Diplomacy & Defense Think Tank News

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) present a new and coherent way of thinking about diverse facets of development. Implicit in the framework of the SDGs is that the goals are interconnected and interdependent. To translate such critical ideas into reality, countries need new skills, perspectives and approaches to the implementation of policies and programmes. Capacity-building, in particular for the public sector, is therefore at the core of achieving the 2030 Agenda. Although all countries have designed their respective capacity-building strategies and undertaken various interventions for knowledge dissemination among government officials and other stakeholders on the SDGs, there are wide variations between countries regarding the progress on capacity-building initiatives. In many developing countries, the heterogeneity of the political, societal and economic structures poses one of the biggest challenges to capacity-building for the localisation of the SDGs.
This discussion paper explores and maps the SDG training landscape for government officials in India. As a particularly heterogeneous country in political, economic and cultural terms, India is an interesting example to explore the challenges of capacity-building in many developing countries towards the achievement of the SDGs. Against this background, the study aims to achieve the following:
a) to understand the role of government and private actors in building the capacity of government officials to respond to the 2030 Agenda
b) to understand the resources required for capacity-building on the SDGs
c) to identify the current shortcomings in capacity-building efforts
d) to develop recommendations for a more coordinated and effective strategy that will strengthen the capacity-building initiatives of India
This paper highlights the relevance of the evidence for creating better processes, even in the sphere of sensitisation, capacity-building and advocacy. A major contribution of the paper is to help India develop an evidence-based policy on SDG trainings. This paper will also assist other countries that are currently tackling similar kinds of challenges in the realm of capacity-building for the SDGs in designing a comprehensive capacity-building strategy for effective implementation of the SDGs.

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) present a new and coherent way of thinking about diverse facets of development. Implicit in the framework of the SDGs is that the goals are interconnected and interdependent. To translate such critical ideas into reality, countries need new skills, perspectives and approaches to the implementation of policies and programmes. Capacity-building, in particular for the public sector, is therefore at the core of achieving the 2030 Agenda. Although all countries have designed their respective capacity-building strategies and undertaken various interventions for knowledge dissemination among government officials and other stakeholders on the SDGs, there are wide variations between countries regarding the progress on capacity-building initiatives. In many developing countries, the heterogeneity of the political, societal and economic structures poses one of the biggest challenges to capacity-building for the localisation of the SDGs.
This discussion paper explores and maps the SDG training landscape for government officials in India. As a particularly heterogeneous country in political, economic and cultural terms, India is an interesting example to explore the challenges of capacity-building in many developing countries towards the achievement of the SDGs. Against this background, the study aims to achieve the following:
a) to understand the role of government and private actors in building the capacity of government officials to respond to the 2030 Agenda
b) to understand the resources required for capacity-building on the SDGs
c) to identify the current shortcomings in capacity-building efforts
d) to develop recommendations for a more coordinated and effective strategy that will strengthen the capacity-building initiatives of India
This paper highlights the relevance of the evidence for creating better processes, even in the sphere of sensitisation, capacity-building and advocacy. A major contribution of the paper is to help India develop an evidence-based policy on SDG trainings. This paper will also assist other countries that are currently tackling similar kinds of challenges in the realm of capacity-building for the SDGs in designing a comprehensive capacity-building strategy for effective implementation of the SDGs.

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) present a new and coherent way of thinking about diverse facets of development. Implicit in the framework of the SDGs is that the goals are interconnected and interdependent. To translate such critical ideas into reality, countries need new skills, perspectives and approaches to the implementation of policies and programmes. Capacity-building, in particular for the public sector, is therefore at the core of achieving the 2030 Agenda. Although all countries have designed their respective capacity-building strategies and undertaken various interventions for knowledge dissemination among government officials and other stakeholders on the SDGs, there are wide variations between countries regarding the progress on capacity-building initiatives. In many developing countries, the heterogeneity of the political, societal and economic structures poses one of the biggest challenges to capacity-building for the localisation of the SDGs.
This discussion paper explores and maps the SDG training landscape for government officials in India. As a particularly heterogeneous country in political, economic and cultural terms, India is an interesting example to explore the challenges of capacity-building in many developing countries towards the achievement of the SDGs. Against this background, the study aims to achieve the following:
a) to understand the role of government and private actors in building the capacity of government officials to respond to the 2030 Agenda
b) to understand the resources required for capacity-building on the SDGs
c) to identify the current shortcomings in capacity-building efforts
d) to develop recommendations for a more coordinated and effective strategy that will strengthen the capacity-building initiatives of India
This paper highlights the relevance of the evidence for creating better processes, even in the sphere of sensitisation, capacity-building and advocacy. A major contribution of the paper is to help India develop an evidence-based policy on SDG trainings. This paper will also assist other countries that are currently tackling similar kinds of challenges in the realm of capacity-building for the SDGs in designing a comprehensive capacity-building strategy for effective implementation of the SDGs.

Two expert teams from the U.S. and Germany outline their visions for a digital development agenda with Africa and explore areas and mechanisms for transatlantic and multilateral coordination. Apart from closing the digital infrastructure gap, both author teams call for investments in skills training and capacity building, in local innovation ecosystems and in assistance with building data governance frameworks and institutions. The U.S. author team explores multilateral coordination of financing as well as on standards for transparency, ethics, sustainability, building on standardization efforts by the G7, OECD, World Bank and others. The German author team engages with the EU’s digital development agenda and explores pathways for future Europe-Africa digital cooperation.

Two expert teams from the U.S. and Germany outline their visions for a digital development agenda with Africa and explore areas and mechanisms for transatlantic and multilateral coordination. Apart from closing the digital infrastructure gap, both author teams call for investments in skills training and capacity building, in local innovation ecosystems and in assistance with building data governance frameworks and institutions. The U.S. author team explores multilateral coordination of financing as well as on standards for transparency, ethics, sustainability, building on standardization efforts by the G7, OECD, World Bank and others. The German author team engages with the EU’s digital development agenda and explores pathways for future Europe-Africa digital cooperation.

Two expert teams from the U.S. and Germany outline their visions for a digital development agenda with Africa and explore areas and mechanisms for transatlantic and multilateral coordination. Apart from closing the digital infrastructure gap, both author teams call for investments in skills training and capacity building, in local innovation ecosystems and in assistance with building data governance frameworks and institutions. The U.S. author team explores multilateral coordination of financing as well as on standards for transparency, ethics, sustainability, building on standardization efforts by the G7, OECD, World Bank and others. The German author team engages with the EU’s digital development agenda and explores pathways for future Europe-Africa digital cooperation.

Vor drei Jahren haben die Vereinten Nationen (UN) eine Reform ihrer Entwicklungszusammenarbeit begonnen. Sie soll stärker aus einem Guss sein. Tatsächlich führt die Reform die verschiedenen VN-Organisationen, die in einem Land tätig sind, nun besser zusammen auf der Grundlage eines gemeinsamen Programmes. Gleichwohl gibt es noch Defizite in der kohärenten, strategischen Zusammenarbeit der VN-Organisationen für die Lösung struktureller Probleme.

Vor drei Jahren haben die Vereinten Nationen (UN) eine Reform ihrer Entwicklungszusammenarbeit begonnen. Sie soll stärker aus einem Guss sein. Tatsächlich führt die Reform die verschiedenen VN-Organisationen, die in einem Land tätig sind, nun besser zusammen auf der Grundlage eines gemeinsamen Programmes. Gleichwohl gibt es noch Defizite in der kohärenten, strategischen Zusammenarbeit der VN-Organisationen für die Lösung struktureller Probleme.

Vor drei Jahren haben die Vereinten Nationen (UN) eine Reform ihrer Entwicklungszusammenarbeit begonnen. Sie soll stärker aus einem Guss sein. Tatsächlich führt die Reform die verschiedenen VN-Organisationen, die in einem Land tätig sind, nun besser zusammen auf der Grundlage eines gemeinsamen Programmes. Gleichwohl gibt es noch Defizite in der kohärenten, strategischen Zusammenarbeit der VN-Organisationen für die Lösung struktureller Probleme.

We use data from the 2020/21 Egyptian Industrial Firm Behavior Survey (EIFBS) to assess the effects of the COVID-19 crisis on firm dynamics, behavior and performance. The crisis emanating from the COVID-19 pandemic induced both demand and supply side shocks, which are more far reaching than any crisis in living memory. Our results show that the crisis has hit the entire Egyptian manufacturing sector. But, in line with Schumpeter’s (1934) creative destructive theory, the market shows signs of ‘self-cleansing’, whereby the less efficient are more likely to exit and downsize their activities. Our descriptive results show resilience of larger, public, formal, and export sector firms. Thus, revealing pre-existing fragilities of the private, informal and, more generally the lower productivity firms in the manufacturing sector. The counter cyclicality of the relation implies that contraction of the formal sector expands the informal as the only alternative way to earn a living. As a ‘survival sector’, the informal sector has provided 'helping hand employment'. Pre-crisis good managerial practices, innovation, the adoption of advanced technologies and training workers all provide an opportunity for firms to adapt their business model, as reflected by superior firm dynamics and post-crisis performance. Larger firms and mostly less vulnerable sectors such as fabricated metals and rubber have had more access to government support. It is likely that the government has chosen to support sectors with potentially better chances of survival rather than support the most vulnerable. Firms in pharmaceuticals were also recipients of support, which is sensible in a health crisis.

We use data from the 2020/21 Egyptian Industrial Firm Behavior Survey (EIFBS) to assess the effects of the COVID-19 crisis on firm dynamics, behavior and performance. The crisis emanating from the COVID-19 pandemic induced both demand and supply side shocks, which are more far reaching than any crisis in living memory. Our results show that the crisis has hit the entire Egyptian manufacturing sector. But, in line with Schumpeter’s (1934) creative destructive theory, the market shows signs of ‘self-cleansing’, whereby the less efficient are more likely to exit and downsize their activities. Our descriptive results show resilience of larger, public, formal, and export sector firms. Thus, revealing pre-existing fragilities of the private, informal and, more generally the lower productivity firms in the manufacturing sector. The counter cyclicality of the relation implies that contraction of the formal sector expands the informal as the only alternative way to earn a living. As a ‘survival sector’, the informal sector has provided 'helping hand employment'. Pre-crisis good managerial practices, innovation, the adoption of advanced technologies and training workers all provide an opportunity for firms to adapt their business model, as reflected by superior firm dynamics and post-crisis performance. Larger firms and mostly less vulnerable sectors such as fabricated metals and rubber have had more access to government support. It is likely that the government has chosen to support sectors with potentially better chances of survival rather than support the most vulnerable. Firms in pharmaceuticals were also recipients of support, which is sensible in a health crisis.

We use data from the 2020/21 Egyptian Industrial Firm Behavior Survey (EIFBS) to assess the effects of the COVID-19 crisis on firm dynamics, behavior and performance. The crisis emanating from the COVID-19 pandemic induced both demand and supply side shocks, which are more far reaching than any crisis in living memory. Our results show that the crisis has hit the entire Egyptian manufacturing sector. But, in line with Schumpeter’s (1934) creative destructive theory, the market shows signs of ‘self-cleansing’, whereby the less efficient are more likely to exit and downsize their activities. Our descriptive results show resilience of larger, public, formal, and export sector firms. Thus, revealing pre-existing fragilities of the private, informal and, more generally the lower productivity firms in the manufacturing sector. The counter cyclicality of the relation implies that contraction of the formal sector expands the informal as the only alternative way to earn a living. As a ‘survival sector’, the informal sector has provided 'helping hand employment'. Pre-crisis good managerial practices, innovation, the adoption of advanced technologies and training workers all provide an opportunity for firms to adapt their business model, as reflected by superior firm dynamics and post-crisis performance. Larger firms and mostly less vulnerable sectors such as fabricated metals and rubber have had more access to government support. It is likely that the government has chosen to support sectors with potentially better chances of survival rather than support the most vulnerable. Firms in pharmaceuticals were also recipients of support, which is sensible in a health crisis.

Anlässlich des 75-jährigen Bestehens der Vereinten Nationen wurde UN-Generalsekretär Guterres damit betraut, konkrete Vorschläge zu entwickeln, wie die politische Erklärung zum Jubiläum der Generalversammlung umgesetzt werden kann. Der daraufhin veröffentlichte Bericht „Our Common Agenda“ ist ein Füllhorn konkreter Vorschläge und Maßnahmen dafür, was Guterres einen inklusiven, effektiven und vernetzten Multilateralismus nennt. Der RNE empfiehlt der neuen Bundesregierung, die im Koalitionsvertrag genannte Stärkung des Multilateralismus mit den Zielen der sozial-ökologischen Transformation auf globaler Ebene zu verknüpfen und sich dafür viele der Vorschläge des UN-Generalsekretärs zu eigen zu machen.

Anlässlich des 75-jährigen Bestehens der Vereinten Nationen wurde UN-Generalsekretär Guterres damit betraut, konkrete Vorschläge zu entwickeln, wie die politische Erklärung zum Jubiläum der Generalversammlung umgesetzt werden kann. Der daraufhin veröffentlichte Bericht „Our Common Agenda“ ist ein Füllhorn konkreter Vorschläge und Maßnahmen dafür, was Guterres einen inklusiven, effektiven und vernetzten Multilateralismus nennt. Der RNE empfiehlt der neuen Bundesregierung, die im Koalitionsvertrag genannte Stärkung des Multilateralismus mit den Zielen der sozial-ökologischen Transformation auf globaler Ebene zu verknüpfen und sich dafür viele der Vorschläge des UN-Generalsekretärs zu eigen zu machen.

Anlässlich des 75-jährigen Bestehens der Vereinten Nationen wurde UN-Generalsekretär Guterres damit betraut, konkrete Vorschläge zu entwickeln, wie die politische Erklärung zum Jubiläum der Generalversammlung umgesetzt werden kann. Der daraufhin veröffentlichte Bericht „Our Common Agenda“ ist ein Füllhorn konkreter Vorschläge und Maßnahmen dafür, was Guterres einen inklusiven, effektiven und vernetzten Multilateralismus nennt. Der RNE empfiehlt der neuen Bundesregierung, die im Koalitionsvertrag genannte Stärkung des Multilateralismus mit den Zielen der sozial-ökologischen Transformation auf globaler Ebene zu verknüpfen und sich dafür viele der Vorschläge des UN-Generalsekretärs zu eigen zu machen.

Das SOEP-Team möchte Sie auch in diesem Jahr auf die Möglichkeiten der SOEP-Innovations-Stichprobe (SOEP-IS) hinweisen und Sie ermuntern, dieses Instrument zu nutzen, um direkt zu Ihrer Forschungsfrage Mikrodaten auf Haushaltsebene erheben zu lassen. Wenn Sie als ForscherIn  z.B. Informationen auf Haushaltsebene benötigen oder die Einstellung von Individuen für Ihre Forschung wichtig ist, gibt Ihnen SOEP-IS die Möglichkeit diese Information zu erhalten.

Mehr Informationen dazu finden Sie etwas weiter unten oder auf unserer Webseite.

Weil wir die Feldzeit für SOEP-IS parallel zu SOEP-Core ins Frühjahr verlegt haben, mussten wir die Bewerbungsfristen anpassen.

Deadlines für die Befragung 2023:
Kurze Beschreibung des Projektes bis 31. Mai 2022
Wenn eine Einladung erfolgt, eine ausführliche Bewerbung bis 30. Juni 2022

Projektvorschläge sollen per E-Mail beim SOEP-Surveymanagement eingereicht werden unter: soep-surveymanagement@diw.de

Bitte beachten: Die ausführliche Bewerbung soll auf Englisch nach dieser Vorlage erstellt werden. Weitere Informationen finden Sie auf unserer Webseite  https://www.diw.de/soep-is.

Bei Fragen wenden Sie sich bitte an David Richter (drichter@diw.de)

Wir würden uns freuen, wenn Sie diesen Aufruf in Ihren Kreisen bekannt machen würden.

Weitere Informationen zu SOEP-IS:
Die SOEP Innovations-Stichprobe (SOEP-IS) eignet sich für Kurzzeitexperimente, aber vor allem auch für Langzeit-Erhebungen, die im SOEP-Core nicht möglich sind – zum Beispiel, weil es sich um noch nicht etablierte Instrumente oder sehr spezifische Erkenntnisinteressen handelt. Projektideen, die bereits durchgeführt wurden, sind (komplexe) ökonomische Verhaltensexperimente, Implicit Association Tests (IAT) und komplexe Prozeduren zur Messung der Zeitnutzung (Day Reconstruction Method (DRM)).
Ein Ausschuss des SOEP Survey Rates wird die inhaltliche Bedeutung und Relevanz der vorgeschlagenen Fragestellungen überprüfen und gewichten. Wenn das vorgeschlagene Projekt bereits durch die DFG oder andere Drittmittelgeber bewilligt ist, entfällt dieser Schritt einer externen Begutachtung. Da auch für DFG- oder andere Projekte die survey-methodische Durchführbarkeit gewährleistet sein muss, sollten interessierte ForscherInnen sich vor Abgabe eines Antrags an die DFG oder einen anderen renommierten Förderer mit dem SOEP Survey Management in Verbindung setzen.

Die Daten der Innovationsmodule werden zunächst für 12 Monate exklusiv denjenigen Forscherinnen und Forschern zur Verfügung gestellt, die die jeweiligen Ideen eingebracht haben. Sobald jedoch das 12-Monatsembargo endet, werden sie ebenfalls weitergebeben und können damit von allen SOEP-ForscherInnen genutzt werden.

Einen Überblick über die bisher durchgeführten Innovationsmodule finden Sie hier.

Als neues technisches Feature wurden für die Befragung 2014 des SOEP-IS 111 Smartphones zur Datensammlung mit der Experience Sampling Method (ESM) angeschafft. Auch für künftige Befragungen können diese genutzt werden.

Preferential trade agreements (PTAs) increasingly include environmental provisions. While the existing literature documents their beneficial environmental impacts, this paper sheds light on the political economy behind reinforcing synergies between trade and the environment. Using event-study methodology and data on bilateral Official Development Assistance (ODA) commitments for a sample of 147 developing country recipients in the period from 2002-2017, we find evidence that the number of environmental provisions in PTAs is positively associated with aid during negotiation phases. With high-income countries typically pre-determining the extent of environmental provisions in their upcoming PTAs, this suggests that aid serves as a side-payment for recipients to agree upon already formulated PTA content. While both aggregate ODA and its subcomponent environmental aid a priori qualify as candidates for these pre-signature side-payments, we find that only the former fulfils this expectation, presumably reflecting more leeway to exploit aid fungibility.

Preferential trade agreements (PTAs) increasingly include environmental provisions. While the existing literature documents their beneficial environmental impacts, this paper sheds light on the political economy behind reinforcing synergies between trade and the environment. Using event-study methodology and data on bilateral Official Development Assistance (ODA) commitments for a sample of 147 developing country recipients in the period from 2002-2017, we find evidence that the number of environmental provisions in PTAs is positively associated with aid during negotiation phases. With high-income countries typically pre-determining the extent of environmental provisions in their upcoming PTAs, this suggests that aid serves as a side-payment for recipients to agree upon already formulated PTA content. While both aggregate ODA and its subcomponent environmental aid a priori qualify as candidates for these pre-signature side-payments, we find that only the former fulfils this expectation, presumably reflecting more leeway to exploit aid fungibility.

Preferential trade agreements (PTAs) increasingly include environmental provisions. While the existing literature documents their beneficial environmental impacts, this paper sheds light on the political economy behind reinforcing synergies between trade and the environment. Using event-study methodology and data on bilateral Official Development Assistance (ODA) commitments for a sample of 147 developing country recipients in the period from 2002-2017, we find evidence that the number of environmental provisions in PTAs is positively associated with aid during negotiation phases. With high-income countries typically pre-determining the extent of environmental provisions in their upcoming PTAs, this suggests that aid serves as a side-payment for recipients to agree upon already formulated PTA content. While both aggregate ODA and its subcomponent environmental aid a priori qualify as candidates for these pre-signature side-payments, we find that only the former fulfils this expectation, presumably reflecting more leeway to exploit aid fungibility.