R4D Tackling Corruption

This is Open Access Week

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 01:00:00 GMT

This week, 19-23 October 2009, is the first International Open Access Week, which aims to broaden awareness and understanding of Open Access.

Gravity and Friction in Growing East Asia

Thu, 01 Oct 2009 17:03:00 GMT

Miscellaneous Indermit Gill and Homi Kharas 2009 Oxford Review of Economic Policy (2009) 25 (2)190-204 [doi:10.1093/oxrep/grp019] Without the advantages of low wages or high skills, East Asian economies are following a new path of regional integration, led by China. Along this path, policy-makers must manage a migration of 2m people a month to East Asia's cities, a sharp and unprecedented increase in income inequality, and a growing discontent with corruption as governance structures have been decentralized. Having successfully integrated globally before the financial meltdown of the 1990s, and integrating regionally at an even faster pace since then, East Asia's middle-income countries must now accelerate a third integration, this time at home. Growth based on scale economies and specialization requires managing both gravity and friction. This article outlines what East Asian nations must do to manage these forces even as another financial meltdown is taking place. How well they can do this will determine whether they will grow through middle income to join the ranks of developed economies or not escape the middle-income trap.

Corruption, Institutions and Economic Development

Thu, 01 Oct 2009 16:43:00 GMT

Miscellaneous T. S. Aidt 2009 Oxford Review of Economic Policy (2009) 25 (2) 271-291 [doi:10.1093/oxrep/grp012] Many scholarly articles on corruption give the impression that the world is populated by two types of people: the sanders and the greasers. The sanders believe that corruption is an obstacle to development, while the greasers believe that corruption can (in some cases) foster development. This paper takes a critical look at these positions. It concludes that the evidence supporting the greasing the wheels hypothesis is very weak and shows that there is no correlation between a new measure of managers actual experience with corruption and GDP growth. Instead, the paper uncovers a strong negative correlation between growth in genuine wealth per capitaa direct measure of sustainable developmentand corruption. While corruption may have little average effect on the growth rate of GDP per capita, it is a likely source of unsustainable development.

Estimating the extent to which tax evasion, avoidance and expenditures are undermining the 'Exit from Aid' in developing countries

Tue, 29 Sep 2009 11:42:00 GMT

Completed

Tax evasion and avoidance have been calculated to cost developing countries $385 billion, or nearly eight times total international development aid. The German development minister in October 2008 suggested the figure to be $500bn. In DRC, for example, only 30% of timber and minerals exports are taxed.

Some estimates assert that capital flight means for each dollar that goes to the South in aid, more than 7 dollars come back to the North through illicit capital flows: criminal activities such as the drug trade, corruption, and commercial illicit flows through abusive transfer pricing and other tax evasion and avoidance practices. Capital flight from the African continent between 1970 and 2005 is about $400 billion. The 2007 UNCTAD report shows that around $13 billion per year have left the African continent between 1991 and 2004. This represents a huge 7.6% of annual GDP.

An estimate by the World Bank and UNODC suggests developing countries lose between $500 - $800 billion annually to illicit outflows with tax evasion alone estimated to account for 40% of this. Other studies have suggested even larger figures for the total of illicit capital flows. But there is little solid evidence for the scale and nature of the problem.

This research scoping study was designed to support the international community's efforts at improving the domestic tax mobilisation effort needed to deliver developing countries commitment to better tax systems under the 'Monterrey Consensus'.

As an overall assessment of the literature on tax gap estimates for the developing world, the study concluded that the available knowledge on tax revenue losses in developing countries caused by tax evasion and tax avoidance is limited. This is partly due to the lack of data and partly due to methodological shortcomings of existing studies. Some of the existing estimates of tax revenue losses due to tax avoidance and evasion by firms systematically overestimate the losses. Other studies are based on assumptions which are so strong that the results are difficult to interpret. Overall, it is fair to conclude that most existing estimates of tax revenue losses in developing countries due to evasion and avoidance are not based on reliable methods and data.

Moreover, it seems that too much emphasis is put on producing aggregate estimates of tax revenue losses for the developing world as a whole. While aggregate numbers on the volume of tax avoidance and evasion in developing countries do seem to attract public attention, it should be kept in mind that developing countries are very heterogeneous. Research on tax avoidance and evasion as well as policies to achieve more revenue mobilisation should take this heterogeneity into account. More research along the lines described above is needed to improve our understanding of tax avoidance and evasion and the implications of these activities for revenue mobilization in developing countries.

A detailed final Report that examines current estimates on tax losses:

1.the size and nature of tax evasion in developing countries of tax policy and administration undermining domestic revenue mobilisation to meet 'Monterrey Consensus' obligations that were conformed at Doha in December 2008;

2. the size and scale of tax expenditures in developing countries, with particular reference to Africa, South Asia and DFIDs PSA countries.

DFID releases a new project database

Fri, 21 Aug 2009 01:00:00 GMT

Information about projects funded by DFID, ranging from emergency aid for countries affected by conflict or humanitarian crises, to ongoing support to improve health, education and sanitation in the poorest countries, is now available online.

DFID seeks applications for three posts in the Research Uptake Team

Tue, 21 Jul 2009 01:00:00 GMT

DFID is seeking to fill three posts in the Research Uptake team within the Policy and Research Directorate - Team Leader and two Research Evidence Brokers

The Protected Disclosures Act

Mon, 13 Jul 2009 14:36:00 GMT

Miscellaneous 2006 Presentation from South Africa Workshop, 29-30 November 2006. 38 pp. This presentation is concerned with Whistleblowing as a Corporate Governance tool to deliver organisational accountability.

Corruption in Infrastructure Delivery: a South African Case Study.

Mon, 13 Jul 2009 14:29:00 GMT

Miscellaneous G. Holland 2006 Presentation from South Africa Workshop, 29-30 November 2006. 59 pp.

Cacadu DM Good Governance Project

Mon, 13 Jul 2009 14:15:00 GMT

Miscellaneous 2006 Presentation from South Africa Workshop, 29-30 November 2006. 14 pp. This presentation summarises a pilot project in district leadership for improved local governance, from Cacadu in South Africa.

Building Capacity for Better Governance and Social Policy Research - Africa. A DFID Call for Expressions of Interest in establishing the African Social Science Research Consortium

Tue, 19 May 2009 01:00:00 GMT

DFID wishes to appoint a service provider to develop and facilitate phase 1 of a programme to build capacity and improve the quality of Africa's political and social science research. The programme will focus on 3 main levels of capacity building: individual, organisational and institutional

International Council On Human Rights Policy Narrative Report for 2008

Tue, 05 May 2009 15:11:00 GMT

Miscellaneous 2009 42 pp. This report provides an update on the research programme (research projects at different stages), other activities of the Council, institutional issues, impact and finance.

MMV appeals for urgent action against counterfeit and unregulated antimalarials.

Thu, 19 Mar 2009 15:02:00 GMT

Miscellaneous Medicines For Malaria Venture 2006 This is a brief statement about the problem of counterfeit antimalarials and the need for it to be addressed.

Research Summary 25, The Vulnerability of 'Self-Help': Women and Micro-Finance in South India, IDS Working Paper No. 303

Wed, 11 Mar 2009 11:54:00 GMT

Miscellaneous K. Kalpana 2008 Brighton, UK: Institute of Development Studies, 2 pp. But recent research in villages of Tamil Nadu, South India, suggests that microfinance is not automatically empowering, and that poor people can be vulnerable when caught up in unequal power relations with banks and local organisations implementing credit-based development schemes. How microfinance actually works depends on a web of formal and informal relationships between bank managers, NGOs, local officials and women's groups, which can distort the original aims and create tension and conflict. This Research Summary considers the issues.

This is a two-page summary of a paper which can be accessed in full on this page.

Interview with Prof Dora Nkem Akunyili, Director General NAFDAC.

Tue, 03 Mar 2009 17:54:00 GMT

Miscellaneous Medicines For Malaria Venture 2008 In April 2008, Prof. Dora N. Akunyili, the director-general of Nigeria's National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and also a member of MMV's Access and Delivery Committee, was interviewed when she visited the MMV offices; this is a transcript of the interview. Prof. Akunyili speaks about the problems facing efforts to increase access to antimalarials (theft, counterfeiting, inadequate supplies, drug resistance, lack of political commitment, lack of pharmacovigilance to monitor drug safety) and her own experience of malaria.

New Director at ODI

Fri, 20 Feb 2009 01:00:00 GMT

Alison Evans is announced as the new Director at the Overseas Development Institute.

id21 natural resources highlights 7. Conservation.

Mon, 09 Feb 2009 16:26:00 GMT

Miscellaneous id21 2008 IDS, University of Sussex, Brighton, UK, 4 pp. This issue contains the following short article: Corruption, taxation and decentralised natural resource management; Human-wildlife conflicts over food and water in Tanzania; How sustainable are different approaches to ecotourism?; Reconciling economic development with conservation in Indonesia; and Environmental recovery in post-conflict Sudan.

International Council On Human Rights Policy (ICHRP)

Fri, 21 Nov 2008 14:29:00 GMT

Current Current research areas include climate change (focusing on technology transfer); corruption; plural legal orders (human rights issues that arise in the context of claims by ethnic and religious minorities); policies of social control (across a range of fields including mental health, homelessness, and some forms of crime); migration and human smuggling; terrorism; human rights and sexuality; and privacy (in the context of the spread of new technologies). ICHRP uses its research to stimulate global level co-operation and exchange between non-governmental, governmental and intergovernmental sectors which can inform discussion of human rights policy and influence policies and strategies that protect and promote human rights. To support ICHRP's research programme on human rights to identify issues that impede efforts to protect and promote human rights.

Communication for Governance and Accountability (CommGAP)

Tue, 14 Oct 2008 13:37:00 GMT

Current

CommGAP, a global program at the World Bank, promotes the use of communication in governance reform programs and supports the building of democratic public spheres. Through its three program areas: Research and Advocacy, Training and Capacity Building, and Support to Development Projects and Programs, CommGAP is demonstrating the power of communication in promoting good and accountable governance and hence better development results.

This program, launched in September 2006, is funded through a 5-year Multi-Donor Trust Fund and administered by the Development Communication Division, External Affairs Vice-Presidency. The UK's Department for International Development is the founding donor of this Trust Fund.

Key policy - and decision-makers recognize Communication as a pillar of effective development and therefore integrate it into development policy and programs.

1. CommGAP set up and operating
2. Strengthened donor policy coherence for communication interventions esp. in weak/fragile states, around work of oversight institutions & access to information
3. Research and advocacy: body of research, methodology on communications in development produced and made available to managers in the field
4. Capacity building for programme planners and for multi-stakeholders in governance reform programmes via mixed training platforms, technical assistance

An independent Output to Purpose Review in May 2009 found "effective management and leadership and excellent networking" and that "the position of CommGAP within the Bank has provided good convening power and enables it to generate work with academic and incentivise collaboration from respected policy centres/organisations".

It found that CommGAP's 'operations' workstream has made a good start in providing seed funding in 8 World Bank country programmes 'to support communication programs that apply and test innovative communication approaches.' The research outputs have received high peer-reviewed assessment and the programme has built good advocacy and networking relationships with key actors. The capacity-building training programme has good content and receives high assessments from trainees.

Evidence from a wide range of stakeholders and peers confirmed the quality of CommGAP's strategic planning and products which have generally been well-designed and delivered.

The OPR of May 2009 found that 'in two years CommGAP has achieved a great deal and has made a good start in meeting its objectives. However, there is an urgent need to mobilise additional funds for the Trust to ensure achievement of purpose level change; at present CommGap is underinvested.'

Elections and the democracy challenge

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 01:00:00 GMT

The latest issue of id21 insights, Issue #74 (August 2008), examines the role of elections in the pursuit of democracy

DFID seeks research fellows to design and execute research programmes

Wed, 20 Aug 2008 01:00:00 GMT

Notification of forthcoming appointment opportunities at the Department for International Development (DFID) for senior research fellows

DFID's Research Strategy on Governance in Challenging Environments

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 01:00:00 GMT

DFID will seek new ways of tackling the toughest social and governance problems in the most fragile and challenging environments

Call for peace from Makutano Junction

Mon, 17 Mar 2008 01:00:00 GMT

A special call for peace from the actors of the DFID-funded soap-opera Makutano Junction has helped support the peace and reconciliation process in Kenya

Religions and Development Research Programme Consortium (RaD)

Wed, 06 Feb 2008 09:14:00 GMT

Current Research will be based in comparative analysis of world faiths (especially Christianity, Islam and Hinduism, but also Buddhism, Sikhism and traditional belief systems) across Africa and Asia, with a focus on Nigeria, Tanzania, India and Pakistan. Select additional cases will enrich the research's international comparative dimensions. Engagement with international agencies, governments and non-governmental users, especially faith groups, at international, national and local levels, will drive the research, provide audiences for the findings and create opportunities for outputs to ease dialogue and collaboration.

Director: Professor Carole Rakodi Through interdisciplinary research, the RPC will develop the shared concepts and analytical tools currently lacked, in order to improve understanding of relationships between faiths and development. It will enable positive dialogue between development partners to facilitate achievement of development goals, especially the MDGs. Interconnected projects will generate new knowledge on·relationships between
* religious values and beliefs and development concepts and practices, including perceptions of well-being and attitudes to corruption;
*faiths, governance and development, for example in Poverty Reduction Strategy processes, post-conflict development and movements for social change;
*the involvement of religious organisations in development activities and the delivery of services such as education and health care;
*religious transnationalism and development

Crisis States Research Centre - Phase 2

Mon, 04 Feb 2008 09:59:00 GMT

Current Continuation of Phase 1 To examine and provide an understanding of processes of war, state collapse and reconstruction in fragile states, and to assess the long-term impact of international interventions in these processes. Ultimately, to advance understanding of the processes of state collapse that are at the heart of problems of insecurity and poverty. To examine and provide an understanding of processes of war, state collapse and reconstruction in fragile states and to assess the long-term impact of international interventions in these processes. Through rigorous comparative analysis of a carefully selected set of states and of cities, and sustained analysis of 'global and regional axes of conflict', to identify the symptoms of state collapse, why some fragile states collapse while others do not, and the ways that war affects future possibilities of state building. It is planned to distil the lessons learned from past experiences of state reconstruction to inform current policy thinking and planning.

Centre for the Future State - Phase 2

Wed, 12 Dec 2007 17:26:00 GMT

Current The primary purpose of the Development Research Centre for the Future State is to harness the ideas and the research skills of applied social science researchers, in both developing and developed countries, to assist in finding ways of achieving the Millennium Development Goals by increasing the accountability and effectiveness of public authority in the South. The secondary purpose is to contribute to enhancing the capacity of researchers to perform this role by (a) helping to upgrade research and communication skills, especially for younger researchers from developing countries, and (b) strengthening an institutional framework that permits and encourages researchers from South and North to work together to share resources and collectively to define and implement applied research programmes. To harness the ideas and the research skills of applied social science researchers, in both developing and developed countries, to assist policymakers and citizens to find ways of increasing the accountability and effectiveness of public authority in the South. Policy-relevant research. This is the core activity, and constitutes the intellectual and organisational framework around which the other activities will be organised.

Dissemination and policy-influencing activities. The project has a very good record in this field and has begun to invest more heavily in these activities, in particular in the activities of the Synthesis Task Force.

Capacity Building. The approach and plans are that the major investments in this area will be on increasing the capacity of younger Southern researchers to undertake high quality policy-relevant research, and to communicate their findings to various audiences.

Private infrastructure service providers - learning from experience

Tue, 20 Nov 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Completed To study the demand for, and the use of possible guidelines on how to develop effective, sustainable and cross-sectoral support structures for small scale independent infrastructure service providers. Both the literature review and the research in country highlight the fact that little is known specifically about SSIPs. They form a large proportion, sometime a majority of the small enterprises in a country, yet their specific needs have not been greatly studied. Further research is needed in three main areas

Regulation, legislation and competition.

Much has been written about regulation and legislation, but not directly related to SSIPs. Regulations, legislation and subsidies will all have an impact on how SSIPs operate and survive in the open market. The effect that these have on competition and how this then relates to the infrastructure service that is provided by SSIPs and their competitors is unknown in most, if not all service sectors.

Needs assessment for BDS for small scale infrastructure providers.

It is clear that SSIPs need some similar services to small enterprises. They all need more tailored Business Development Services although it is not clear if these are best provided by the same BDS providers, or through other means such as embedded services along their supply chain, independent regulators or others.

Recognition and co-operation with existing formal sector providers, utilities and state and local authorities.

This is the area that shows most promise for immediate development. This research and others have shown how SSIPs, state authorities and even the formal private sector can work together to provide services to all levels of population wherever they are. The lesson learning from these examples needs formulating into practises that can easily become mainstreamed into decentralisation and privatisation processes across a variety of sectors.

Bangladesh

Cross sectoral constraints include finance, skills training, knowledge on pricing and market analysis.

A basic livelihood analysis also identified policy, corruption, seasonalities and public perception as being generic areas of concern for SSIPs. Most SSIPs were more heavily dependent on human and social capital which should influence any interventions.

Peru

In Peru there is a very active Small and Micro enterprise sector which does involve delivery of services to underserved populations in Lima.

Some of the cross sectoral lessons that can be drawn out are

Relevant authorities failure to recognise scale of SSIPs operating in the sector

Better information needed to enable consumers to choose their supplier.

Better infrastructure needed to enable SSIPs to reach to those still un-served.

Training is often a need for SSIPs both technical and managerial

Case study material on all aspects from regulation, BDS supply and linkages with the formal sector are available worldwide. They need examining in detail and collating into experiences which are then demonstrated to a wider audience.

Practical action research may be one way to demonstrate any major research into this topic, although other routes may prove to be as practical at shaping SSIPs involvement in infrastructure provision.

The linkages developed by ITDG Peru and ITDG Bangladesh are currently being utilised to pursue the goal of gathering best practice on SSIPs and disseminating it to those who need it.

Areas for intervention listed by the project in the inception review need to be studied in greater depth and followed up by practical interventions

Grassroots Anti-Corruption Initiatives and the Right-to-Information Movement in India

Tue, 20 Nov 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Completed This is a study of grassroots anti-corruption initiatives in India which are demanding access to specific official information about government expenditure and decision-making. It will investigate how and whether a 'right to information' platform can be an effective basis for mobilising socially excluded groups into an effective civil society force for the promotion of government accountability.

Centre for research on regulation and competition in developing countries

Tue, 20 Nov 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Current The Centre will undertake policy relevant research into regulation and competition issues in developing countries, with the aim of contributing to an improved understanding of the ways in which regulation and competitive processes can work in support of economic growth and poverty reduction. The intended outcome of the implementation of effective regulation and competition policies and reforms in low-income countries.

Dual practice among public medical doctors in Thailand

Tue, 20 Nov 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Completed In Thailand, like many developing countries, the government allows public medical doctors to undertake private practice as a source of additional income. Low salary scales in public services, along with a heavy workload, is a significant factor in encouraging this practice. In addition, a strong preference for private services among Thai, good opportunities for generating a large amount of income, and the higher prestige gained by public medical doctors are attractive factors. Although previous evidence indicates that dual practice may lead to negative impacts on public health services, the unavoidability of such a practice among public medical doctors can be seen. Therefore, there is a need to explore patterns, behaviour, motivation, and impacts of dual practice in relation to the health system. Understanding of such practices may provide guidance on how to formulate appropriate policies to regulate or mitigate the consequences of dual practice towards public services, especially those services for the poor. The study was conducted in five provinces of Thailand in 2001. Three methodologies including comprehensive literature review, a survey of 1,808 public medical doctors using an anonymous self-administered questionnaire, and in-depth interviews of key informants were employed. Results revealed that 69% of public doctors had performed dual practice. The main reason for undertaking dual practice was "income from public services is not adequate". A logistic regression analysis indicated that the main factors influencing dual practice engagement were being a male medical doctor and being a medical specialist (i.e. surgeons, obstetricians, etc). The ratio of total monthly income between fully public and dual practice doctors was 2.2. In-depth interviews illustrated that the implications of dual practice range from public-time corruption, neglecting public patients, poor performance in the public sector due to exhaustion from private work, and differences in the quality of care provided towards public and private patients. Existing regulations regarding dual practice tend to be indirect with poor enforcement. Responsible organizations such as the Ministry of Public Health and the Thai Medical Council have no policy in this area or any intention to regulate such practices. As private provision still plays a vital role in the Thai health service system, dual practice actually performs two useful functions: compensating for the low salary of public medical services and increasing access to health care for those who can afford to pay. However, the negative impacts of dual practices require regulation and measures to minimize those consequences. Strengthening of regulatory measures and administrative capabilities, the introduction of new payment methods which reflect performance and quality of care, and a reform of employment patterns into part-time and full-time staff may be options for policy recommendations. Furthermore, indirect measures such as good dual practice guidelines, quality assurance (QA), and hospital accreditation (HA) should be introduced and evaluated. This will control the adverse consequences of dual practice, and improve consumer choice as well as patients' access to health services.

Art imitates life in Makutano Junction

Thu, 08 Nov 2007 01:00:00 GMT

An article from The Economist shows how political issues covered in the TV soap opera Makutano Junction mirror those highlighted by the forthcoming election in Kenya