The World Bank - a Knowledge Bank
- Knowledge bank in practice: more progress needed
-
Since its commitment to becoming a Knowledge Bank, the Bank has done more than any other agency to develop both a theoretical account of knowledge sharing and new practices in this area. Despite this progress, this paper argues that not all of these ideas have been fully translated into practice. Rather than developing new knowledge for itself or learning from the knowledge of others, existing information still dominates the Bank's agenda.
Concerns have been raised about the scope of World Bank/IMF research
While World Bank and IMF research is conducted by highly qualified specialists, there has been concern that it is too narrow in scope. Most World Bank and IMF officers are trained economists with a similar educational background. It has been argued that neo-liberal approaches dominate the agenda and that there is a lack of alternative perspectives, which has implications for the role of these institutions as brokers of knowledge. Recommended reading...
The World Bank and the IMF research play an important role in setting the tone in the field of development research:
The Bank and the IMF employ highly qualified specialists, who conduct research on a wide range of development issues. A great number of policy makers, especially in developing countries, rely on World Bank/IMF research for designing their policies. The major World Bank/IMF policy reports in particular have an important influence on policy makers and the wider development community. Recommended reading...
