This Briefing Note provides an analysis of the characteristics of high-income individuals and how their incomes have evolved over time. We begin by setting out recent trends in overall income inequality and why these lead us to focus on the pattern of income growth at the very top of the income...

This paper considers the potential role of government in aiding the scale-up of high quality index insurance products in developing countries. In particular, we analyse optimal public policy in light of the fact that index insurance policies are typically credence goods - that is, the basis risk...

This paper builds a dynamic model of utility regulation where a government cannot commit to a time-inconsistent policy of not expropriating investment.By allowing the government's type to change over time, I explore how reputation concerns may generate partial commitment. Restricting attention...

The efficient operation and expansion of infrastructures in developing countries is crucial for growth and poverty reduction. However, recent reforms aimed at improving the performance of these sectors have had limited success. Evidence suggests that, in many instances, this was because the...

This paper investigates the impact of limited commitment on international electricity trade. We build a model where hold-up problems originating from incomplete contracts decrease countries' willingness to trade. In particular, an inability to commit to future trade reduces the specialization of...

This paper uses contract theory to suggest simple contract designs that could be used by the Global Fund. Using a basic model of procurement, we lay out five alternative options and consider when each is likely to be most appropriate. The rest of the paper then discusses how one can build a real...