Tag Archives: Markets

Formal savings access and informal financial transactions

Posted on October 28, 2013 by

Social networks and the analysis of peer effects are a current hot topic across academic disciplines. The idea that a structure beyond our own direct scope and understanding, i.e. the social network we are embedded in, significantly influences how our … Continue reading →

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Local protectionism in developing economies: evidence from pharmaceutical firms in China

Posted on April 22, 2013 by

This post is written with Zheng Wang The recent trade literature has shown a growing interest in the analysis of barriers to trade within countries, especially with reference to developing economies such as China. Apart from pure academic curiosity, this … Continue reading →

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NREGA and rural welfare in India

Posted on February 28, 2013 by

  In the evaluation of social programs, the first order concern is their effect on beneficiaries. However, there is a growing awareness about “spillovers” or “peer effects”, which could affect non-beneficiaries. In Mexican villages where PROGRESA cash transfers were implemented, … Continue reading →

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What have we learned from all the agricultural microinsurance pilots?

Posted on November 16, 2012 by

This blog post is based on a keynote speech given by Daniel Clarke at the 8th International Microinsurance Conference, on 8 November 2012. Since 2003 there have been a large number of agricultural insurance pilots in low income countries.  Many … Continue reading →

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Can large-scale public works programmes push up wages?

Posted on June 25, 2012 by

Most of the world’s poor live in rural areas, and at the bottom of the pyramid are landless workers subsisting on casual wage labour in agriculture. Policies that can put upward pressure on agricultural wages are therefore likely to be … Continue reading →

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To understand earnings in Africa, we need to look past the formal/informal divide

Posted on June 1, 2012 by

The debate about whether human capital or labour market institutions are the primary explanation for who earns what in developing countries is a long one. An important waypoint in this debate is the Harris-Todaro model, which came to be used to describe … Continue reading →

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The price of crossing a border

Posted on February 27, 2012 by

Crossing a national border in East Africa can be a ponderous, aggravating affair. I experienced this firsthand a few years ago while attempting to temporarily bring a car into Tanzania from Malawi. The process took several hours and involved a never-ending amount of … Continue reading →

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