USAID Forum Series 7: Institutional Barriers to Entrepreneurship

The Forum Series on the Role of Institutions in Promoting Economic Growth brought leading scholars to bear on this important topic. The Mercatus Center focused on the institutional barriers to entrepreneurship in developing countries. The unique GPI perspective and methodology was shared with USAID in a series of three day-long forums and field studies in three countries. USAID is recognizing the importance of an institutional perspective that takes into account the role of the entrepreneur for development policy. Through this series, the Mercatus Center and IRIS developed applications designed to improve the way foreign aid empowers individuals to realize the freedom to prosper.

Agenda

9:00-9:15 - Welcome and Introduction Fred Witthans, USAID Peter Boettke, Mercatus Center, George Mason

9:15 - 11:00 - Session One: Understanding Economic Change

9:15-9:45 - Douglass North, Washington University

9:45-10:00 - Clifford Zinnes, IRIS Center

10:00-10:15 - Jonathan Conly, USAID

10:15-11:00 - Moderated Panel Discussion

11:00-11:30 - Break

11:30 - 1:00 - Session Two: Theory Applied: The Middle East

11:30-12:00 - Timur Kuran, University of Southern California

12:00-12:15 - Jack Goldstone, George Mason University

12:15-12:30 - David Cowles, USAID

12:30-1:00 - Moderated Panel Discussion

1:00-2:00 - Catered Lunch

2:00-3:45 - Session Three: Theory Applied: Mexico

2:00-2:30 - Barry Weingast, Stanford University

2:30-2:45 - Tyler Cowen, Mercatus Center, George Mason

2:45-3:00 - Ed Connerley, USAID

3:00-3:45 - Moderated Panel Discussion

Break 3:45-4:00

4:00-5:15 - Session Four: Implications and Next Steps

4:00-5:00 - Panel Discussion: Prepared Questions

5:00-5:15 - Closing and Next Steps: Peter Boettke