A major new report has been released by the Commission on Growth and Development, which is composed of 2 Nobel laureates and 19 policymakers. The report refocuses development thinking on the question of how to achieve economic growth. Since many seem to have forgotten the need for growth to achieve development goals, this report is very welcome. The report identifies five common ingredients of high-growth economies over the long term:
1. They fully exploited the world economy
2. They maintained macroeconomic stability
3. They mustered high rates of saving and investment
4. They let markets allocate resources
5. They had committed, credible, and capable governments”
These are five very sensible points. It is, for instance, important to recognize as the report does that globalization is...
The Center for the Business of Government released a report outlining ways managers can better engage citizens in their communities and government. The report, Public Deliberation: A Manager’s Guide to Citizen Engagement, discusses new strategies that governments and nonprofits can use to engage citizens through technology.The report makes the case that democracy can be revitalized by increasing citizens’ engagement and their role in decision-making, and that this outlook will benefit substance, transparency, legitimacy, and......
Many people find mobile phones convenient and hard to live without, but few think they can improve their health. A report released in March by the Imperial College in London shows that mobile phones can indeed be good for people’s health and for the healthcare system.The report, The Role of Mobile Phones in Increasing Accessibility and Efficiency in Healthcare, looked at ways that mobile phones through voice and text capabilities, can improve service and efficiency in public health. Researchers found that many organizations have successfully used mobile phones in health initiatives and that this use has increased productivity, improved health, and expanded access. These efforts have been particularly effective when targeting young people and those who are transient, such as renters,...
In a recent article published in First Monday, Alan R. Peslak calls for a universal approach to conquering the digital divide. He proposes that governments and nongovernmental organizations focus on implementing initiatives that encourage equality in information and communication technology.Initiatives pledging to improve ICTs, expand internet access to every family, or better use technology in governments and schools are not new. Peslak cites that the U.S. government supported information technology way back in the 1930s. And in 1993, the United States started the National Information Infrastructure initiative with the goal to coordinate government support to improve technology and infrastructure. Peslak credits this, along with the United States’ history of supporting technology, with...
In a recent article published in First Monday, Alan R. Peslak calls for a universal approach to conquering the digital divide. He proposes that governments and nongovernmental organizations focus on implementing initiatives that encourage equality in information and communication technology.Initiatives pledging to improve ICTs, expand internet access to every family, or better use technology in governments and schools are not new. Peslak cites that the U.S. government supported information technology way back in the 1930s. And in 1993, the United States started the National Information Infrastructure initiative with the goal to coordinate government support to improve technology and infrastructure. Peslak credits this, along with the United States’ history of supporting technology, with...
Many people find mobile phones convenient and hard to live without, but few think they can improve their health. A report released in March by the Imperial College in London shows that mobile phones can indeed be good for people’s health and for the healthcare system.The report, The Role of Mobile Phones in Increasing Accessibility and Efficiency in Healthcare, looked at ways that mobile phones through voice and text capabilities, can improve service and efficiency in public health. Researchers found that many organizations have successfully used mobile phones in health initiatives and that this use has increased productivity, improved health, and expanded access. These efforts have been particularly effective when targeting young people and those who are transient, such as renters,...
The Center for the Business of Government released a report outlining ways managers can better engage citizens in their communities and government. The report, Public Deliberation: A Manager’s Guide to Citizen Engagement, discusses new strategies that governments and nonprofits can use to engage citizens through technology.The report makes the case that democracy can be revitalized by increasing citizens’ engagement and their role in decision-making, and that this outlook will benefit substance, transparency, legitimacy, and......
The Center for the Business of Government released a report outlining ways managers can better engage citizens in their communities and government. The report, Public Deliberation: A Manager’s Guide to Citizen Engagement, discusses new strategies that governments and nonprofits can use to engage citizens through technology.The report makes the case that democracy can be revitalized by increasing citizens’ engagement and their role in decision-making, and that this outlook will benefit substance, transparency, legitimacy, and......