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This dissertation explores how the informational environment of political economy affects domestic governance and economic performance. The first essay addresses whether the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) improve domestic governance by employing fixed effects regression and Cox Proportional Hazard Model with time-dependent variables. This essay suggests that EITI membership is positively and significantly associated with domestic transparency and that the EITI has few spill-over effects into other transparency institutions. The second essay of my dissertation probes the effect of the EITI on the flow of foreign direct investment (FDI). By using two-stage least squares method and instrumental variables, this essay finds that the EITI membership is positively and significantly associated with the flow of FDI. The third essay explores whether the effect of inequality on redistribution is mediated by the level of transparency of a country. The assumption that average citizens are aware of their income level in the entire income distribution is unfounded, and this misperception influences public preferences for redistribution. However, correcting this misperception by providing accurate information makes public preference move in favor of redistribution. Built on the existing literature on inequality and redistribution, this paper finds that transparency increases redistribution and the effect of transparency is greater when there are socio-economic cleavages among the race/ethnic groups of a society.

This study examines the evolution of transnational aid data governance through an in-depth analysis of the OECD Creditor Reporting System and the International Aid Transparency Initiative. Conceptualizing data governance as a socio-technical and politically contested process, it explores how the norms of aid transparency and aid effectiveness have diffused globally, and how reporting standards have emerged and become institutionalized within the fragmented architecture of international development cooperation. The study highlights how regime complexity, characterized by overlapping mandates, institutional tensions, and competing mechanisms, has shaped the trajectory of aid data governance. The findings demonstrate that aid data governance is driven not only by technical rationales and functional imperatives but also by political interests and institutional dynamics. Drawing on qualitative case analysis, the study identifies persistent challenges in aligning transparency norms with reporting practices. It calls for a multidisciplinary approach to future research and for adaptive, interoperable frameworks tailored to post-2030 development agendas.

This article evaluates the potential of the current Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) agenda for addressing issues related to societal governance. The investigation focuses on the experience of the oil and gas sector, which has been among the leading industry sectors in championing CSR. In particular, the article analyses the issue of revenue transparency, which has been the principal governance challenge addressed by multinational oil and gas companies. The article suggests that (1) tackling governance challenges is crucial to addressing the impact of corporate activities; (2) current CSR and policy initiatives are entirely insufficient in addressing governance challenges and (3) corporate activities may be contributing to governance failures.

Purpose This study aims to examine the effect of anti-corruption disclosure on the profitability and financial stability of extractive firms in Africa. It also tests the convergence of profitability and financial stability. Design/methodology/approach The study uses an unbalanced panel data of 27 firms operating in five African countries covering the period 2006–2018. Anti-corruption assessment is done in line with GRI 205: Anti-Corruption. Profitability is measured using the return on asset and return on equity, whereas the z-score measures financial stability. The study uses the panel-corrected error regression technique for estimation. Findings There is evidence that corruption disclosure reduces the financial stability of firms. Disclosures on corruption analysis and corruption training are the main factors driving the reduction in financial stability. The effect on profitability is not significant except in the case of disclosure on corruption response, which also reduces profitability. There is strong statistical evidence to suggest that profitability and financial stability of extractive firms converge. This suggests that less-performing firms catch up with high performers. Research limitations/implications The study has relevant implications for practitioners, policymakers and the academic community. The study uses data that is skewed towards large extractive firms. Originality/value This study is premier in exploring the effect of anti-corruption disclosure on performance metrics among extractive firms in Africa. It is also unique in providing a test of both beta and sigma convergence of performance among the firms.

While economic growth in developing countries over the last ten years has lifted more people out of poverty than in any previous time, more than one billion people still live in countries affected by violent conflict. Conflict weakens governance, undermines economic development and threatens both national and regional stability. Trade shocks, in particular, can have widely varying impacts on conflict. This report sets out to empirically test these linkages between trade shocks and conflict via cross-country and intra-country analysis. On the basis of the analysis, it offers trade-related policy directions to reduce this risk in fragile economies. The results provide convincing evidence that trade and trade policy have a large impact on the risk and intensity of conflict. This report is composed of three main chapters. Chapter 1 develops a conceptual framework mapping the different channels through which trade may affect conflict and political stability. The framework is based on simple economic theory and the available empirical evidence on the impact of trade related changes on conflict and stability. It then tests this framework empirically through the analysis of cross-country data and through case studies of Nigeria and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The hope is that these types of intra-country analyses could be replicated in other countries, since they use data that are available in different countries, especially in sub-Saharan Africa. Chapter 2 uses the same conceptual framework to show how differences in underlying conditions affect the relationship between trade-related changes and conflict. Following a review of the literature on the drivers of conflict, it examines the importance of four groups of grievances: conditions in neighboring countries, factors increasing grievance, government institutions, and policies that affect the transmission of changes in international prices to the domestic market. These relationships are tested using cross-country data and case studies of Nigeria and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Finally, chapter 3 uses the existing evidence, as well as evidence generated in this report, to discuss how the policies governing trade can reduce the probability and intensity of conflicts. Two appendixes include detailed information on the modeling framework, the data issues and the estimation results.

This Handbook offers 'how to' ideas to help infrastructure practitioners identify good practice improvements in communication, starting with the World Bank?s own expanding portfolio of dam projects. In-depth case studies prepared for this Handbook show the considerable scope, value added, and many practical reasons to link governance, sustainability, and communication aspects at all stages of the project cycle. The Handbook reflects a philosophy of continuous improvement in development practices. Improving communication in dam planning and management not only achieves consensus on imbedding anti-corruption measures in projects but also builds multi-stakeholder partnerships that are fundamental to advance the wider development effectiveness of large dams and creates synergy to combat poverty with sustainable infrastructure provision.

El problema de la corrupción en Latinoamérica tiene una larga historia con raíces profundas. Los enfoques para tratar la corrupción son diversos, sin embargo, producen mayor interés los casos que, teniendo abundante riqueza natural, no lograron su desarrollo pleno como nación. La Iniciativa para la Transparencia de las Industrias Extractivas (EITI) se ha implementado en el Perú como una propuesta para abordar la corrupción y determinar su aporte en la gobernabilidad del sector extractivo nacional y local en torno a mejores condiciones de transparencia. Este estudio ha utilizado la teoría de la maldición de los recursos y la metodología de control sintético (MCS) con el fin de analizar el efecto de la EITI en los niveles de corrupción en un país líder exportador minero como Perú. La MCS es ideal para muestras cualitativas en estudios de casos en ciencia política, como es la intervención de EITI en Perú. El caso constituye un aporte a la literatura, toda vez que la mayoría de los estudios relativos se los ha realizado en la totalidad de los países, siendo pocos los estudios de casos individuales. Los resultados no se muestran estadísticamente significativos luego de su aplicación en el tratamiento de casos de corrupción del sector extractivo que, dadas sus características profundas, requiere mayor intervención gubernamental y participación de la sociedad civil; es decir, la investigación muestra que la EITI no ha tenido efecto en la reducción de la percepción de corrupción en Perú.

This article examines the most significant international policy responses that seek to address the resource trap and spur development in resource-rich, but fragile states. It applies a regime theoretical framework to assess recent multistakeholder initiatives within the extractive sector by focusing on the processes through which they seek to alter the behavior of public and private organizations. Based on a review of the Nigerian and Azeri cases, the article finds that civil society often does not have the capacity to live up to the high expectations placed on it by these initiatives. The effectiveness and eventual success of multistakeholder initiatives in the extractive sector require exploring alternative pathways to affect behavior of key actors. Stronger market incentives and regulation can provide the conditions required for extractive activities to result in positive development outcomes.

Purpose This article examines the effectiveness of the legal response by Nigeria to the sustainable management and use of revenue from the extractive industry in its enactment of the Nigeria Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative (NEITI) Act 2007. It hopes to contribute to the development of Nigeria’s and other countries’ Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative (EITI) based regulations or policies intended for the sustainable exploitation and management of revenue from the extractive industry. Design/methodology/approach The paper is qualitative and uses critical analysis to explore the potentials and limits of the NEITI Act vis-à-vis its promises and capabilities. The article concentrates on the analysis of the sections providing for the objectives of the Act, its functions, its auditing and reporting requirements and timeline for publications of audits and reports for purposes of transparency, accountability and public debate. Findings The paper finds that although the intendment of the Act appears positive the sections providing for the achievement of its objectives and functions are bedevilled with several ambiguities, which undermine its effectiveness. Research limitations/implications The NEITI Act is as yet neither a basis for the prosecution of any individual and/or organization nor been legally challenged in court. As such there is no case law to exemplify the practical application of its provisions. However, logical analysis and review of the Act suggests that more needs to be done to increase its effectiveness. Practical implications The paper makes the case for the proper definition of terms, stipulation of clear timelines and creation of enforcement functions in legislations, especially in laws that aim to regulate potential irregularities that may provide huge financial rewards for perpetrators and/or undermine a society’s socio-economic development. Originality/value This paper boldly questions the effectiveness and functionality of the NEITI Act 2007 and lays out a framework for its improvement. Also due to serious dearth of scholarly work on NEITI Act 2007, this paper is the first research work to explore the effectiveness of the NEITI Act 2007 from a legal perspective.