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…
“It’s the best way to gain real-world insights” | Pre-Doctoral Research Assistants at the Wheeler Institute
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…
Harnessing the potential of urbanisation in Africa: Land and housing policy
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…
Harnessing the potential of urbanisation in Africa: Challenges in real-estate markets
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…
Harnessing the potential of urbanisation in Africa: The role of housing and real estate in rapidly growing cities
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…
The impact of meritocracy on asset pricing
Investigating how meritocracy enables economic growth Socioeconomic inequality is on the rise across the globe, yet research suggests that citizens in unequal societies characterized by greater inequality are generally less concerned about inequality than those in more egalitarian societies. One possible explanation for this is that people may be more likely to accept inequality if…
The unappreciated spillovers of China’s monetary policy
Identifying the transmission mechanisms of global shocks for better business-cycle management in developing countries “The emergence of China as the largest official lender has far-reaching implications for developing countries. Understanding monetary spillovers from China makes policy makers better aware of the nature of international shocks in order to make better decisions.” Jinglun Yao, PhD candidate…
The diffusion of disruptive technologies
New research will help understand how innovations in technology are spread across regions, industries, occupations and firms to generate key data insights for businesses The development of novel technologies, the degree to which they affect jobs and the speed with which they spread across regions, firms and industries are key elements in the study of…
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…