By Jesse Griffiths
Normally, I enjoy reading flagship annual reports from august international institutions; they can provide useful overviews and normally have one or two nuggets. The World Bank’s new Global Financial Development Report 2013, however, left me hoping they don’t issue any more of these.
Not just because we already have enough flagships – even for a report junky like me. It’s worth quoting from the comprehensive study of World Bank research undertaken by a team of (self-styled) ‘academic superstars’ led by Princeton Professor Angus Deaton:
“The large number of flagship reports makes it virtually impossible for [World Bank] management to exert sufficient quality control precisely where it is most needed.”
“We believe that the Bank produces too many of these ...