Between 1996 and 2007, per capita beer consumption in Russia more than quintupled, making beer the most important alcoholic drink in Russia today and transforming Russia into the world’s third largest beer market. We study the role of peer effects in this rapid adoption of beer. In particular,...

This article analyzes data on self-reported food insecurity of more than 50,000 individuals in 18 Sub-Saharan African countries over the period 2005–2008, when global food prices increased dramatically. The average level of self-reported food insecurity was high but remarkably stable over...

During the summer of 2008 China’s biggest food crisis struck when it was discovered that milk suppliers were adding melamine, a colorless crystalline compound, to artificially boost the protein readings of their milk. While there was a lot of attention on the criminal investigations and post...

Financial constraints and credit market imperfections are a major constraint on investment, growth and poverty reduction in transition and developing countries. This paper analyses the impact on investments of financial assistance programs as part of interfirm relationships. Our empirical...