Deadline: 31-Jan-22
The United Nations University World Institute for Development Economics Research (UNU-WIDER) is seeking proposals for original research on the Economic Transformation Database (ETD) project.
This project aims to better understand structural transformation—how it varies, why it varies, and what the implications of this might be—and to offer new frameworks that provide insight into how to address it. This will generate new knowledge on how developing economies, in particular low-income ones, can achieve sustainable, inclusive development. Proposals for original research that speak to the core themes of this project and offer strong empirical, methodological, or theoretical contributions will be considered.
To support research efforts and informed policy making, UNU-WIDER partnered with the Groningen Growth and Development Centre (GGDC) of the University of Groningen to construct the GGDC/UNU-WIDER Economic Transformation Database (ETD). The ETD provides time series of employment and real and nominal value added annually by 12 sectors in 51 economies in Africa, Asia, and Latin America for the period 1990–2018.
The project mainly helps to monitor the progress made in achieving SDG 8: Decent work and economic growth. The ETD, a global public good, may also be instrumental to policy makers’ ability to analyse the role that structural change can play in achieving other SDGs.
Individual researchers will be issued UNU Consultant Contracts (CTC), while non-profit organizations will be issued UNU Institutional Contractual Agreements (ICA). A total research honorarium of US$6,000 will be paid in one instalment. In cases of co-authorship, the honorarium will be divided equally among the contributors. The payment will be made after submission and review of the revised full version of the working paper
Topics
They seek to encourage research using the ETD to provide novel insights on key questions related to various topics, including (but not limited to):
- Empirical and theoretical analyses of the patterns and drivers of structural change globally, as well as in specific regions or countries.
- The industrialization experience of a country or group of countries in recent decades.
- The relation between growth, poverty reduction, and sectoral patterns of employment and production.
- Whether countries can achieve growth, provide good jobs, and reduce poverty without industrialisation.
- Whether modern agriculture and modern services serve as an alternative mechanism of structural transformation and economic growth.
Offer and Expectations
- UNU-WIDER invites proposals from qualified researchers for papers examining structural transformation broadly. Following formal acceptance and initial publication in the WIDER Working Papers Series, the aim is to have these papers published in high-quality journals or books in economics, political science, development studies, or related fields. The papers must be written in English and should be around 10,000 words (inclusive of text, tables, figures, boxes, footnotes, references, etc.
- Proposals from individuals (or groups of individuals) as well as non-profit organizations are welcome. Applications from women and developing country researchers are particularly encouraged.
Evaluation Criteria
- Each proposal will be reviewed for scientific merit and feasibility. Proposals will be selected on the basis of three criteria:
- relevance to the research project,
- strength of theoretical, methodological, or empirical contribution, and
- clarity of writing.
- Only the final decision on whether to fund the proposal or not will be communicated to applicants. Applicants must not expect feedback on their proposals.
For more information, visit https://www.wider.unu.edu/opportunity/economic-transformation-database