Research

Spanning every urgent social issue from climate change to political economy and gender discrimination to global conflict, the Wheeler Institute supports research into emerging markets and developing nations.

  • Anatolia Imprints: Chronicling the Lasting Legacy of Greek Refugees from Asia Minor
    At the crossroads of history, where displacement and the repercussions of refugee flows intersect with economic, political, and social dynamics, the Refugees of the Mediterranean research project, led by Elias Papaioannou, Co-Academic Director of the Wheeler Institute for Business and Development and Professor of Economics at London Business School, and Stelios Michalopoulos, Eastman Professor of Economics at Brown University,…
  • Religion and educational mobility in Africa: A landmark study published in ‘Nature’
    Education has long been recognized as a key driver of development and empowerment in Africa. However, the impact of religion on educational mobility has remained a topic of concern and debate. In a landmark study published in Nature, called Religion and educational mobility in Africa, Elias Papaioannou, Alberto Alesina, Sebastian Hohmann, and Stelios Michalopoulos, supported…
  • Firestone: Colonial Concessions in Liberia
    Firestone is one of the oldest and largest natural rubber plantations in the world. Founded in 1926 in Liberia by Harvey Firestone, the plantations continue to provide employment for thousands of Liberians to date. Till Trojer, a post-doctoral researcher at the Wheeler Institute, anthropologist and filmmaker, travelled to Liberia last year in May to film…
  • Highlighting research for impact
    Wheeler Institute launches new micro website showcasing business research with a focus on development. The Wheeler Institute has launched a micro website under the banner ‘Business research for impact’. Spanning every urgent social issue from climate change to political economy and gender discrimination to global conflict, the new microsite brings together the Institute’s research into…
  • Introducing our 2022 pre-doctoral research assistants
    The Wheeler Institute is delighted to welcome three new pre-doctoral researchers. They reveal what brought them to London Business School and what they hope to achieve in their research.
  • Harnessing the potential of urbanisation in Africa: Raising capacity of local governments
    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…

Applied research

We bridge the gap between theory and practice through collaborative efforts and teaching, translating cutting-edge research into actionable solutions for real-world challenges.

  • Geographic Information System workshop
    Applications are now closed Date: Thursday 11 May – Tuesday 30 May Time: 3pm BST – 6pm BST & WAT / 9pm-12pm EDT The Wheeler Institute for Business and Development at London Business School (LBS) is offering a virtual online workshop on GIS methods for quantitative spatial data analysis. This workshop aims to equip students…
  • Improving the effectiveness of formal housing delivery in Tanzania
    Promoting evidence-based practices to enable solutions scaling by business The operation of urban land markets in developing countries is critical to building sustainable cities. Sub-Saharan Africa is experiencing rapid urbanisation, pressuring cities with limited institutional capacity. Challenges include inadequate provision of housing, a proliferation of slums and rising inequality. Many African countries suffer from weak…
  • Understanding how to scale gender impact through fintech
    Scale Series Expert Q&A with Katherine Owens, Head of Labs (R&D) at M-KOPA. Read our previous Q&A with with Ruby Nimkar, Principal at Greenhouse Capital. As part of a series of expert interviews, the Wheeler Institute’s Science of Scale research team interviewed experts including practitioners, policymakers and investors to understand practicalities and perspectives on scaling digital…
  • Scale Series Expert Q&A with Ruby Nimkar
    Read our next Scale Series Expert Q&A with Katherine Owens, Head of Labs (R&D) at M-KOPA. As part of an on-going series, the Wheeler Institute’s DigitalxScale research team interviewed experts including practitioners, policymakers and investors to understand practicalities and perspectives on scaling digital technologies across Africa. In this interview with Ruby Nimkar, Principal at Greenhouse Capital, WIBD…
  • Is there a science to scale? Launch of the DigitalxScale website and report
    Nearly 15 years ago, M-PESA launched as one of the world’s first mobile money payment systems – catalysing business growth and banking those otherwise excluded from formal financial institutions. Today more than 700 fintech companies operate across the African continent. Collectively, these fintech companies have created digital payment infrastructures that help businesses and individuals overcome…
  • Dharma Life facilitates rural India to face challenges of COVID-19
    The Covid-19 pandemic has had an unprecedented impact around the globe. The situation in India has been devastating, with the healthcare system close to collapse under the strain of thousands of people requiring medical attention. This devastation has been particularly tough for India’s rural population where shortages in doctors, hospital beds and medical equipment have…