Leading experts will discuss ways to improve survey design and data collection in developing economies when they meet Dec. 10-11 at the World Bank in Washington, D.C. for "Survey Design and Measurement in Development Economics," a conference presented by the University of Chicago, the World Bank and Yale University and supported in part by the John Templeton Foundation.
"Development economics has expanded in recent years, in part, because many researchers are collecting new data, driven by both policy questions and curiosity about human behavior," said Robert Townsend, the Elizabeth & James Killian Professor of Economics at MIT and a Research Associate in Economics at the University of Chicago. Townsend is director of the Enterprise Initiative, a collaborative research program that supports rigorous study of the complex process of wealth creation and the role of enterprise in alleviating poverty.
Townsend explained that even with this wealth of field experience, scholars and policymakers have not yet been able to develop a systematic body of knowledge pertaining to measurement and survey design.
"This conference aims to fill this gap. We hope to bring greater sophistication to the science of measurement in economics, particularly as it relates to developing economies and enterprise," he said.
During the two-day conference, leading researchers will explore improvements in data quality, the speed of data delivery and cost-effectiveness achieved through alternative survey methods. They hope to achieve a better understanding of the characteristics of successful enterprises, the dynamics of household consumption, corruption and other important topics in development economics.
In addition to Townsend, organizers include David McKenzie, a Senior Economist in the Development Research Group, Finance and Private Sector Development Unit at the World Bank; and Mark Rosenzweig, Frank Altschul Professor of International Economics at Yale University.
The conference will be held in Room MC2-800, World Bank, 1818 H St., NW, Washington, D.C. More information on the conference, including a full list of the papers to be presented, can be found at http://econ.worldbank.org/conferences/surveydesign. Selected, refereed papers will be published in a special issue of the Journal of Development Economics, which conference organizers will co-edit.
RSVP: Please email The World Bank News Bureau(newsbureau@worldbank.org) or call (202) 473-7660 to RSVP for thisevent. A reservation, photo ID and press credentials will be required togain access to the building. The headquarters visitors' entrance islocated at the east entrance to the building at the intersection of 18thand H.
—Prof. Chuan He
