The LSE identity project. House of Lords : All party briefing : "Nothing to hide, nothing to fear”

The original amendment on cost information, put forward in the House of Lords, sought to address a widely held concern about the government’s unwillingness to be open about the likely costs associated with implementing the identity cards scheme. These concerns are shared by some in the Lords, industry and by the LSE, whose initial alternative costings fuelled the concerns of the Lords over the limited information made available to them. The proposed amendment for the House of Commons does not seek to address this underlying issue and, indeed, the provisions of clause 4, are likely to repeat the same, unnecessary secrecy that the Lords were seeking to explore

Relative and Absolute Incentives: Evidence on Worker Productivity

Using personnel data, we compare worker productivity under a relative incentive scheme -where pay is based on individual productivity relative to the average productivity of the group- to productivity under piece rates. We find that productivity is at least 50% higher under piece rates. Further analysis shows this is due to workers partially internalizing the negative externality their effort imposes on others under the relative incentive scheme. Workers internalize this externality to a greater extent when they work with fewer co-workers, and a greater share of their coworkers are their close friends. The relationship among workers has no affect on productivity under piece ratesabsolute incentives, relative incentives, social preferences.

USAPP’s top ten most read articles of 2015

This year, LSE USAPP has published hundreds of articles which have been read thousands of times. Here are our top ten most popular original articles by views published in 2015. Thanks to everyone for reading, and we look forward to bringing you the best in commentary and research on US politics and policy in 2016

Samassekou: We must return to our fundamental socio-cultural factors to promote the New Pan-Africanist Consciousness to meet the challenges of the 21st century

In delivering the second annual Steve Biko Memorial Lecture Europe at LSE, President of the International Council of Philosophy and Human Sciences, Adama Samassekou emphasised the urgent need for Africans to develop an awareness of their cultural identity and to recognise the vital importance of our African languages as the bedrock of our identity

Popular culture can enhance our understanding of development

What role can popular culture play in the academic study of development? A new book addresses this very question

New report says African countries must tap global markets more effectively if they are to strengthen their economies

African countries could take a big step forward economically by participating more effectively in the global production of goods and services. That’s according to the latest African Economic Outlook, a report produced annually by the African Development Bank (AfDB), the OECD Development Centre and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)

European Union seeks more unified foreign policy on Africa

EU Foreign Policy: The View from Africa will be the penultimate roundtable in the series of ten on EU Foreign Policy after Lisbon to be held at LSE in the 2011/2012 academic year. This event will be chaired by Dr Tine Van Criekinge on Thursday 10 May from 18.30-20.00 at St Clement’s House, STC S75

EU–originated MOOCs, with focus on multi- and single-institution platforms

No abstract available

Full text of Nelson Mandela Speech at LSE on 6 April 2000

On 6 April 2000, Nelson Mandela delivered a speech entitled Africa and Its Position in the World Today at LSE. The full transcript of this speech is below. You can also follow this link to watch a video of his speech

New research seeks to ensure that vulnerable groups benefit from health care financing reforms

Health Inc, a research project co-ordinated at LSE with other partners* in West Africa and India, investigates the role of social exclusion in vulnerable groups gaining access to health care services