Posts tagged under world bank
“Maximizing Mobile for Development” New Infographic by the WorldBank
Recently, I stumbled upon the release of a new report with the title “IC4D 2012: Maximizing Mobile” published by the World Bank. It’s the third in a series on Information and Communications for Development (IC4D) with a special focus on the development of the emerging “app economy”. Furthermore, it dedicates individual chapters to the transformative impact mobile technology has had in sectors such as the agricultural value chain, mhealth, mobile money, entrepreneurship and employment and e-governance.
Along with the report comes an astonishing infographic (see below). It illustrates the breathtaking pace at which mobile phones have spread globally with now 6 billion mobile subscriptions worldwide. It is estimated that 3 out of 4 people have access to a mobile phone, today. Especially developing countries have made a huge leap in mobile ownership: From accounting for 29% of all mobile subscriptions in 2000, they have risen to 77% in 2010. Mobile applications are changing the lives of millions of poor around the globe. Some of the most promising examples where mobile phones are helping to provide access as well as bridge service gaps are mobile money, agricultural apps, simple e-government initiatives and mobile apps for entrepreneurs.
Infodev.org lists three very promising examples:
What motivates health workers in Laos? What we can all learn from the World Bank about generating evidence to inform HRH policy
As a continuation of the previous post waxing lyrical about health workers and their daily heroic efforts to keep health systems functioning, here’s some riveting info on generating evidence to inform human resources for health (HRH) policy. Why should you care? Well, when it comes to human behavior, we’re predictably irrational most of the time – policymaker types need all the help they can get to understand health workers’ motivations to keep them in public health systems or within the country at all.
health worker motivations are both financial and non in Laos
Two well attended sessions (by far the best in my biased research geek opinion) on Generating evidence to inform HRH policy by the nice folks at the health nutrition and population division of the world bank, and another on HRH information systems, by WHO and MOH types, provoked fruitful discussion amongst researchers alongside cries of “where’s my data?”. HRH info systems remain inadequate with a paucity of data and analysis of what works and what doesn’t, especially when it comes to retaining health workers and what motivates them. It’s often not a simple altruistic knights OR mercenary knaves equation.
Who should take the lead in getting international trade and the Multilateral trading system back on track?
Can developing countries carry the world economy? Yes; few developing countries are as indebted as the G3, they are headed for strong growth, the quality of policy making is improving significantly in many developing countries and tech transfer as a consequence of inclusion in international production networks is spurring development. Developing countries already (or still) experiencing growth should not be held back and have to wait around for the developed world to get back on track and take the lead in the world economy.
IMF leaders, Still a white boys club?
However, although quality of policy is improving many developing countries still lack a sustainable growth strategy. As an example Rodrik mentions China and the ongoing “currency war”. The world has put up with China’s subventions of their exports through an undervalued currency and this fact has largely been the reason to China’s unmatched growth rates. It is however unlikely that the world will put up with these subventions much longer and force an appreciation of the renminbi. An appreciation of the renminbi might effectively put a halt to China’s enormous growth.