The success of urban policies depends on municipal and state capacity. Government in Africa, especially at the local level, suffers from low fiscal capacity, but there are signs of improvement. We have seen through this series that government policy has a role to play in ensuring that cities develop productively. However, without public funds and…
Two Pre-Doctoral Researchers at the Wheeler Institute for Business and Development reveal how the experience has profoundly shaped their academic ambitions – and yielded some surprising insights along the way Whatever preconceptions Pre-Doctoral students have before they join the Wheeler Institute, they are always surprised to find that the experience is much broader than they…
Professor Rajesh Chandy, Co-Academic Director of the Wheeler Institute for Business and Development, London Business School sat down with Rhea Mazumdar Singhal, CEO and founder of Ecoware, and Gaurav Mehta, CEO and founder of Dharma Life, to discuss their entrepreneurial stories and how they are trying to address some of the biggest challenges that India…
Mr. Adar Poonawalla, CEO of Serum Institute of India (SII) – the world’s largest vaccine manufacturer – was recently hosted by the student-led LBS India Club. Mr Poonawalla discussed with Krati Jain MBA2022 and vice president of the India Club, his ambition to accelerate vaccine equity across the globe, and his thoughts on how the…
Through pre-emptive urban planning the government can signal public investment and encourage coordinated private investment in land. How can land and housing policy improve real-estate markets in African cities? Slums are characterised by both low public and private capital investment and are pervasive in urban Africa. Various policy responses are proposed to create urban neighbourhoods…
“Anthropology forces you to reset and rewire your own thinking process. You have to train yourself to be open to the world around” An anthropologist and filmmaker, Dr Till Trojer recently joined the Wheeler Institute as a Post-doctoral Research Fellow. We touched on his ambition for his research at the Wheeler Institute, and discussed his…
Customary land-tenure systems, which can work well in the rural hinterland, cannot accommodate the high prices and complex land markets of large, modern cities. There are at least two key institutional features that present challenges to the land markets of African cities: a lack of property rights and minimal urban planning. Property rights are fundamental…
Urbanisation in Africa represents a huge opportunity for the continent. The increased concentration of people in urban spaces is good for workers and businesses alike, since economic density will bring gains in productivity and quality of life. There are 500 million people living in African cities with another 700 million expected by 2050. This population…
One year on, how has the South African Government performed during the COVID-19 crisis? The Wheeler Institute for Business and Development invited Professor Nick Binedell – Professor and Former Dean of the Gordon Institute of Business Science, University of Pretoria – to share his views on the government’s response to the COVID-19 crisis, and to…
One year on, how has Turkey performed during the COVID-19 crisis? The Wheeler Institute for Business and Development invited Sebnem Kalemli-Ozcan – Neil Moskowitz Professor of Economics and Finance University of Maryland – back to share her views on the Turkish government’s response to the COVID-19 crisis over the past year, and her hopes for…
