Development Talks: Four Frameworks for Macroeconomic Policy in a Pluralist Polity

The Growth Lab’s “Development Talks” is a series of conversations with policymakers and academics working in international development. The seminar provides a platform for practitioners and researchers to discuss both the practice of development and analytical work centered on policy. In this Development Talks seminar, Indrajit Coomaraswamy, Former Governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (2016-2019), will discuss four frameworks for macroeconomic policy in a pluralist polity based on his experience and insights from serving as Central Bank Governor.

Please register in advance to attend this event. Contact Katya Gonzalez-Willette with any event-related questions.

Development Talks: Managing Policy Reform in Jordan

The Growth Lab’s “Development Talks” is a series of conversations with policymakers and academics working in international development. The seminar provides a platform for practitioners and researchers to discuss both the practice of development and analytical work centered on policy. In this Development Talks seminar, Dr. Omar Razzaz, Former Prime Minister of Jordan (2018-2020), will discuss his experience and insights from managing policy reform initiatives in the country.

Please register in advance to attend this event. Contact Katya Gonzalez-Willette with any event-related questions.

Development Talks: Economic Policy During COVID-19 in Peru – Addressing Old and New Challenges

The Growth Lab’s “Development Talks” is a series of conversations with policymakers and academics working in international development. The seminar provides a platform for practitioners and researchers to discuss both the practice of development and analytical work centered on policy. These seminars take place on Wednesdays at 12PM EDT on a biweekly basis. In this Development Talks seminar, María Antonieta Alva, Former Minister of Economy and Finance in Peru, will discuss the challenges of implementing economic policy in Peru during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Please register in advance to attend this seminar.

Private-Public Collaboration in Productive Development Policies: The Experience of the Argentine Mesas Sectoriales, 2016-2019

Watch the event recording of this seminar and download the presentation slide deck. 

Joint work by Martin Obaya and Ernesto Stein analyzes Argentina’s experience with the Mesas Sectoriales (or sectoral roundtables), a public-private dialogue instrument deployed during the Macri administration, under the responsibility of the Ministry of Production. After an unsuccessful first attempt during which they did not garner the necessary political support, the mesas sectoriales became a key instrument of public policy at the sector level. Their objective was to identify the main obstacles to the development of specific sectors –such as missing or inadequate regulations, missing public inputs, lack of coordination across public sector agencies, etc– and quickly move from dialogue and diagnosis into action, coordinating the public sector response in order to provide the necessary solutions. After discussing where the mesas sectoriales fit within the broader scope of productive development policies, we analyze their main characteristics and participants, as well as the key areas of action: simplification, quality and internationalization, and labor issues. We discuss some of the ingredients that made them successful, and extract a few key policy lessons.

About the speaker: Ernesto Stein is Principal Economist at the Inter-American Development Bank’s Research Department. He has previously been the IDB’s Regional Economic Advisor in the Country Department of Belize, Central America, Mexico, Panama and the Dominican Republic, and a Growth Fellow at Harvard University’s Center for International Development. He has published extensively on issues of international trade and integration, foreign direct investment, productive development policies, institutional economics and political economy. A native of Argentina, he holds a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of California at Berkeley.

PDIA in Action: Radicalization in France

As part of MLD103M, students at HKS spent 7 weeks working on exploring radicalization in France, and to help identify ideas and entry points. In this presentation, the student team and their authorizer will share some of their key takeaways and recommendations from this experience.
 
Presenters: Sasha Mathew, Imara Salas, Kishan Shah, Katie Wesdyk, students at the Harvard Kennedy School; Raphael Kenigsberg, Cyber Security Expert at BNP Paribas and Implementing Public Policy executive program alumni. Moderator: Salimah Samji, Director of Building State Capability.

Please register in advance to attend this event.

PDIA in Action: Abandoned Infrastructure Projects in Nigeria

As part of MLD103M, students at HKS spent 7 weeks working with the Head of Projects Management and Results Delivery Office, in the office of the Governor of Plateau State to better understand the number of abandoned infrastructure projects in Nigeria, and to help identify ideas and entry points. In this presentation, the student team and their authorizer will share some of their key takeaways and recommendations from this experience.

Presenters: Nathalie Gazzaneo, Tendai Mvuvu, Rodrigo Tejada, Matt Weber, students at the Harvard Kennedy School; David Wuyep, Head of Projects Management and Results Delivery Office, in the office of the Governor of Plateau State, Nigeria and Implementing Public Policy executive program alumni. Moderator: Salimah Samji, Director of Building State Capability.

Please register in advance to attend this event. 

Global Launch of Metroverse: The Growth Lab’s Urban Economy Navigator

Join us for the global launch of our new data visualization tool, Metroverse: The Growth Lab’s Urban Economy Navigator. The platform is designed to provide policymakers, businesses, and civil society with unprecedented economic data for more than 1,000 cities in 79 countries. The insights are centered on five key questions:

• What is the economic composition of my city?
• What does my city specialize in?
• What cities are similar to my city?
• What is my city’s position in the Industry Space?
• What are the growth opportunities?

This platform builds upon the Growth Lab’s Atlas of Economic Complexity, which maps the productive capabilities of about 200 countries and their capacity for growth and development. With Metroverse, we explore at the level where many of a nation’s capabilities reside: its cities and local workforces. The tool vividly illustrates the technological capabilities that underpin a city’s economy and its’ opportunities for future growth and diversification. 

The event will feature a presentation by Growth Lab Director Ricardo Hausmann, Frank Neffke, and Annie White, who will conduct a demonstration of how to utilize the tool and provide insights into the research and technology behind the tool. We look forward to showcasing the new tool to you and ask that you register in advance if you plan to attend.

PDIA in Action: Exploring Trade between Kenya and Canada

As part of MLD103M, Harvard students spent 7 weeks working with the Honorary Consul General to better understand the absence of bilateral trade agreements between Kenya and Canada, and to help identify ideas and entry points. In this presentation the student team and their authorizer will share some of their key takeaways and recommendations from this experience.

Presenters: John Diing, Mayra Hoyos, students at the Harvard Kennedy School; Bishal Belbase student at the Harvard School of Public Health; Stephanie Shalkoski, student at the Harvard Business School; Dr. George Imbenzi, Honorary Consul General of Kenya to Canada and Implementing Public Policy executive program alumni. Moderator: Salimah Samji, Director of Building State Capability (BSC).

Please register in advance to attend this event. 

PDIA in Action: Legal Education Reform in Ukraine

The supply side of Ukraine’s legal system is inadequate for fulfilling the role and responsibilities of the legal profession contributing to the legal system’s self-perpetuating failure to ensure the rule of law and deliver justice in Ukrainian society. As part of MLD103M, students at HKS spent 7 weeks working with a Legal specialist to better understand this problem and to help identify ideas and entry points. In this presentation, the student team and their authorizer will share some of their key takeaways and recommendations from this experience.

Presenters: Frederick Tarantino, Ilhom Aliyev, Manoj Kumar, Mike Ramirez, Yousuf Folathi Alkhoori, students at the Harvard Kennedy School; Artem Shaipov, Legal specialist, USAID New Justice Program and Implementing Public Policy program alumni. Moderator: Salimah Samji, Director of Building State Capability (BSC).

Please register in advance to attend this event. 

PDIA in Action: Access to Childcare in Burien, WA

In Burien, current child-care benefits are limited and restrictive. The people who most need the benefit are not able to afford or access quality childcare leading to broader social and economic impacts on the community.

As part of MLD103M, students at HKS and HGSE spent 7 weeks working with a City Council member to better understand this problem and to help identify ideas and entry points. In this presentation the student team and their authorizer will share some of their key takeaways and recommendations from this experience.

Presenters: Crystal Collier, Doreen King, and Sasinat Chindapol, students at the Harvard Kennedy School; Kevin Schilling, Burien City Council member and Implemeting Public Policy executive program alumni. Moderator: Salimah Samji, Director of Building State Capability (BSC).

Please register in advance to attend this event.