Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we've been waiting for. We are the change that we seek. Barack Obama
1. Maintaining growth in testing times: UNCTAD XII to consider impact of economic trends on development
Twelfth United Nations Conference on Trade and Development to take place in
Accra, Ghana, 20-25 April
Heads of state, ministers, economists to discuss better translation of globalization gains into poverty reduction; nurturing and expanding South-South trade; commodities boom; regional integration; foreign investment for development, debt management; technology; growing impact of creative economy; importance of small firms and entrepreneurship for development.
A related problem to be scrutinized in Accra is the seeming paradox that despite high growth in Asia, Latin America, and Africa, only limited reductions in poverty have been achieved, especially in the world's 49 least developed countries (LDCs). Globalization that does not bring broadly higher living standards ? especially during a halcyon period of economic growth ? has governments and international economists concerned about what will be necessary to tackle the deep poverty in which hundreds of millions continue to live. It also raises questions about the world’s ability to achieve the United Nations Millennium Development Goals, which include halving extreme poverty by 2015.
The international community has a ''special duty'' to spread recently promising global economic growth to the ''poorest of the poor,'' United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon during a special address. The year 2008 should be ''the year of the bottom billion,'' Mr. Ban told the TDB's 43rd executive session. Globalization is still leaving the extreme poor behind, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, he said, and the United Nations Millennium Development Goals, which include halving extreme poverty by 2015, will not be met at current rates of progress. ''Now is the time for new ideas and fresh approaches.'' Mr. Ban said, warning against ''delay and dither.'' He added, ''In the coming weeks and months, I will dedicate myself to strengthening the UN's role in development.'' http://www.unctadxii.org
2. World Bank: Global Economic Prospects 2008
Technology Diffusion in the Developing World
Rapid technological progress in developing countries has helped to raise incomes and reduce the share of people living in absolute poverty from 29 percent in 1990 to 18 percent in 2004, says the World Bank's Global Economic Prospects 2008.
''Technological progress increased 40 to 60 percent faster in developing countries than in rich countries between the early 1990s and early 2000s,” said Andrew Burns, Lead Economist and main author of the report. ''Nevertheless, developing countries have a long way to go, given that the level of technology that they use is only one quarter of that employed in high-income countries.”
Subtitled ''Technology Diffusion in the Developing World,” the World Bank report notes that recent progress reflects increased exposure to foreign technologies. As a share of GDP, high-tech imports and foreign direct investment levels have doubled since the early 1990s.
''Rising trade and investment contacts with high-income countries, often facilitated by migrant groups, have been central to technological progress in developing countries.” said Uri Dadush, Director, World Bank Development Prospects Group. ''However, openness alone is not enough. To continue catching up, countries need to strengthen educational achievement, governance, basic infrastructures, and links to migrant groups.” http://www.worldbank.org/gep2008
3. UNEP calls for end to barriers on fast-growing ''green economy''
A global ''green economy'' is now emerging but governments must move fast to scrap the many barriers and fossil-fuel subsidies that hamper it, the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) said. Presenting an annual report, Year Book 2008, the Nairobi-based agency said investment in environmentally-friendly projects was rising fast and more and more corporations were driving to save energy, thus helping to combat carbon emissions. Power companies in North America, international car manufacturers, metals and mining companies are praised for making inroads into their greenhouse-gas pollution. But oil, gas and chemicals are among the industries doing little or nothing to cut their contribution to the greenhouse-gas problem, the agency said, presenting the report at a conference in Monaco gathering environment ministers and the UNEP governing council. http://tinyurl.com/38nqx3
4. Standardisation ''should focus more on innovation''
ENDS Europe Daily, 12 March 2008 - EU standardisation policy should focus more on product innovation and competitiveness, the European commission argued on Tuesday in a new policy paper. Standards and technical harmonisation can help speed-up the uptake of environmental technologies and liberalise trade in rapidly-growing markets, it said.
The commission's policy paper outlines actions for a more market-led standardisation policy. Current standardisation models in Europe are ''called into question by challenges such as accelerated market cycles… and the trend towards global markets'', the paper says.
Standardisation is key to developing a European sustainable industrial policy and removing barriers to technological advances in ''lead markets'' such as renewable energy, recycling, bio-based products and sustainable construction, the commission says. http://tinyurl.com/39gtas
5. Which factors are necessary to the achievement of a positive relationship between Trade and Sustainable Development? DISCUSSION FORUM
''Trade liberalization and sustainable development are not unavoidably incompatible. Trade liberalization can advance sustainable development goals, just as it can retard their achievement. The same can be said for foreign direct investment. Appropriate investment can spur sustainable development, but much investment in developing countries has been environmentally, socially and often economically questionable.'' (IISD Statement on Trade and SD). You will need to be logged-in to the Development Gateway to contribute. http://tinyurl.com/2pvlhv
6. Training and Events
TrainEval - Training for Evaluation in Development http://www.traineval.org
Brussels, Belgium, September - December 2008.
TrainEval is an advanced training programme for evaluation in development, which is specifically focused on the European Development Cooperation and the EC evaluation approach. All 4 modules of 4 days each will take place in Brussels. The whole course is provided in English. In addition to the modules, we will invite guest speakers from relevant institutions for discussion meetings in the evening. The programme has been developed from experienced trainers and evaluators to respond to the increasing demand for evaluation expertise and its professionalism. It is offering a qualification opportunity in development evaluation for consultants, project and evaluation managers of implementing agencies as well as for representatives from financing agencies. The training course is offered jointly by AGEG Consultants eG and Euronet Consulting EEIG.
Training Programme for Junior Experts in the Commission Delegations http://ec.europa.eu/external_relations/jed/index.htm
The Junior Experts in Delegation programme, also known as the JED programme, is aimed at providing qualified University graduates from EU Member States with invaluable experience in the European Commission’s External Service Delegations situated in particular in developing countries. The initiative is sponsored by the European Commission and the Member States of the European Union. It enables successful candidates to be employed as a full member of the ‘administrative and technical staff’ of a Delegation for a period of two years.
Postgraduate Certificate in Cross-sector Partnership http://tinyurl.com/ywx2uu
April-September 2008, at The University of Cambridge Programme for Industry and the Prince of Wales's International Business Leaders Forum
Enterprise Development through Value Chains and Business Service Markets: A Market Development approach to Pro-Poor Growth http://www.itcilo.org/marketdev
Online and in Turin, Italy, April-November, 2008.
The International Training Center of the ILO is offering this modular distance learning course. For more information, see the brochure or the ITC ILO website.
India will host the first Global Agro-Industries Forum http://www.gaif08.org
New Delhi, India, 8-11 April 2008.
FAO and the UNIDO together with the Government of India have joined forces to organize the first ever Global Agro-Industries Forum. It will promote dialogue on strategies for developing competitive agro-industries that contribute to poverty reduction. It will thus build on success stories and winning strategies to develop competitive agro-industries in the developing world that include small-scale farmers and reinforce collaboration among all stakeholders from local to global levels, as well as public and private sectors.
Europe-Africa Business Summit 2008 http://www.europeafricabusinesssummit.org
Hamburg, Germany, 28-30 April 2008, CCH
This is the first biennial Europe-Africa Business Summit to take place in Europe, organised by private non-governmental bodies and aimed to increase European private sector awareness of the many commercial opportunities in Africa. The major theme of the summit is the State and the Future of the European-African Economic Relationships. Coherent with the New Partnership for Africa’s Development objectives (NEPAD), the summit aims to provide a critical assessment of the current state and future of the European – African economic relationships. About 600 delegates from Africa including speakers, decision makers from the private- and public sectors are expected at the summit.
SACOMA World Entrepreneurship Summit (WES) http://sacomacfe.com
Nairobi, Kenya, 26-27 May 2008, Holiday Inn
The SACOMA World Entrepreneurship Summit is a forum for entrepreneurs, investors and business support agencies working in the public and private sector to share practical ideas on how to stimulate the ideals and benefits of entrepreneurship as the driving force of economic growth and development in Africa and across the world.
11th annual Microfinance Centre Conference http://www.mfc.org.pl/conference2008/
Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, 29-31 May 2008
The MFC will be joined in hosting this event by XacBank, a leading microfinance bank in the region and globally.
Growing Inclusive Markets Forum http://www.gim2008.ca
Halifax, Canada, June 20-212008
The International Council for Small Business holds a World Conference in Canada, 22-25 June. IDRC, CIDA, UNDP and others are holding a pre-conference Forum on Growing Inclusive Markets, 20-21 June
ValueLinks Introductory Training Seminar http://www.idc-aachen.de/2_4.html
Oestrich-Winkel, Germany, 23-27 June, 2008
The objective is to enhance the skills of participants in designing, implementing and monitoring value chain upgrading projects. The know-how covers both technical subjects and facilitation skills working with groups of entrepreneurs, business associations and public institutions.
Knowledge for Growth: European Strategies in the Global Economy http://www.knowledge-conference-france2008.eu
Toulouse, France, 7-9 July 2008
This conference is organized by the Toulouse School of Economics and the French Ministry of Higher Education and Research under the French Presidency of the European Union. Experts will focus on the following topics: the dynamics of productivity growth, corporate R&D: new innovation practices and global networks, the causes of the R&D deficit in European countries and relevant policies, multi-level innovation systems and multi-level innovation policies, and infrastructures and institutions for innovation.
Making Markets Work – a two-week training programme http://www.springfieldcentre.com
Glasgow, UK, 13-25 July 2008, Springfield Centre for Business in Development
This unique programme focuses directly on a key challenge facing governments and development agencies: how to make markets function more effectively for business and for poor people? The programme builds on the Springfield Centre's successful record in offering training on the market development approach to more than 700 people over the last nine years.
Global Youth Enterprise Conference http://www.youthenterpriseconference.org
Washington D.C., 15-16 September 2008
This year the conference will focus on market driven approaches and M&E and impact assessment.
Economics of Corruption - A University Training in Good Governance and Reform http://www.wiwi.uni-passau.de/2087 and http://www.icgg.org
Passau, Germany, 4-11October 2008, University
This free international course is the kick-off event for a Master's Program at the University of Passau. Students who enroll in the Master in International Economics and Business can pick a focus in ''Governance, Institutions and Anticorruption''.
Masters course on 'Globalisation and Development' at IDS, University of Sussex http://www.ids.ac.uk/go/teaching
IDS offers a new Masters programme which includes a trip to China to study the country’s rapid economic growth. The innovative one-year Globalisation and Development degree starts in October 2008 and will provide a fresh perspective on globalisation. It will focus on the shift of power from West to East – today over half of all the global economic growth is being generated by emerging economies, most of them from the East.
A conceptual framework for understanding the role of cash transfers in social protection http://www.odi.org.uk/go?where=pb5
ODI Project Briefing by Rachel Slater, John Farrington, Rebecca Holmes and Paul Harvey, defines a conceptual framework for cash transfers in social protection, that focuses on three spheres: institutions, politics and governance; capacity and implementation; and local economic and social impacts.
A strategy for macroeconomic stability in developing countries http://tinyurl.com/23g3sb
A new World Bank article describes a strategy for developing countries to fight macroeconomic volatility multi-front, as outlined by World Bank researchers Servén, Raddatz, and Loayza. This includes improving the ability to absorb external shocks, as well as avoiding self-inflicted policy mistakes.
Analysis of Subsidies for Services: The Case of Export Subsidies http://tinyurl.com/yox6n9
This study by the OECD presents an exploratory analysis of export subsidies in the services field. It draws from a variety of sources in an effort to provide insights into the characteristics and use of these measures. The report, while not generating accurate measures of the extent and effects of export subsidies for services, provides evidence that these measures are used by many countries in the developed and developing worlds to support a wide range of services sectors. The analysis also indicates that broadly speaking the definitions contained in the WTO Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures (ASCM) are relevant for services. The most important types of export support appear to be direct tax incentives, particularly profit tax exemptions or reductions. Based on the detailed analysis of export subsidies for services, the study then discusses some possible elements of a definition of these measures.
Banking on Development: Mobilising Private Development Finance http://tinyurl.com/2vqc3l
At this Roundtable, co-organised in Geneva with the World Economic Forum, senior executives identified which private financial flows are most effective in stimulating economic growth and poverty reduction. They also discussed how donors can help catalyse these flows.
Building E-competence: Enabling Small Business to Access Opportunities through Information and Communication Technology, UNIDO http://www.unido.org/file-storage/download/?file%5fid=84587
The challenge in many developing countries is to combine the SMEs employment potential with increasing productivity. This means shifting from low-value, price-driven to higher value, knowledge based services. To prosper, SMEs need an environment to facilitate growth, including easy acess to business information and ICT.
Case studies of lead firm governance systems in the context of commercialization of smallholder agriculture in Uganda http://tinyurl.com/36u5sn
This study analyzes the governance of domestic value chains (DVCs) in the agricultural sector in Uganda. It focuses at exploring how agricultural produce buyers set up, coordinate and monitor - that is govern - the DVCs with their supplying farmers. Particularly how buyers govern the latter’s activities and performance and thus the division of labour in the DVC.
Chile : a strategy to promote innovative small and medium enterprises http://tinyurl.com/22mqxb
This review of government programs confirms the importance of coordination and an overarching strategy, in the form of a National Innovation System, led by a single institution. The review also finds that demand-driven programs were more likely to be sustainable. Finally, the study demonstrates that Chile (and other countries with many support programs for small and medium enterprises in place) needs an integrated management information system to analyze, assess, coordinate, and streamline the program portfolio for small and medium enterprises in the future.
CNCD new book on development finance http://www.cncd.be
« L’introuvable consensus » (the never found consensus) analyses international financial flows trends and its attached conditionalities. In a new context where emerging economies are modifying the trade and finance panorama and where the IMF and the World Bank are suffering the deepest crisis in their history, the book questions the concept of « consensus » in the development economy and analyses the opportunities recently offered by the international relations evolution. It raises a key question in the development economy: what finance for what development? The book compiles a series of articles related to debt, aid and conditionalities in which some Eurodad members and staff have contributed.
Credit Unions: Regulations Matrix WOCCU http://www.microfinancegateway.com/files/47825_file_ModelRegulationsMatrix.pdf
The World Council of Credit Unions (WOCCU) and the US Agency for International Development (USAID) have published this regulatory matrix. It covers a variety of regulatory issues, such as capital requirements, provisioning, restrictions on lending, auditing, dissolution, and others.
Does Participation in Productive Associations Signal Trust and Creditworthiness? Evidence for Nicaragua http://www.microfinancegateway.com/files/47758_file_17.pdf
This article studies the extent to which participation in productive associations in Nicaragua contributes to increase individuals’ access to social programs and credit services.
El tamaño importa: Las políticas pro PyMEs y la competitividad, Fundación IDEA http://tinyurl.com/3aoooa
El documento incluye nueve estudios de caso de programas de promoción y atención a PyMEs (en cuatro países y cinco estados de México) y pretende a) servir como manual de referencia para el diseño e implementación de programas de apoyo a PyMEs y b) ofrecer recomendaciónes de política pública.
Entrepreneurship and Urban Success: Toward a Policy Consensus http://www.kauffman.org/pdf/state_local_roadmap_022608.pdf
This essay provides a guide to policymakers and citizens to what is known about the effects of various local and state policies aimed at fostering entrepreneurially driven growth
Global Entrepreneurship Monitor 2007 , Universidad Austral http://tinyurl.com/28vpef
El Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) es un estudio que se realiza a nivel internacional que analiza la relación entre la actividad emprendedora y el crecimiento económico.
GTZ Reader: Knowledge Management and Knowledge Systems for Rural Development http://www2.gtz.de/wbf/doc/en-Knowledge-Management-Reader-2007.pdf
Knowledge Management (KM) is a relatively novel management concept. It has been pushed by the rapid developments of Information and Communication Technology (ICT). ICT facilitates a speedy exchange of data, information and documents. There is groupware for communication; content management systems to organise and retrieve documents; expert systems, data mining and text mining systems, tracing services and search engines, e.g. Google. Communication via email, fax, and phone- and video-conferences is ordinary business. It is good guessing that technological advances will continue to revolutionize the way we communicate and interact with each other.
IFC Toolkit: Designing a Tax System for Micro and Small Businesses http://www.ifc.org/ifcext/media.nsf/Content/Designing_Tax_System
In this toolkit, the World Bank Group and donor partners provide a number of options for reforming the tax system in developing countries to facilitate small business compliance. While it does include some tax administration reform options, its focus is on tax policy.
La Facilitación del Comercio en las negociaciones comerciales multilaterales y bilaterales, Myriam Echeverría / CEPAL http://tinyurl.com/2r9a3c
La CEPAL está trabajando en el área de la facilitación del comercio dada la enorme relevancia que este tema tiene actualmente para la competitividad de las exportaciones latinoamericanas. Es así que ha realizado seminarios y reuniones de expertos para debatir acerca del grado de implementación de las herramientas de la facilitación del comercio en los países de la región, como así también acerca de la forma de estimular a los gobiernos a seguir avanzando en este aspecto.
License to sell:Effect of business registration reform on entrepreneurial activity in Mexico http://tinyurl.com/2h5j5f
This paper studies the effect of business registration regulation on economic activity using micro-level data. The identification strategy exploits the fact that a recent business registration reform in Mexico was introduced in different municipalities at different points in time.
MERIPA Toolbox. A booklet for regional innovation policy makers http://www.meripa.org/download/meripa_toolbox.pdf
This booklet is structured in accordance with the four main phases of the policy-making process: Start-up, Design, Implementation and Review. Each phase contains a number of chapters, each of which deals with a specific tool or set of instructions for a distinct part of the process.
Microfinance Banana Skins 2008: Risk in a Booming Industry, CGAP http://www.microfinancegateway.com/files/47464_file_CSFI_Microfinance_FINAL.pdf
The Banana Skins report reflects the views of more than 300 respondents from 74 countries, and is a comprehensive survey of the risk outlook for microfinance. The report was sponsored by CGAP and Citi Foundation, with support from the Council of Microfinance Equity Funds (CMEF) and the Microfinance Information eXchange (MIX).
Middle East and North Africa Reform: Rooted in Economic and Political Ground, CIPE http://www.cipe.org/publications/papers/pdf/IP0804_MENAreform.pdf
Job creation can only be achieved in an environment of open and responsive governance. MENA needs a new social contract that will make better governance possible. Past reform efforts were not only selective and incomplete, but above all lacked participatory quality. The chance to form broad social coalitions interested in the success of institutional reform has never been greater.
Mobilität für lokale und regionale Arbeitsmärkte - Veranstaltungsdokumentation http://www2.gtz.de/wbf/doc/Thementag_2007_Veranstaltungsdokumentation.pdf
GTZ, Kompetenzfeld Berufliche Bildung und Arbeitsmarkt
Höhepunkte und Ergebnisse des Thementags 2007 des Kompetenzfelds Berufliche Bildung und Arbeitsmarkt, Donnerstag 20.12.2007, in der GTZ in Eschborn.
Normas privadas: el nuevo desafío para las exportaciones de los países en desarrollo,
Juliana Salles de Almeida / CEPAL http://tinyurl.com/35lw5t
La ampliación de los mercados a escala mundial, el crecimiento del consumo y el surgimiento de consumidores cada vez más preocupados por el origen, composición y calidad de los alimentos, han hecho que en las últimas décadas aumentaran las exigencias fitosanitarias y de inocuidad para la producción agropecuaria.
OECD: Latin America’s Asian Opportunity http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/62/28/39564143.pdf
While growing trade with China and India offers new export opportunities, Latin American economies should avoid excessive concentration on a few export commodities. More investment in infrastructure and innovation is needed.
Policy Level Response to Financial Exclusion in Developed Economies: Lessons for Developing Countries, University of Bristol, DFID http://info.worldbank.org/etools/library/latestversion.asp?232700
This study commissioned by the Department for International Development (DFID) provides a brief overview of the policy-level response to financial exclusion in a number of developed economies. It also draws lessons that can be applied in those countries that have less developed banking systems.
Servicios Financieros para las Micros y Pequeñas Empresas, CAATEC http://tinyurl.com/2xxb99
Este libro desafía al lector con dos dimensiones novedosas en Costa Rica. Por un lado, los autores describen la evolución de un programa (BN-Desarrollo) que, paradójicamente, está rompiendo con viejos paradigmas. Este programa ha venido adaptando, al entorno nacional, las innovaciones en tecnologías de crédito asociadas con las microfinanzas y las ha incorporado exitosamente a las operaciones de un banco. Por otro lado, la evaluación que este libro persigue no se contenta con reportar los tradicionales resultados financieros del programa en el banco, donde en cualquier caso constituye una de sus más importantes fuentes de rentabilidad. Como evaluación, el trabajo más bien aporta dos nuevas perspectivas.
Transforming War Economies - swisspeace Working Paper 3/2007 http://tinyurl.com/2ahzuz
Although economic factors have proven to be crucial factors influencing the conflict proneness of a country, both military cease fires and peace agreements tend to neglect the economic and socioeconomic aspects of war, while emphasizing mainly political and military issues. However, peacebuilding and conflict prevention measures applied by the international community cannot limit themselves to ending open violence and cutting conflict profiteers from their power and income. In addition, alternative social, economic and political structures must be fostered to allow the population to meet their basic needs outside the structures of violent conflict. The establishment of relevant economic structures and the creation of an attractive investment climate for foreign investments are crucial for breaking and transforming the destructive structures of economies of violence.
Understanding Productivity: A Review of Recent Technical Research http://www.bankofcanada.ca/en/res/dp/2008/dp08-3.pdf
This paper by Richard Dion and Robert Fay (Bank of Canada) provides an extensive review of the rapidly expanding research on productivity, both at the macro and micro levels. The authors focus primarily on papers written about Canada, but also draw on selected studies from other countries, especially the United States, where such work sheds important light on particular aspects of productivity growth. The authors extract the key results of the studies and signal important methodological features that underpin those results. They also identify areas for further research.
What Makes an Entrepreneur? World Bank http://www.doingbusiness.org/documents/What_Makes_an_Entrepreneur.pdf
We test two competing hypotheses on what makes an entrepreneur: nature - attitude towards risk, I.Q., and self-confidence; or nurture - family background and social networks. The results are based on data from a new survey on entrepreneurship in Brazil, of 400 entrepreneurs and 540 non-entrepreneurs of the same age, gender, education and location in 7 Brazilian cities. We find that family characteristics have the strongest influence on becoming an entrepreneur. In contrast, success as an entrepreneur is primarily determined by the individual’s smartness and higher education in the family. Entrepreneurs are not more self-confident than non-entrepreneurs; and overconfidence is bad for business success.
8. Websites of the Month
African Voices in Europe demand more effective aid for Africa's poorest http://practicalaction.org/?id=africanvoices
Practical Action has launched a new website - African Voices in Europe - to expose the failures of European aid and set out a new agenda for Improving aid for Africa's poorest communities. African Voices in Europe exposes the failures of EC aid to reach farmers and livestock keepers across Africa, and explores how EC aid could be more effectively targeted to achieve its objective of poverty reduction.
AiDA Adds Information from Major Nongovernmental Organizations http://aida.developmentgateway.org/aida/AidaHome.do
The database on development activities, AiDA, now includes activities funded by the Gates Foundation, the Open Society Institute, and the Soros Foundation Network. These non-traditional donors fund over 3,800 activities. As a tool for aid effectiveness, AiDA includes information on more than 200,000 development projects worldwide.
CAN launches a FREE Social Enterprise Directory http://www.can-online.org.uk/register.php
CAN has just launched a FREE directory of social entrepreneurs, social enterprises and enterprising charities in the UK. Sign up today if you want to be listed.
Commonwealth Micro Finance (CMF) http://www.commonwealthmf.com
Commonwealth Micro Finance (CMF) has been established by the Commonwealth Business Council (CBC) to provide a range of financial services including international remittances, micro-savings, micro-loans and other banking services for individuals and small businesses in 52 Commonwealth countries. CBC provides leadership in increasing international trade and investment flows, creating new business opportunities, promoting good governance and corporate social responsibility, reducing the digital divide and integrating developing countries, in the Commonwealth, into the global market. Pre-register online for your Zipp™ card. It dramatically reduces transaction costs for Migrant remittances and banking transaction costs.
CUTS Centre for International Trade, Economics & Environment www.cuts-citee.org
Since October 2007, CUTS Centre for International Trade, Economics & Environment (CUTS CITEE) has been posting latest developments, news items, etc on trade and development issues onto its site. They are gathered from various sources and put under three heads: WTO Issues, Regional Economic Cooperation, and Developmental Issues. For instance, the latest draft texts on agriculture and NAMA (non-agricultural market access) of the Doha Round of negotiations by the WTO Members are there.
Data Base of Evaluation Studies Undertaken by EU Member States and the European Commission in External and Development Cooperation (from 2000) http://ec.europa.eu/comm/dg/aidco/ms_ec_evaluations_inventory/evaluationssrch.cfm
The current database (DB) contains references to evaluations undertaken by European Union (EU) Member States (MS) and the European Commission in the area of development and external cooperation from the year 2000. More than just an index or a catalogue of interesting evaluations, the database offers the possibility of direct access to the available documents via the Web. A link to the summary or the full report is available in approximately 60% of cases.
EIM's Public Knowledge Web on SMEs and Entrepreneurship http://www.entrepreneurship-sme.eu
EIM carries out a long term research program on small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and entrepreneurship, which is being financed by the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs. Some major themes are nascent entrepreneurship, business start-ups, high growth enterprises, firm size distribution, innovation, internationalization, job creation and human resources management in SMEs.
EU Donor Atlas 2008 http://development.donoratlas.eu
The EU Donor Atlas is based on the data on ODA provided by the DAC International Development Statistics online: DAC online (for annual aggregates) and Creditor Reporting System online (for aid activities) as of January 2008 -covering data for the years up to 2006.
FRAME: Framework for Reporting, Analysis, Monitoring, and Evaluation http://www.seepnetwork.org/section/frame
SEEP's FRAME Tool and companion manual, Measuring Performance of Microfinance Institutions (the Framework), represent an initiative towards reaching global standards for microfinance performance monitoring and reporting. The FRAME Tool and Framework complement each other, and should be used in conjunction. The FRAME Tool, and Framework ratios, were developed by and for microfinance practitioners, in conjunction with raters, network organizations, donors, and investors. SEEP is proud to release FRAME 2.0, with over nineteen new features.
Growth, Innovation and Policy (GIPOL) http://survey.nifustep.no/gipol/
GIPOL is a collaboration project between NIFU STEP, Norwegian School of Management, University of Agder and University of Lund. It is financed by the Norwegian Research Council and lasts from 2007 until 2010. The main aim of the project is to analyze modes of innovation and knowledge networks in order to develop an analytical framework adapted to the increasing globalization of the economy.
ip4inno - Intellectual Property Rights at SME http://www.ip4inno.eu
ip4inno is a project funded by the European Commission as a part of the Sixth Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development. Its main aim is to help small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) enhance their understanding and use of intellectual property rights with a view to promoting innovation and competitiveness in line with the European Commission's Lisbon goals.
MDGInfo 2007 http://www.devinfo.info/mdginfo2007
This database system is designed for the compilation and presentation of development indicators to support data users in their MDG monitoring. The MDG goals and targets are imbedded in the system linked to the 48 MDG indicators in a goal monitoring framework. MDGInfo has been adapted from DevInfo and presents the most up to date country-level statistics available as of August 2007 for the global monitoring of progress achieved towards the MDGs since 1990.
Resources for Improving Training Outcomes http://www.worldbank.org/ieg/training/
Visit this World Bank site for free resources for training providers and donors, providing guidelines on training design, participant selection, targeting of training content to organizational needs and monitoring and evaluation of training.
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich http://www.smi.ethz.ch/
The chair focuses research and teaching in the fields of Strategic Management and Innovation. As an academic field, Strategic Management is concerned with the long-term competitiveness and performance of a corporation. It examines and explains why some corporations financially outperform its competitors.
The Centre for Knowledge, Innovation, Technology and Enterprise (KITE) http://www.ncl.ac.uk/kite/
KITE brings together Newcastle University’s extensive research capabilities on innovation management and enterprise, incorporating research on the social, economic, managerial,
organisational, and cultural aspects of information and communications technologies and their social consequences, and studies of the role of universities in society.
The QUICK Centre for microfinance in disaster surroundings http://www.quick-centre.or.id
This is a knowledge sharing platform for the practitioners of microfinance in disaster surroundings. A new knowledge centre and knowledge sharing platform on microfinance in disaster surroundings has been established for the practitioners' community. The QUICK Centre posts information on• post-disaster microfinance support measures, • microfinance as a disaster preparedness tool (incl. microinsurance), • and disaster management for microfinance institutions. It includes among others a project database, a library, a forum and links to related organizations.
TransMONEE database – Unicef Innocenti Research Centre http://www.unicef-irc.org/databases/transmonee/
The TransMONEE database is an annually updated database containing a wealth of general social and economic statistics and indicators of child well-being across the 27 countries of the CEE-CIS region, collected directly from the national statistical offices. The 2007 release of the TransMONEE 2007 is now available in English and Russian.
Whither EC Aid? Towards a New Approach For Assessing Development Cooperation http://weca-ecaid.eu
European Centre for Development Policy Management (ECDPM) and Actionaid launched this new project website.
Wikigender http://www.wikigender.org
On the occasion of International Women's Day, the OECD Development Centre launched a new interactive website to share and exchange information on gender equality issues.
9. Check out our daily Newsbox zine and RSS feed
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