This paper reviews some issues relevant to the delivery of public services. Itreviews some of the debates and flags some issues that are significantworldwide, especially in Africa. It emphasises how the debate has movedalong in terms of defining the relative responsibilities of the public...

[...]This paper studies a simple model of the talent-ownership mismatch — or failure ofmeritocracy — brought about by credit market imperfections that arise as a consequence ofagency problems in the borrower-lender relationship. Our model highlights the interactionbetween the market for...