Entrepreneurship, ESG and venture capital

Towards a long-term research initiative at the intersection of ESG and entrepreneurship The integration of environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors in investment decisions has increased rapidly, but investing in high-growth startups through venture capital (VC) has significantly lagged behind. Evidence suggests this trend is accelerating, and that VCs tend to invest in highly disruptive…

When bulldozers loom

Informal property rights and innovation in marketing practices among emerging-market micro-entrepreneurs Micro-entrepreneurs constitute the most common type of business in the world and marketing is the primary means by which they earn their livelihoods. In emerging markets there are a significant number of micro-entrepreneurs and many live precarious lives, characterised by poverty and potentially devastating…

Measuring attitudes towards African-Americans using machine learning and textual data

Identifying determinants of cultural distance to overcome barriers The challenge Cultural distance between groups has important economic consequences. Ethno-linguistic fragmentation, for example, has been shown to reduce the provision of public goods, reduce social capital formation and increase the likelihood of conflict. This could ultimately reduce the gains to ethnic minorities of ‘moving to opportunity’…

Foreign aid through domestic tax reforms?

Evidence from multinational firm presence in developing countries The challenge Multinational firms account for a significant part of resource allocation in the global economy. This is a particularly important issue in developing countries. Multinational firm investment in developing countries can often be associated with growth, however, these firms are often accused of exploiting local markets…

Institutional independence and social media

Providing real-time, market-based evidence on threats to institutional independence With the rise of political polarisation and populism in recent election cycles, attacks on national and international independent institutions (Centers for Disease Control and the World Health Organisation) have increased. Analysing market-implied expectations around attacks by political leaders allows assessment of the credibility and severity of…

Education for all, occupational choice and business formation in Africa

Examining the success of school expenditure in terms of economic payoff Africa has witnessed an unprecedented increase in access to education in the past decades. Nonetheless, manufacturing employment is tiny, innovation is weak and many large corporations ‘complain’ that there is a skill shortage. Thanks to large-scale school construction throughout the continent, many more children…

The Wheeler Institute COVID-19 series: Exploring the impact of a pandemic on developing countries

We are seeking to understand, illuminate and offer solutions to the challenges created by COVID-19. Through the Wheeler Institute COVID-19 series, we want to identify the role of business in addressing these challenges, with a focus on the implications and actions for those in developing countries. 

Increasing the follow-up rate of patients requiring emergency high-consequence treatment

Improving poorer populations’ chances of getting necessary care The challenge A low attendance rate for urgent, high-consequence treatment is prevalent in the developing world. In poorer countries, ignorance about the illnesses people have, allied to the financial costs of attending for treatment, are two of the main reasons why they fail to show up for…

Indirect marketing through adoption of home solar systems in East Africa

Evaluating a private-sector initiative to increase technology adoption Of the 14% of the world’s population that live without access to modern electricity, 95% live in sub-Saharan Africa and Asia. Studies have shown that clean-energy technologies such as solar-powered lighting and cook stoves can increase income and save household energy costs in emerging markets. Rooftop solar-technology…