Multilateral policy effectiveness in Latin American higher education technology integration during digital transformation

Aim: The aim of this article was to assess the impact of institutions on economic performance, using Latin American countries in the period of 1996-2021 as a case study. Methodology: Data for this study were obtained from the World Bank and United Nations Development Programme. In this study, the measures proposed by Kaufmann and Kraay were employed. The study’s time frame spanned the period 1996 to 2021. The geographical scope included 21 Latin American economies. Dynamic panel models were employed. Results: The results revealed that institutions play a fundamental role in driving economic growth. The establishment of a proper set of institutions is essential for a country to escape from the poverty trap. Despite Latin American countries sharing similarities in terms of language, religion, and historical colonisation by European countries, they demonstrate significant economic disparities. For instance, Chile and Uruguay were able to successfully implement reform measures that set them on a path of economic growth. Implications and recommendations: To achieve a high rate of economic growth, it is crucial to establish a suitable institutional framework. This leads to the conclusion that institutions serve as the primary driver of economic growth. Originality/value: The problem of the impact of institutions on economic growth is discussed in the literature and has been the subject of empirical research. In this article, the empirical verification was carried out on the basis of Latin American countries, which is the originality of this study. In this way, it was confirmed on a new dataset that institutions do matter. On the other hand, it should be noted that Latin American countries, considered similar, are not so similar.

The Impact of World Bank and IMF Programs on Democratization in Developing Countries

We examine whether and under what circumstances World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) programs affect the likelihood of major government crises. We find that crises are, on average, more likely as a consequence of World Bank programs. We also find that governments face an increasing risk of entering a crisis when they remain under an IMF or World Bank arrangement once the economy's performance improves. The international financial institution's (IFI) scapegoat function thus seems to lose its value when the need for financial support is less urgent. While the probability of a crisis increases when a government turns to the IFIs, programs inherited by preceding governments do not affect the probability of a crisis. This is in line with two interpretations. First, the conclusion of IFI programs can signal the government's incompetence, and second, governments that inherit programs might be less likely to implement program conditions agreed to by their predecessors.

Electricity is one of the most ubiquitous kinds of energy, and electricity production has expanded throughout the years. Furthermore, there is a lack of research into whether significant differences in factors determine electricity productivity across different regions. Our research paper focuses on identifying the core drivers of electricity productivity, by analyzing information and data from different countries and regions for the period 2009–2018. A cross-sectional (2018) multiple linear regression and a panel data analysis based on various reputable databases such as World Bank and United Nations Development Programme were conducted for the period 2009 - 2018. Cross-sectional results showed an adjusted R-squared value of 0.77, with a 0.01 unit increase in the Inequality factor causing a 1.32% decrease in Electricity Productivity. Concerning Panel Data, the R-squared values were 0.762 (pooled OLS), 0.769 (Fixed Effects), and with OLS regression increase of 0,1 unit in Institutional Environment factor leading to an increase in Electricity Productivity of 8% whereas, in Fixed effects, an increase by 1 unit in the same factor would lead to an increase of 24% in Electricity Productivity. Regardless of the methods used, Institutional environment, Urbanization, and Natural resource rents all positively affect Electricity Productivity. Further research could include exploring the real effect of natural resource rents on Electricity Productivity.

Aim/Purpose: The objective of this study is threefold: (i) investigate how a group of subjects see the relationship between the integration of content, pedagogical and technological knowledge of their chemistry teaching in light of the teaching practices developed during the pandemic; (ii) present a framework for the integration of digital technologies in chemical education; and (iii) integrate empirical research on teachers’ relationship with technology in the remote classroom during the pandemic. Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has imposed changes in the ways of teaching and learning and has affected educational contexts at all levels of education. While technology has been instrumental in providing access to education during the pandemic, it has also revealed a picture of serious technological inequality, especially among students. The adoption of technology in education is an old topic in Brazil but still requires studies and advances in the implementation of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in education. With regard to teaching Chemical Science, the study of the skills and knowledge that teachers need to carry out an effective and efficient integration of ICT in education is still a priority at any educational level. Methodology: The research method used was qualitative with an interpretive paradigm that involved 324 Licentiate and Baccalaureate students in Chemistry from public educational institutions in the five regions that make up the Brazilian territory. Data were collected through an online survey and, after being exported it was analyzed using Python software. In order to reduce the number of variables, exploratory factor analysis was carried out followed by a reliability analysis of the adopted factors, in addition to subsequent comparisons between the means related to the three factors for each of the categorical variables present in this work (Gender, Age, Region, Teacher Education, Period, and Course). Contribution: This article analyzes the perceptions of these chemistry students in Brazil regarding the effective integration of content, pedagogical and technological knowledge of their chemistry teachers during the pandemic. It also proposes a framework of a model constituted from the amalgamation between Johnstone’s triangle and the conceptual structure TPACK whose aim is to teach chemistry by interrelating the macroscopic, symbolic, and submicroscopic levels incorporated into technologies. Findings: The results of this research allow us to conclude that of the three main knowledge areas proposed in the TPACK model, the field of Knowledge mostly Scientific of chemistry teachers (Factor 1) was pointed out as the most deficient when investigated in the light of the perceptions of the students. The model developed and presented in this study, which integrates TPACK into the Johnstone Triangle, proposed a theoretical framework that explains the integration of technology into the chemistry curriculum and gives teachers a very important role in its use and appropriation to facilitate the integration of technology in an effective way, thus adding improvements to the construction of chemical knowledge of their students. Recommendations for Practitioners: This study found that it is necessary for chemistry teachers to carry out training courses to improve the development of ICT-related skills and, consequently, to use the knowledge that composes the TPACK structure in interrelated ways so that chemical instructions can be used in a pedagogically appropriate manner and effectively to improve students’ chemistry learning experience. Recommendation for Researchers: This study involved only higher education chemistry professors and students; therefore, future research is needed involving chemistry teachers from different levels of education to expand our results. In addition, the proposed model that integrates TPACK and Johnstone’s Triangle can be reapplied and improved, and new theoretical and epistemological contributions can be added to the framework to improve the teaching and learning process of chemistry with the support of technologies. Impact on Society: The understanding of the TPACK of higher education chemistry teachers in Brazil can demonstrate weaknesses in the process of incorporating ICT in the classroom during the process of teaching and learning chemistry. Therefore, this research typology can be useful in supporting the development of ICT-related skills, consequently improving teachers’ TPACK. On the other hand, such understanding, by promoting reflections on university chemistry curricula, endorses the need for teachers’ continuing education as a healthy mechanism for a growing integration of technologies in their teaching practices. The proposed model has the potential to align discussions on the use of technology in teaching chemistry, considering the specificities that are inherent and indispensable to the understanding of chemical knowledge. Future Research: Future research should be to further improve the use of the proposed model that integrates Johnstone’s triangle and the TPACK conceptual framework in teacher training, using it fully to guide the development and promotion of teacher training courses regarding the insertion of teaching technologies in a pedagogical way to teach chemistry in its different dimensions.

Purpose The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of digital transformation on the ESG performance of banks in emerging countries, highlighting the contrasting impacts on environmental, social and governance dimensions and how these dynamics evolved before, during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Design/methodology/approach To examine the influence of digital transformation on banks’ ESG performance in emerging markets, this research utilizes a two-step Generalized Method of Moments (GMM) approach, which effectively addresses potential endogeneity issues in panel data analysis. The sample includes 250 banks from 25 emerging countries over the period 2012–2024. To ensure robustness, the study decomposes digitalization into two components: technological foundation and technological application. Moreover, this study analyzed the data across three distinct periods: pre-COVID (2012–2019), during COVID (2020–2021) and post-COVID (2022–2024). This approach allowed us to examine the unique impacts of the pandemic on digital transformation trends and its influence on ESG performance. Findings The adoption of digital technologies enhances the social dimension of banks’ performance, notably by promoting greater financial inclusion. On the other hand, it exerts adverse effects on environmental and governance aspects, primarily because of the heightened energy demands of digital systems and the complexities associated with managing advanced technologies. The analysis reveals that the COVID-19 period had a distinct impact on these dynamics, particularly accelerating the adoption of digital technologies but also leading to heightened governance and environmental challenges. Post-COVID, banks showed a more balanced approach to digitalization, attempting to mitigate negative effects while enhancing social performance. Research limitations/implications The limitations of this study include the absence of ESG disclosure analysis and the assumption of a linear relationship between digitalization and ESG performance. Future research could explore nonlinear relationships or compare dynamics between conventional and Islamic banks. In addition, while this study conducted separate analyses for the pre-COVID, during-COVID and post-COVID periods, future studies could further explore the long-term effects of the pandemic on digital transformation and ESG performance in greater depth. Practical implications The findings underscore the need for emerging banks to adopt integrated strategies to maximize the benefits of digitalization while mitigating its negative effects on the environment and governance. Policymakers and regulators can use these insights to develop tailored regulatory frameworks that support digital transformation while promoting sustainable practices, particularly in the aftermath of the pandemic. These frameworks should help banks navigate the increased challenges of digitalization, including cybersecurity and energy consumption, while ensuring that ESG objectives are not compromised. Social implications Digitalization promotes financial inclusion and access to banking services for underbanked populations, thereby helping to reduce social inequalities. However, it may also exacerbate environmental and governance challenges, requiring corrective measures such as green technologies and enhanced data governance frameworks. The post-COVID period shows an opportunity for banks to refine their strategies, using lessons learned from the pandemic to address these challenges more effectively. Originality/value This study makes an original contribution by examining the effects of digitalization on ESG performance in emerging markets, with a focus on three distinct periods: pre-COVID, during COVID and post-COVID. This approach, which is often overlooked in existing literature, provides a more nuanced understanding of how digitalization impacts ESG performance across different economic and regulatory contexts, particularly in the face of a global crisis like the COVID-19 pandemic. The study also provides robust empirical evidence and practical recommendations for aligning digital transformation with sustainable development goals in emerging economies.

Introduction I would like to thank you for the opportunity to discuss with you the World Bank's Program to Accelerate Oil and Gas Production in the Developing Countries. Before discussing the program itself, and the role we see for the World Bank in assisting developing countries to manage their energy resources, I will say a few words about the World Bank. The World Bank The World Bank was established in 1945 following a United Nations Monetary and Financial Conference of 44 Governments at Bretton Woods, New Hampshire. The International Monetary Fund also was founded as a result of that conference. The World Bank is owned by the governments of 132 countries. It obtains its funds primarily from its own borrowings in the world capital markets, from its net earnings, the flow of repayments of its loans, and also from the paid in capital subscriptions of its member countries. The Bank's first loans were made for post-World War II reconstruction. However, by 1949, the emphasis had shifted to loans for the purpose of economic development. Loans are made directly to governments, to state enterprises, or to private companies, with a government guarantee. The bulk of the World Bank loans have been for specific projects in such sectors as agriculture and rural development, education, electric power, industry, population planning, telecommunications, tourism, urban development and water supply in developing countries.

Introduction: The digital era has ushered in transformative changes across industries, with the real estate sector being a pivotal focus. In Guangdong Province, China, real estate enterprises are at the forefront of this digital revolution, navigating the complexities of technological integration and market adaptation. This study delves into the intricacies of digital transformation and its profound implications for the financial performance of these enterprises. The rapid evolution of digital technologies necessitates examining how such advancements redefine operational strategies and financial outcomes within the real estate landscape. The inclusion of government support as a variable in our study is deliberate and stems from its profound influence on shaping the digital landscape. Government policies and initiatives provide a regulatory framework and offer strategic direction and financial incentives that catalyze digital adoption and integration within the real estate sector. By examining the moderating effect of government support, this study aims to uncover the nuanced interplay between policy-driven environments and the financial performance of enterprises undergoing digital transformation. This exploration is essential to understanding the broader implications of public policy on private-sector innovation and growth. Objectives: The primary objective of this research is to evaluate the impact of digital transformation on the financial performance of Guangdong’s real estate enterprises, with a specific focus on return on equity (ROE) and return on assets (ROA). Additionally, this study aims to scrutinize the role of government support as a potential moderator in the relationship between digital transformation and financial success. The research seeks to provide actionable insights for policymakers and industry players by understanding these dynamics. The digital transformation of Guangdong’s real estate sector presents a complex landscape of challenges and opportunities that shape the industry’s evolution. On one hand, the integration of innovative digital technologies into established operational frameworks poses significant challenges. These include the need for substantial investment in new infrastructure, the imperative for a cultural shift towards digital literacy across the workforce, and the continuous demand for upskilling to remain agile in an increasingly digital market. On the other hand, digital transformation affords manifold opportunities. For instance, enhanced operational efficiencies through automation and data analytics offer substantial benefits in terms of cost savings and process optimization. Furthermore, leveraging data-driven insights enables more informed strategic decision-making, which is critical in a competitive real estate market. The capacity to innovate service offerings by tapping into digital platforms and customer relationship management systems also presents a significant opportunity for real estate enterprises to differentiate themselves and capture new market segments. Methods: This study explores the digital transformation of real estate firms in Guangdong, highlighting government support as a critical moderator. Findings show that digital initiatives improve company performance, with government backing amplifying these benefits. Regional disparities in support suggest a need for tailored strategies, indicating the importance of policy in driving digital adoption and innovation in the sector. The study advises firms to leverage local policies and policymakers to address regional imbalances for equitable digital transformation. This study uses a sample of 28 real estate enterprises in Guangdong Province from 2012 to 2022. Panel data analysis with a fixed effects model tests the hypotheses. The study also conducts robustness checks by replacing the key variables. Results: The findings indicate that digital transformation positively impacts the financial performance of real estate firms, as gauged by return on equity (ROE) and return on assets (ROA), albeit marginally. The study also reveals that the relationship between enterprise performance and digital transformation is moderated by government assistance, indicating that solid government backing might amplify the benefits of digital transformation for company success. Conclusion: The present research offers empirical data about the correlation between the financial performance of real estate firms in Guangdong Province, China, and digital transformation. The discussion of these challenges and opportunities is contextualized within the broader economic and technological context of Guangdong Province, reflecting the unique interplay between regional development strategies and the global trend toward digitalization. This nuanced understanding is essential for appreciating the complexities inherent in the digital transformation journey of real estate enterprises. It sets the stage for the relevance and application of our proposed model. The findings suggest that real estate enterprises should consider factors like business size, cash flow, and debt ratios when undergoing digital transformation. Policymakers and industry regulators should also focus on providing appropriate support and guidance to facilitate the long-term development of the real estate industry in the digital era.

Primary issues concerned with CALL teacher education are in two folds: integration of CALL technology with teacher education program; and integration of CALL technology into the L2 classrooms. While increased attention has been paid to the former, there is a relatively small body of research on the latter. Although collective findings suggest the efficacy of CALL teacher education in the teacher education programs, L2 researchers and teacher educators are still challenged by L2 teachers’ integration of technology into the classrooms in relation to their prior education on technology. The present study seeks to address this gap in the literature. It investigates the relationship between L2 teachers’ prior experience on technology education, and their use of computer technology in the classroom. The data were collected from 200 (out of 454) secondary school L2 teachers across an entire county in a midwestern state in the U.S. The results show that L2 teachers with more technology education experience tended to use computer technology more frequently in their classrooms.

The purposes of this study are making clear factors that influence health status of nations, and highlighting the importance of education role and distribution in health services that is believed just as important as income growth on improving health status . Data from World Bank and United Nations Development Program (UNDP) Human Development Report of 125 countries available were untilized in the analysis . To observe the relationship, the indices of the world data were plotted with Y-axis of infant mortality rates (IMR) and life expectancy, against X-axis of gross national produce (GNP) per capita, total illiteracy rate, government expenditure on health and education per capita, household's consumption on medical care and education, and population with access to health services. The indices were analyzed by factor analysis, which found that there were two underlying factors that influence nation's health status: economic factor (GNP, government expenditure, and household expenditure), and social factor (total illiteracy rate and accessibility to health care). In visualizing the link between variables, dendogram using Ward's method of hierarchical cluster anlaysis (excluding high-income economy countries) was applied, with values standardized. It was concluded that countries which had parallel development betweeneconomic growth and social growth had better health status . Thus, the problem faced by nations is how to combine economic growth in such a way which is parallel with the growth in education and distribution of health services .

This paper documents recent external sector liberalization in developing countries, evaluates what is behind it, and assesses whether it is likely to persist, accelerate or reverse itself. It draws heavily upon material collected during a recent Ford Foundation-supported research project on developing countries and the global trading system (see Whalley (1989)) covering eleven developing countries (Argentina, Brazil, China, Costa Rica, India, Kenya, Mexico, Nigeria, The Philippines, Republic of Korea and Tanzania). Many factors underlie these liberalizations. These include rethinking of the basic approach towards trade policy in a number of countries, with less commitment than earlier to import substitution and more interest in outward-oriented development strategies. Conditionality in World Bank and IMF lending programs appears important in Africa, and in some of the Asian and Latin American countries. In some cases, sector-specific liberalization has also been the result of bilateral pressure from the U.S. and the European Community. Recent strong macro performance in the developed world has also generated substantial growth in foreign exchange earnings for developing countries, and facilitated this liberslization. The paper concludes by suggesting that, in the short to medium term, some reciprocal actions by the developed countries in the GATT Uruguay Round would help in keeping domestic political support for these liberalizations alive.

Many argue that autocratic regimes allocate revenues from foreign aid with the aim of stabilizing their rule rather than serving economic and social development. However, donors often condition foreign aid on reforms in recipient states. We argue that when those conditions for reform focus on participative processes and government accountability, they positively affect democratization. We evaluate our claim based on different types of World Bank and IMF lending programs for a panel of 100 low- and middle-income countries over the years 1980–2011. Our results suggest that aid positively affects democratization when it strengthens domestic accountability mechanisms and thereby reduces its fungibility for recipients. The World Bank and the IMF’s poverty reduction strategy programs provide a notable case of this effect.

Historically, international projects are prone to both endogenous and exogenous risks. And the World Bank international projects and programs are not immune to similar risks. What is important though is the ability of project managers to identify the sources of endogenous and exogenous risks and how to leverage proactive or predictive project risk management strategies. Arguably, predictive project risk management is the lifeline for successful projects and programs. Managing portfolio of risks in international projects is imperative for the World Bank’s mission of economic development and poverty eradication in developing countries. Inability to identify sources of risks attached to projects and programs can contribute to missed opportunities. It can also discourage the World Bank and other international agencies from approving or awarding future development projects and programs. Although in spite of the growing menace of risks in development projects and programs, project managers have little or no knowledge of project risk management. This chapter proposes a multi-attribute decision support approach to model and analyze the risk for the World Bank projects and programs in Nigeria.

Between February 2005 and May 2006, we undertook an in-depth, broad-ranging, independent external review of The Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases (TDR). TDR, based in Geneva, was created 30 years ago, with the World Health Organization as its executing agency and the World Bank and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) as initial co-sponsors, with the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) being added in 2003. Its mandate to address research and training in neglected tropical diseases made it a pioneer in its first two decades. But the landscape has changed enormously since its inception, with new sources of funding, different disease patterns, and greater capacity for research and training within disease-endemic countries. Therefore, the Joint Coordinating Board (JCB), TDR's main governing body, requested that this Fourth External Review focus on helping it develop a relevant vision for a future role in this shifting environment. We considered TDR's past and present performance, and its strengths and weaknesses, in order to suggest ways forward. Because of the nature of TDR's work, especially with its many partners, it is difficult adequately to capture the breadth and depth of its accomplishments in brief. We approached the review as a “case study” [1] guided by the principles of qualitative data collection and analysis. Data were obtained from previous external reviews, internal documents, a management review commissioned by the World Bank, two commissioned papers [2],[3], and other sources. Our main data, however, were from interviews with over 250 people, of whom about 150 were key informants from all major stakeholder groups who participated in face-to-face, in-depth, open-ended interviews, using an interview guide developed for this purpose. Interviewees included TDR staff, including its current director, Dr. Robert Ridley; members of its governing bodies; former directors (Drs. Adetokunbe Lucas [1976–86], Tore Godal [1986–98], and Carlos Morel [1998–2003]; staff of co-sponsor organizations, donor countries, funding agencies, public–private partnerships (PPPs), philanthropies and other global health organizations; countries' representatives; and TDR alumni. We visited various regions to talk to stakeholders and to study institutions, and examined cases illustrative of TDR's work and its relations with others working in global health research and training. Additionally, we made observations of the workings of its various governing bodies and advisory groups, and the Secretariat in Geneva, where our executive secretary was based. We began by asking, Is the original mandate of TDR still valid? Can others discharge this mandate better? What would happen if TDR ceased to exist? If it were to be re-invented for the future, what would the new TDR look like? TDR was given an opportunity to submit comments. These general questions were supplemented by specific ones tailored to particular informants. All were asked to give examples to support their views. The comprehensive material was submitted to a thematic content analysis on the basis of which a taxonomy of issues was developed. Further analyses built on this taxonomy and on continuing discussions and regular “reality checks” with informants. The final 130–page report was completed at the end of May 2006 and is now available on-line, both as a full report [4] and an executive summary [5].

Over the past decade, the international donor community has come up with a range of initiatives to curb governmental corruption in developing countries. Top‐down approaches devise administrative and judicial reforms, whereas bottom‐up approaches deal with the process of awareness—raising in civil society. The World Bank currently integrates these top‐down and bottom‐up approaches in a combined anti‐corruption programme. In this paper, the most recent version of this World Bank's training programme is reconstructed and assessed. Several core approaches in the programme, such as the strengthening of civil society and the privatisation of parastatals, turn out to have unintended consequences. The empirical support is largely case‐specific and turns out to be highly conditional. It is concluded that indicators need to be developed to assess the relevance of national anti‐corruption policies to country‐specific governance and anti‐corruption conditions. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.