How to conceive industrial policies as development instruments distinct from trade or fiscal-deduction interventions? How can we model and study the role of state-owned enterprises (SOEs) as agents of industrial policy? How can we model their main attributes and architectures? Drawing on the...

We present results from a randomized controlled trial in Bangladesh that introduced operational practices to improve energy efficiency and reduce emissions in 276 "zigzag" brick kilns. 65% of intervention kilns adopted the improved practices. Treatment assignment reduced energy use by 10.3%...

This study investigates the impact of social and physical infrastructure spending on the non-oil tradable and non-tradable sectors while controlling for non-oil capital stock and employment in the Azerbaijani economy for the period 1995-2014. The analysis employs the Engle-Granger and...

The high-technology sector has a particular importance in the development of modern national economies. It affects both the level of competitiveness and innovation. This was a prerequisite for the study to assess the competitive position of the advanced technology sector in the European Union...

Informal network helps disseminate agricultural knowledge in the rural area where formal extension is lacking. However, how the interplay between formal training and informal network promotes technology adoption is still under-studied. This paper aims to examine the effects of training locations...

Prior research on Robotic Process Automation (RPA) has largely focused on how it benefits firms and employees. In contrast, we interview 26 high-profile RPA stakeholders at a Fortune 500 firm to ascertain challenges, drawbacks, or pitfalls of using RPA. We identify five key problems related to...

Now in its second year, this benchmarking report covers online alternative finance activity from the Middle East and African region in 2016. The total alternative finance market volume across the region grew by 48 per cent, accounting for $358.87 million. Africa alone accounted for $181.56m (51...

How to conceive industrial policies as development instruments distinct from trade or fiscal-deduction interventions? How can we model and study the role of state-owned enterprises (SOEs) as agents of industrial policy? How can we model their main attributes and architectures? Drawing on the...

The problem of land inequality has attracted renewed interest in the development literature due to its potential effects on the welfare of smallholder farmers. Poverty reduction is an important sustainable development goal and a clearer understanding of the factors that could lead to poverty is...