What captivates our interest

At EFD–Global Consulting Network we are primarily interested in understanding the key ingredients of successful economic development. What explains the very diverse experience of countries during the past half a century, with some showing rising levels of income per capita, the rapid accumulation of human capital and skills and an expanding set of opportunities for their respective populations, while others are seemingly unable to take off or, in many cases, are worse off today than a quarter century ago? What are the factors, policies and institutions that help explain these differences? In 1817 in a letter to David Ricardo, Thomas Malthus referred to the causes of the wealth and poverty of nations as “the grand object of all enquiries in political economy.” We believe this remains the central question of economic development today and our activities are geared towards helping to cast light on the broad set of issues that are derived from a serious consideration of this question. Economists’ present ignorance notwithstanding, we have learned much in recent decades. We have succeeded in identifying many of these factors, how they relate to each other, how they matter differently to countries, depending on their stage of development and, in a dynamic world, how their relative importance shifts over time. (For a more detailed discussion of these issues see Factors, Policies and Institutions for Successful Economic Development.)

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What can we do and how do we do it?

An appropriate consideration of the above questions in a national or regional setting requires a phase of analysis and consultation, to be followed by dissemination and the elaboration of an action plan. You, the Client, may be a national government, an investment promotion agency, or a global corporation intent on better understanding how to help promote a particular development agenda in a national setting (e.g., the benefits for productivity of increased investment in information and communication technologies). EFD–Global Consulting Network will analyze the issues at hand, will imbed this analysis into a report that will be state-of-the-art in its understanding of the problem and will help you deliver the key messages to important stakeholders through seminars, workshops and a variety of presentations. Depending on the issues at hand, we will tap into some of the world’s leading experts to work with us in providing the very best of professional advice. Our aim is to clarify, to provide a platform for a more thorough understanding of the problem(s) being analyzed, as a starting point for an informed debate and the formulation of appropriate policies. "There is no substitute for knowledge" is our motto.

Click here for examples of the work we can do for you.

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