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21. Developing a Palm Oil Sector: The Experiences of Malaysia and Ghana Compared

Author:
Lindsay Whitfield and Niels Fold
Publication Date:
02-2012
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
Danish Institute for International Studies
Abstract:
This paper explores what can be learned about the development of a productive sector and the factors that affect the process of upgrading and innovation, through a comparative assessment of the experiences of Malaysia and Ghana in the palm oil sector. The purpose is not to carry out a direct comparison of the trajectories of the sectors in the two countries, which would serve only to emphasize the failures in the 'construction' of the palm industry in Ghana. Rather, the role of context must be acknowledged, such that learning starts with understanding key points in the industries' trajectories that either break or accelerate path dependency. Thus, the paper focuses on the differing contextual factors and initial conditions, and how they shaped early divergent paths and industry structures, as well as the presence or absence of factors supporting expansion and diversification within each country's trajectory.
Topic:
Agriculture, Development, Economics, and Industrial Policy
Political Geography:
Africa and Malaysia

22. Cooperating with China in Africa

Publication Date:
02-2012
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
Danish Institute for International Studies
Abstract:
OECD donors, international organisations and non-governmental organisations are increasingly cooperating with China in Africa. This policy brief offers recommendations for policy-makers on how to lay the groundwork for such cooperation. It also stresses that the involvement of African partners is critical in fully realizing the benefits such cooperation can provide for sustainable development.
Topic:
Foreign Policy, Development, Diplomacy, Economics, Foreign Aid, and Foreign Direct Investment
Political Geography:
Africa and China

23. Growing but not transforming: Fragmented ruling coalitions and economic developments in Uganda

Author:
Anne Mette Kjær and Mesharch Katusiimeh
Publication Date:
03-2012
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
Danish Institute for International Studies
Abstract:
When the National Resistance Movement (NRM) and its leader, Yoweri Museveni, came to power, they had an explicit agenda of industrializing the economy (Kjær and Muhumuza, 2009). Improved infrastructure and increased production and productivity were the focus. Indeed, Uganda enjoyed a period of sustained economic growth of about 7 percent annually between 1990 and 2006 (Piron and Norton, 2004; Kjær and Muhumuza, 2009), made possible by a stable ruling coalition, macro-economic stability, low inflation (until recently), and relative peace. Poverty declined from 56 percent in 1991 to 25 percent in 20101 However, there has been limited structural transformation in terms of a shift from agriculture to industry. A number of explanations for this could be put forward, whether institutional, policy-oriented or geographical (Selassie, 2008; van de Walle, 2001). None of them, however, explains fully how Uganda, in spite of an initially highly dedicated ruling elite, did not succeed in transforming its economy. For example, Uganda is a landlocked country, but so is Zimbabwe, which is far more industrialized. Similarly, while Uganda certainly has weak institutions, so did other countries that have succeeded in industrializing (Selassie, 2008).
Topic:
Agriculture, Development, Economics, Industrial Policy, and Post Colonialism
Political Geography:
Uganda, Africa, and Zimbabwe

24. Europeanising labour migration policies and pursuing national objectives

Author:
Katrine Borg Albertsen
Publication Date:
07-2012
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
Danish Institute for International Studies
Abstract:
The EU Blue Card scheme offers skilled labour migrants access to, and onward mobility within, the EU labour market. Due to its justice and home affairs opt-out Denmark is cut off from participation, and instead pursues national schemes for high-skilled labour migration. It is in the best interests of both Denmark and the EU to pursue fully integrated strategic goals aimed at producing a competitive joint policy on economic migration.
Topic:
Economics, Industrial Policy, Migration, and Labor Issues
Political Geography:
Europe

25. The World Bank and the Emerging World Order Adjusting to multipolarity at the second decimal point

Author:
Jakob Vestergaard
Publication Date:
04-2011
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
Danish Institute for International Studies
Abstract:
The voice reform process originated in the Monterrey Consensus, which was articulated at the United Nations International Conference on Financing for Development held in Monterrey on 22 March 2002. For several years after the Monterrey Consensus, progress in deliberations on voice reform in the governing bodies of the World Bank was modest. But the global economic crisis raised the urgency of reforming the Bretton Woods institutions in the eyes of most countries and the creation of a G20 Leaders Forum gave further impetus to the voice reform process.
Topic:
Economics, Globalization, International Cooperation, International Affairs, and World Bank
Political Geography:
United Nations

26. How countries become rich and reduce poverty: A review of heterodox explanations of economic development

Author:
Lindsay Whitfield
Publication Date:
06-2011
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
Danish Institute for International Studies
Abstract:
For the sake of less developed countries, it is time to adjust the discourses of international development assistance on poverty reduction. This article attempts to do so by reviewing new and old literature explaining why some countries are rich and others are poor. History has repeatedly shown that the single most important thing that distinguished rich countries from poor ones is basically their higher capabilities in manufacturing. We have to shift the discussion about ending world poverty back to one about structural transformation of the economy and increasing technological capabilities.
Topic:
Development, Economics, and Poverty

27. Engaging in productive sector development: Comparisons between Mozambique and Ghana

Author:
Lars Buur and Lindsay Whitfield
Publication Date:
10-2011
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
Danish Institute for International Studies
Abstract:
Through a comparison of sector cases in Mozambique and Ghana, the paper analyzes why and how African states engage in developing productive sectors and with what success. It argues that successful state interventions depend on four factors: (1) sustained political support by the government leadership; (2) the existence of an embedded and mediating bureaucracy; (3) changing the 'rules of the game' which govern the distribution of economic benefits and resources; and (4) the organisation of industry actors and institutionalised interaction between industry actors and state actors.
Topic:
Economics and Industrial Policy
Political Geography:
Africa and Ghana

28. The Impact of Global Crises, Trade Finance and Aid on Export Flows: A Developing Country Perspective

Author:
Jose Brambila-Macias, Isabella Massa, and Matthew J. Salois
Publication Date:
11-2011
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
Danish Institute for International Studies
Abstract:
In this paper, we use a mixed-effects trade gravity model on a sample of 83 developing countries over the period 1990-2007 to assess the impact of trade finance and foreign aid on bilateral export flows. In addition to traditional variables, we also include a banking crises variable and a global economic downturns variable among the regressors. Differences across developing regions are taken into account. Our results suggest that: (i) trade finance has a positive and significant impact on bilateral export flows in all developing regions except Latin America; (ii) foreign aid matters in all regions; (iii) global economic downturns exert a negative and significant impact on export flows in all developing countries, and especially in Latin American and Sub-Saharan African economies; (iv) banking crises appear to have no significant impact in most developing regions.
Topic:
Economics, Globalization, International Trade and Finance, Foreign Aid, and Financial Crisis
Political Geography:
Africa and Latin America

29. Policy making and implementation in agriculture: Tanzania's push for irrigated rice

Author:
Ole Therkildsen
Publication Date:
11-2011
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
Danish Institute for International Studies
Abstract:
Tanzania's 2005 push to increase rice production by ambitious rural investments in irrigation and by tariff protection of its rice industry from cheap imported subsidised rice has apparently highlevel political support. Yet, the implementation has run into problems: non-compliance with the tariff, substantial smuggling of cheap rice through Zanzibar, and low sustainability of irrigation schemes due to poor local-level operation and maintenance.
Topic:
Agriculture, Economics, and Food
Political Geography:
Africa and Tanzania

30. Pro-poor Growth through Export Sector Support: What Works Where and Why

Author:
Peter Gibbon and Henrik Nielsen
Publication Date:
12-2011
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
Danish Institute for International Studies
Abstract:
This report reviews international experiences with pro-poor development assistance to export sectors. Such support has become more common in the last decade and a half, following the emergence of widespread consensus amongst policymakers that export growth can be a key poverty reduction mechanism – since it should increase both national income and formal employment. This contributes to poverty reduction directly through increased employment and indirectly through creating additional resources for governments to pursue pro-poor policies. Nevertheless, policymakers normally also agree that some types of export growth are more (potentially) pro-poor than others, especially but not only in their employment effects. It is initiatives to respond to this challenge that will be treated in this report.
Topic:
Economics, Gender Issues, Poverty, and Labor Issues
Political Geography:
Africa