How does the productivity of individual bureaucrats affect the overall efficiency of the public sector?

Why has economic growth stuttered in Mexico despite, on the face of it, implementation of sensible economic policies by successive governments?

RCTs have revolutionised development policy, but do the interventions that work in the short run have a benefit 10 or 20 years later?

Beyond simply telling them or showing evidence, how can we make children in developing countries believe that education has value?

Can multinational buyers provide their suppliers in developing countries with incentives to comply with local labour laws?

How do Indian voters react to information on the qualifications and performance of politicians?

Why has the success of Mexico’s poverty reduction programme not been matched by similar programmes in other countries?

How much do political leaders value academic research? Can this research change not only their beliefs, but also the policies they implement?

The World Bank is making a shift from a lending function to a knowledge function. This will amplify the role of researchers in its work.