USAID Forum Series 8: Case Studies

New Institutional Economics and Development: Case Studies and Applications

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
9:00-9:05 - Fred Witthans, USAID 
9:05-9:15 - Peter Boettke, Mercatus Center

9:15-10:15 - Session One: Case Study: Romania
9:15-9:45  - Paul Aligica, Mercatus Center
9:45-9:55  - USAID Comment
9:55-10:15 - Panel Discussion

10:15-10:25 Break 

10:25-11:25  - Session Two: Case Study: Dominican Republic
10:25-10:55 - David Harper, New York University
10:55-11:05 - USAID Comment
11:05-11:25 - Panel Discussion

11:25-11:35 Break

11:35-12:35  - Session Three: Case Study: Philippines
11:35-12:05 - Stephen Daley, Mercatus Center 
12:05-12-15 - USAID Comment
12:15-12:35 - Panel Discussion

12:35-1:35 Lunch 

1:35-3:20  - Session Four: Tools and Applications
1:35-1:40 - Introduction Peter Boettke, Mercatus Center 
1:40-2:10 - Investor Roadmap: David Harper, Paul Aligica
2:10-2:30 - USAID Comment
2:30-3:00 - Micro-finance and Measurement: Daley, Boettke
3:00-3:20 - USAID Comment

Break 3:20-3:40

3:40-5:00  - Session Five: USAID Questions and Discussion
4:00-5:00 - Panel of Scholars