 Featured Research Program If you transplant a tree without its roots, it won't survive for long. The same can be said for complex reform programs abroad. If we simply transplant "best practices," but fail to understand local realities and root causes of problems, these reforms are likely to fail. Our new program, "Building State Capability," is creating new strategies and tactics for organizations to better execute and implement development programs. Instead of mimicking "best practices," Building State Capability is working on a policy approach that would adapt as it develops. This is called Problem Driven Iterative Adaptation (PDIA). It assigns value to local leadership and front line workers and derives solutions from understanding the local problems and context. Read more >> |
 Featured Publication
Small borrowers with few connections or limited financial histories often find themselves locked out of credit markets, with important implications for social mobility. A range of new lending models hold promise for expanding financial access to these borrowers. One such model ---- peer-to-peer lending ---- provides a market-based mechanism to allocate funding by aggregating judgments about creditworthiness across individual lenders. New research by Asim Khwaja, Rajkamal Iyer, Erzo Luttmer and Kelly Shue shows that these lenders can outperform traditional credit scores in predicting default, effectively using nonstandard or "soft" information to assess credit risks. Read more >>
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 Featured Publication
The complex network of international aid-coordination faces massive coordination barriers and decentralization. New research by Ricardo Hausmann, Michele Coscia and Cesar Hidalgo compares the structure of networks connecting countries to issues, countries to organizations and organizations to issues. They identify many countries that are poorly served, issues that are inadequately addressed, and organizations that focus on the wrong combination of places and issues. Read paper | Visit online tool >>
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