Does it happen to you that you carry an umbrella almost always in case it rains, and never need to use it except -of course- when it’s raining, and it’s precisely then that you realize that you forgot it? Isn’t it the case on any given day walking outside, that we are willing to pay more for an umbrella when it is pouring than when it is sunny? The umbrella is a device that … [Read more...] about Are multilateral banks really supporting countries in times of need?
Beyond development effectiveness
Are temporary contracts harming productivity in Colombia?
Did you know that job contracts can affect a country’s GDP? It makes sense. Employment contracts have an impact on employee performance. If, as an employee, you have no intention of staying at your job for the long term, your lack of commitment will likely reduce your firm’s productivity, which in turn can reflect negatively on your country’s productivity and its GDP. Temporary … [Read more...] about Are temporary contracts harming productivity in Colombia?
Risk management in development projects
“Ladies and gentlemen, please observe the following safety recommendations.” We have all heard those words when we are on board an airplane—in fact, many of us could probably recite from memory the cabin instructions from the flight attendant prior to take-off. But beyond that repetitive message, have you ever thought about what is behind those instructions? One thing is … [Read more...] about Risk management in development projects
Three reasons in favor of transparent, reproducible, and ethical research practices
The standards of what constitutes rigorous research are rising. In a response to what has been called a credibility crisis, entire scientific fields are calling for published research to more closely follow the scientific ideals most scientists learn early in their education. Following suit, the IDB, a leader in the generation of knowledge for Latin America, partnered with the … [Read more...] about Three reasons in favor of transparent, reproducible, and ethical research practices
The Challenge of Countercyclicality for Multilateral Development Banks
As established in the Addis Ababa Action Agenda (2015), Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) are expected to provide lending in the event of financial or economic shocks. Economists call this countercyclical lending. However, a recent study shows that while the MDB system as a whole acts countercyclically, in other words, lends less to a country during its booms and more … [Read more...] about The Challenge of Countercyclicality for Multilateral Development Banks