Schumpeter (column in The Economist): The pedagogy of the privileged

Surprising they didn't mention Stanford GSB and the New Curriculum; Particularly when they mentioned Nick Bloom and John Van Reenen's work (I took their class on their research, which I'd followed since I sat in on Nick's presentation ahead of SAIL 2007 (that's me front extreme left in the picture with the Infosys pyramid!)

Schumpeter: The pedagogy of the privileged | The Economist

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Pulling the ladder up after them

State-educated (free ride all the way) doctors laying siege to the University Grants Commission demanding that the new private medical school project be denied (the buildings are already up opposite MillenniumIT in Malabe).

Expand opportunity to a wider base, overcoming the funnel into limited State universities that distorts the education system - if not the entire economy? What horror! What would become of the Chosen Few, such Brahmins as these, insulting their white coats as they hang on fences?

"Should people working in development have developing country experience?" Not even a question, to me

Ken Banks asked the question, and I had to add my two cents' worth (in comments).

"YES to developing-country experience for development workers - ideally in the same countries/regions they will work in - and with the demographics they will be working for (note I didn't say "with"). I firmly believe you need to feel the mud between your toes and get to know at least a few members of your demographic on a personal level. That empathy and depth of understanding can change what you do - and how you do it." Maybe it just seems more obvious to me because I come from a developing country myself - and have seen too many projects that fail to account for even the most basic local appropriateness - e.g. in Sri Lanka, lovely, airy buildings with tiled floors and wood panels - which become roosts for hundreds of crows, in the intense heat and humidity end up with warped grouting and paneling, and come the two monsoons, cannot be navigated without gumboots and umbrellas. The saddest thing about that example is that just because you donate a building, should not mean you cannot hire a local architect at least as a consultant, if not your main architect.

Ideators - Apprentice-style show with some twists

As I type I'm watching British and Sri Lankan university students in a Sri Lankan Apprentice-style show sponsored by the British Council (on ETV, for those in SL).

Yes, I cringed, more when watching the old-school corporate guys trying to tune in or - alas - communicate (through no fault of their own - will save that for a later rant).

But hey, they were out there on the streets, the corporate guys obviously had to wrap their minds around something new, and the presentations seem to have had some good analysis behind them - profit margins, demographic preferences, lateral thinking. The Sri Lankan students more than held their own - and this experience will hopefully stay with them as they go out into the workforce - hopefully the Sri Lankan workforce (separate rant alert)

Beating malnutrition - it takes a village

Nicely done video, although it's focused on India - which makes sense I guess, if you apply the Pareto rule.

Question is, why is Sri Lanka, which is the best among the worst (see the graph) sliding back up in the numbers for stunted growth?

Welcome to a country with first-world health indicators and third-world "leadership." I only hope we can prove conclusively that maintaining good health indicators is not an either-or choice for a developing country while it gets the rest right. Along with all the other interventions (Embrace is part of it, as are the many nutrition efforts) increasing incomes - sustainably - has to be one of the ways to help break the nutrition trap at the bottom of the pyramid.

http://go.worldbank.org/YKEOSEOAQ0

Community-Driven Development

We've had a name for it for a long time - "Shramadana" (lit. "donating one's labour") but it's good to see that people still see it as an option. Of course it can get messy and political, but that's a function of the group involved and how serious they are about the issue that needs fixing. A little principled leadership wouldn't hurt, though that seems a precious commodity these days

http://go.worldbank.org/QYYSWHNBP0

Save him from the White Vans

One could laugh at the "hypothetical" situation of the minister of agriculture controlling the biggest rice mill, or the opposition protesting fiscal responsibility and a balanced budget... but for how long?

http://www.lbo.lk/fullstory.php?nid=1359486271