, optimists about technology have been telling us that the
internet is transforming our economies. What is the evidence that this has happened,
or is happening, in low- or middle-income countries? And if the promise has not been
fulfilled, why not? Lin Tian is one of the authors of a new paper that examines the
evidence so far. She talks to Tim Phillips about what the research is telling us.
Read the full show notes on VoxDev: https://voxdev.org/topic/macroeconomics-growth/how-does-internet-connectivity-impact-developing-economies
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23:06
S4 Ep53: The role of evidence at development finance institutions
Chris Woodruff has pioneered academic research into businesses, large and small, in low-income countries, He is also a non-executive Director of British International Investment (BII), a development finance institution and impact investor that partners with more than 1,500 businesses in emerging economies, with assets of £8.1 billion. Chris talks to Tim Phillips about what he has learned from his association with BII into how research can inform policy and investment – and whether economists worry too much about external validity.
Read the full show notes on VoxDev: https://voxdev.org/topic/firms/role-evidence-development-finance-institutions
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