World Bank - Publications - Faculty & Research

November 2012
Case

The World Bank in 2012: Choosing a Leader

By: Lakshmi Iyer and Ian McKown Cornell

In 2012, the World Bank faced important questions in terms of its future strategy and mission. Should the Bank continue to focus on micro-level development initiatives, such as the Millennium Development Goals (MDG), or return to traditional macro-level financial... View Details

Keywords: Economic Development; Millennium Development Goals; World Bank; International Institutions; Leadership; Development Economics; Emerging Markets; Foreign Direct Investment; Financial Services Industry; Public Administration Industry

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September 1996 (Revised November 1996)
Case

World Bank (A): Under Siege

By: George C. Lodge and Carin-Isabel Knoop

Describes the issues that James Wolfensohn faces when he takes over the World Bank as president in June 1995. Presents several lines of criticism of the bank's strategy, structure, and relevance. View Details

Keywords: Financial Institutions; International Finance; Organizational Structure; Leading Change; Situation or Environment; Decision Choices and Conditions; Strategy; Management Teams; Value; Banking Industry

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February 1991 (Revised March 1991)
Case

Women's World Banking

By: James E. Austin

Keywords: Gender; Banks and Banking; Banking Industry

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20 Apr 2009
Research & Ideas

Misgovernance at the World Bank

development banks, and UN agencies. Overall, the researchers say, the World Bank is quite well run—the issue is one of misgovernance, not malfeasance. "Ashwin and I highlight a setting in which fair... View Details

Keywords: by Martha Lagace

May 20, 2016
Comment

World Health Organization Lacks Leadership to Combat Pandemics

By: John A. Quelch

When it comes to emergency preparedness for pandemics, the World Health Organization is falling short. It has not provided prompt and clear leadership to the world in combating either the Ebola or Zika viruses. Its leadership has been low energy, its representatives... View Details

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Research Summary

Accountability in the World Bank

This research, now complete, examines the roles of civil society actors in advocating for greater accountability at the World Bank at three levels of decision-making: (1) the project level, (2) the policy level, and (3) the board governance level. The research finds... View Details

January 1997
Case

World Bank (A1): Rural Development (Revisited)

By: George C. Lodge

Begins with a brief description of the World Bank and its commitment to rural development. Discusses the bank's Northeast rural development program in Brazil, outlining its failure, success, and structural design. The questions raised by the project are left for the... View Details

Keywords: International Finance; Development Economics; Rural Scope; Policy; Problems and Challenges; Government Legislation

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28 Sep 2009
Research & Ideas

Improving Accountability at the World Bank

Editor's Note: As an institution charged with fighting global poverty, the World Bank has found itself on the firing line of late. Critics cite a persistent lack of transparency and failure to include local... View Details

Keywords: by Alnoor Ebrahim

2009
Working Paper

Corporate Misgovernance at the World Bank

By: Ashwin Kaja and Eric D. Werker

We test for evidence of corporate misgovernance at the World Bank. Most major decisions at the World Bank are made by its Board of Executive Directors. However, in any given year the majority of the Bank's member countries do not get a chance to serve on this powerful... View Details

Keywords: Developing Countries and Economies; Banks and Banking; Financing and Loans; International Finance; Corporate Governance; Governing and Advisory Boards

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30 Mar 2017
HBS Seminar

David McKenzie, World Bank

25 Nov 2014
HBS Seminar

Dilip Ratha, World Bank

20 Apr 2009
Working Paper Summaries

Corporate Misgovernance at the World Bank

Keywords: by Ashwin Kaja & Eric Werker

October 1982
Case

World Bank in the 1980s

By: Ray A. Goldberg

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16 Dec 2015
HBS Seminar

David McKenzie, The World Bank

Article

The New Competition in World Banking

By: D. B. Crane and S. L. Hayes III

Keywords: Competition; Banks and Banking; Banking Industry

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05 Oct 2009
News

The World Bank must fix its business model

November 2003 (Revised December 2003)
Case

Enabling Business Strategy with IT at the World Bank

By: F. Warren McFarlan and Brian DeLacey

World Bank IT provides services (communications, applications, video conferencing, knowledge sharing, distance learning, information sharing, client commerce, crisis management, etc.) on a global basis to the poorest countries in the globe via satellites. This case... View Details

Keywords: Information Infrastructure; Globalized Economies and Regions; Information Technology; Global Strategy; Business Strategy; Banks and Banking; Banking Industry

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2007
Working Paper

Accountability in Complex Organizations: World Bank Responses to Civil Society

By: Alnoor Ebrahim and Steve Herz

Civil society actors have been pushing for greater accountability of the World Bank for at least three decades. This paper outlines the range of accountability mechanisms currently in place at the World Bank along four basic levels: (1) staff, (2) project, (3) policy,... View Details

Keywords: Corporate Accountability; Corporate Governance; Governing and Advisory Boards; Compensation and Benefits; Business and Community Relations; Social Enterprise; Motivation and Incentives

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