The Experts below are selected from a list of 174 Experts worldwide ranked by ideXlab platform

William Easterly - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.

  • design and reform of institutions in ldcs and transition economies1 institutions top down or bottom up
    2016
    Co-Authors: William Easterly
    Abstract:

    A large research program in economics has established a persuasive link between institu tions and economic development. But what does this imply for development policymaking? Can a political leader or Aid Agency seeking to pro mote development readily change institutions? This article starts off wildly general, and then moves to specifics.

  • rhetoric versus reality the best and worst of Aid Agency practices
    World Development, 2011
    Co-Authors: William Easterly, Claudia R Williamson
    Abstract:

    Summary. — Foreign Aid critics, supporters, recipients, and donors have produced eloquent rhetoric on the need for better Aid practices—has this translated into reality? This paper attempts to monitor the best and worst of Aid practices among bilateral, multilateral, and UN agencies. We create Aid practice measures based on Aid transparency, specialization, selectivity, ineffective Aid channels, and overhead costs. We rate donor agencies from best to worst on Aid practices. We find that the UK does well among bilateral agencies, the US is below average, and Scandinavian donors do surprisingly poorly. The biggest difference is between the UN agencies, who mostly rank in the bottom half of donors, and everyone else. Average performance of all agencies on transparency, fragmentation, and selectivity is still very poor. The paper also assesses trends in best practices over time—we find modest improvement in transparency and more in moving away from ineffective channels. However, we find no evidence of improvements (and partial evidence of worsening) in specialization, fragmentation, and selectivity, despite escalating rhetoric to the contrary. 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  • rhetoric versus reality the best and worst of Aid Agency practices
    Research Papers in Economics, 2011
    Co-Authors: William Easterly, Claudia R Williamson
    Abstract:

    Foreign Aid critics, supporters, recipients, and donors have produced eloquent rhetoric on the need for better Aid practices— has this translated into reality? This paper attempts to monitor the best and worst of Aid practices among bilateral, multilateral, and UN agencies. We create Aid practice measures based on Aid transparency, specialization, selectivity, ineffective Aid channels, and overhead costs. We rate donor agencies from best to worst on Aid practices. We find that the UK does well among bilateral agencies, the US is below average, and Scandinavian donors do surprisingly poorly. The biggest difference is between the UN agencies, who mostly rank in the bottom half of donors, and everyone else. Average performance of all agencies on transparency, fragmentation, and selectivity is still very poor. The paper also assesses trends in best practices over time—we find modest improvement in transparency and more in moving away from ineffective channels. However, we find no evidence of improvements (and partial evidence of worsening) in specialization, fragmentation, and selectivity, despite escalating rhetoric to the contrary.

  • where does the money go best and worst practices in foreign Aid
    Journal of Economic Perspectives, 2008
    Co-Authors: William Easterly, Tobias Pfutze
    Abstract:

    This paper does not address the issue of Aid effectiveness -- that is, the extent to which foreign Aid dollars actually achieve their goals -- but on "best practices" in the way in which official Aid is given, an important component of the wider debate. First we discuss best practice for an ideal Aid Agency and the difficulties that Aid agencies face because they are typically not accountable to their intended beneficiaries. Next we consider the transparency of Aid agencies and four additional dimensions of Aid practice: specialization, or the degree to which Aid is not fragmented among too many donors, too many countries, and too many sectors for each donor); selectivity, or the extent to which Aid avoids corrupt autocrats and goes to the poorest countries; use of ineffective Aid channels such as tied Aid, food Aid, and technical assistance; and the overhead costs of Aid agencies. We compare 48 Aid agencies along these dimensions, distinguishing between bilateral and multilateral ones. Using the admittedly limited information we have, we rank the Aid agencies on different dimensions of Aid practice and then provide one final comprehensive ranking. We present these results as an illustrative exercise to move the Aid discussion forward.

Claudia R Williamson - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.

  • rhetoric versus reality the best and worst of Aid Agency practices
    World Development, 2011
    Co-Authors: William Easterly, Claudia R Williamson
    Abstract:

    Summary. — Foreign Aid critics, supporters, recipients, and donors have produced eloquent rhetoric on the need for better Aid practices—has this translated into reality? This paper attempts to monitor the best and worst of Aid practices among bilateral, multilateral, and UN agencies. We create Aid practice measures based on Aid transparency, specialization, selectivity, ineffective Aid channels, and overhead costs. We rate donor agencies from best to worst on Aid practices. We find that the UK does well among bilateral agencies, the US is below average, and Scandinavian donors do surprisingly poorly. The biggest difference is between the UN agencies, who mostly rank in the bottom half of donors, and everyone else. Average performance of all agencies on transparency, fragmentation, and selectivity is still very poor. The paper also assesses trends in best practices over time—we find modest improvement in transparency and more in moving away from ineffective channels. However, we find no evidence of improvements (and partial evidence of worsening) in specialization, fragmentation, and selectivity, despite escalating rhetoric to the contrary. 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  • rhetoric versus reality the best and worst of Aid Agency practices
    Research Papers in Economics, 2011
    Co-Authors: William Easterly, Claudia R Williamson
    Abstract:

    Foreign Aid critics, supporters, recipients, and donors have produced eloquent rhetoric on the need for better Aid practices— has this translated into reality? This paper attempts to monitor the best and worst of Aid practices among bilateral, multilateral, and UN agencies. We create Aid practice measures based on Aid transparency, specialization, selectivity, ineffective Aid channels, and overhead costs. We rate donor agencies from best to worst on Aid practices. We find that the UK does well among bilateral agencies, the US is below average, and Scandinavian donors do surprisingly poorly. The biggest difference is between the UN agencies, who mostly rank in the bottom half of donors, and everyone else. Average performance of all agencies on transparency, fragmentation, and selectivity is still very poor. The paper also assesses trends in best practices over time—we find modest improvement in transparency and more in moving away from ineffective channels. However, we find no evidence of improvements (and partial evidence of worsening) in specialization, fragmentation, and selectivity, despite escalating rhetoric to the contrary.

V R Van Der Duim - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.

  • tourism and development at work 15 years of tourism and poverty reduction within the snv netherlands development organisation
    Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 2012
    Co-Authors: J Hummel, V R Van Der Duim
    Abstract:

    Over the last 20 years, international development agencies like SNV Netherlands Development Organisation have hesitantly become involved in tourism. This paper explains the complex and rarely researched political and technical issues behind the working practices, drivers and beliefs of an Aid Agency seeking to alleviate poverty via tourism development. Based on insiders’ commentaries and documentary sources, it presents five phases of the conceptual and material ordering of tourism within SNV. The phases took SNV from opposition to tourism work, through Community-Based Tourism (CBT), expansion, links to Millennium Development Goals, working in partnership with the private sector and an overall increasing need to deliver defined short term results – to closure. It explains how and why tourism became an important part of development work and how changing policy discourses and practices of international and national organisations influence the way tourism is practised as part of development work. It shows th...

J Hummel - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.

  • tourism and development at work 15 years of tourism and poverty reduction within the snv netherlands development organisation
    Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 2012
    Co-Authors: J Hummel, V R Van Der Duim
    Abstract:

    Over the last 20 years, international development agencies like SNV Netherlands Development Organisation have hesitantly become involved in tourism. This paper explains the complex and rarely researched political and technical issues behind the working practices, drivers and beliefs of an Aid Agency seeking to alleviate poverty via tourism development. Based on insiders’ commentaries and documentary sources, it presents five phases of the conceptual and material ordering of tourism within SNV. The phases took SNV from opposition to tourism work, through Community-Based Tourism (CBT), expansion, links to Millennium Development Goals, working in partnership with the private sector and an overall increasing need to deliver defined short term results – to closure. It explains how and why tourism became an important part of development work and how changing policy discourses and practices of international and national organisations influence the way tourism is practised as part of development work. It shows th...

Moonjung Yim - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.