PSD Blog@IDRC

Announcement - IFC/Financial Times Research Paper Competition

First Annual Private Sector Development Research Competition            

The International Finance Corporation of the World Bank Group and the Financial Times (FT) invite entries for the first international private sector development research paper competition.               

Six awards will be granted to the top papers as judged by the Awards Committee:

Gold Award                      US$30,000
2 Silver Awards each         US$15,000
3 Bronze Awards each        US$10,000                     

Theme: "Business and Development: The Private Path to Prosperity"

The competition seeks to promote the best thinking on the role of business in development. Papers should add to the global discussion on private sector development and economic growth by providing new and innovative analyses, perspectives, or ideas. The target audience can be economic and financial policymakers, the international financial community, or international domestic investors.                              

Publishing                                 
Prize-winners will be invited to the IMF/World Bank Group Annual Meeting in Fall 2006 where winning entries will be announced. The Financial Times and the International Finance Corporation will publish winning and selected essays or summaries in print and online.                  

Deadline for submission June 30, 2006

For more information please open Download IFC-FT_PSDResearchPaperCompetition-flyer.pdf

THE IMPORTANCE OF MANAGEMENT EDUCATION TO AFRICA By Guy Pfeffermann, Director GBSN

As every gardener knows, plants are happy when they get the water they require – not too little, not too much. A sudden downpour is wasted; the soil cannot absorb it, and the runoff erodes the soil, especially off slopes. That is why sprinklers – from watering cans to sophisticated irrigation apparatus – are so useful.

The same goes with funding development in Africa and other poor regions of the world. Too little money, whether domestic saving, export revenues or aid to governments and NGOs, hampers progress. But too much is bad as well. Like plants growing on slopes, national economies can absorb only a certain flow of money usefully; this increases as the economy develops.

This is an excerpt from Guy Pfefferman's very interesting article entitled, The Importance of Management Education to Africa, whose central argument states; the lack of managerial skills at all levels is one of the basic reasons for the low absorptive capacity of African economies.

To read more, Download importance_of_management_education_in_africa.pdf