How can Latin America and the Caribbean build back better after COVID-19? A new article, under the auspices of the Inter-American Development Bank, provides a series of reflections and initial public policy guidelines on how science, technology and innovation can help the region exit the crisis while laying the foundations for economic recovery. Does gender matter for promotion in science? A new paper evaluates the careers of scientists at the French Institute of Physics, and finds that male and...

Is innovation everywhere and can it be accurately measured? A new book  inspired by a new internationally agreed definition of innovation seeks to improve policy, monitoring and evaluation by studying every sector in the economy. Does religion promote environmentalism? A new cross-country study finds that religion promotes individuals’ willingness to contribute money while dampening protests against environmental protection — and these findings are most pronounced in low-income countries. ...

How has the COVID-19 lockdown affected business performance in Ghana? A new paper investigates informal enterprises in two urban centres, and finds that gender gaps are likely to grow in terms of performance. How do Global Value Chains affect export quality? A new paper looks at export upgrading in the context of economic development, and finds that GVC integration tends to improve export quality. However, it is developed countries that benefit most clearly from ‘forward’ and ‘...

When it comes to research output in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, what are the roles played by gender and race — and what are the implications for PhD fellows and their supervisors? A new paper finds productivity variations in South Africa of between 10-20%. For the mining industry in Latin America and the Caribbean, how far is innovation linked to commodity prices? A new study finds that mining firms increase exploration and R&D investments when mineral prices rise...

Are ‘more globalised’ countries suffering higher rates of coronavirus infection? A new cross-country analysis considers the spread of the virus, as well as fatality rates in the context of healthcare capacity. Post-pandemic, will a strong Europe be the solution (rather than the problem) for the future of the continent? A new working paper sets out a visionary approach based on a strong commitment to sustainable development, improvements in the public sector, joint taxation and sound ...

How will the green technology ‘revolution’ affect economic growth and structural change? A new working paper looks at options for catching up across various developing countries, including China. Should I stay or should I go? A new paper finds that most refugees retain a profound belief in return, yet there is a strong mismatch between aspiring to return and actually doing it. While return after the end of a war is driven by a wish to achieve broader life goals, current return migrat...

How far do international climate change projects ‘trickle down’? A new journal article investigates how 30 internationally-funded adaptation projects affected — and included — vulnerable local communities. What are the drivers of new and quality jobs in the developing world? A new policy brief considers the role of structural transformation in the labour markets of various emerging economies. Student migrant, refugee or both? A new thesis investigates the departure timing...

Girls consistently outperform boys on reading tests – and have done so for several decades around the world. Lack of motivation, a weak vocabulary, poor reading engagement and lack of role models have all been considered possible reasons for this disparity....

What kind of scientific research improves the overall quality of technologies? According to a new study, high-quality academic research has contributed significantly to high-quality patents — albeit with strong regional variations between China and the USA, for example. How has refugee migration evolved, globally, since World War II? A new paper refutes claims of a substantial linear increase, citing historical underestimates and the recent inclusion of internally displaced persons and tho...

Which countries are leading the fourth industrial revolution and which are being left behind? A new paper uses patent data to identify technology leaders and trade data to identify producers and users of these technologies. It then relates the use of these technologies to industrial development indicators. What shapes the migration decisions of individuals within the EU? A new paper considers educational and career development opportunities, preferences for particular cultures, lifestyles, polit...