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Can the Global South ever escape the debt trap? The economist's view

  With the heavy debt burdens that the Global South faces, questions of economic sovereignty and equitable growth have gained increased urgency. Both the present-day global financial architecture and trade orientation provide significant barriers but also potential opportunities for these countries to break out of their debt crises. Here, this paper discusses ways through which the Global South could surmount such challenges with concrete examples that might illustrate possible pathways. The Challenge of Debt in the Global South The accumulation of debt in the Global South is no doubt linked to structural issues such as dependence on commodity exports, reliance on foreign financing, and exposure to external shocks like fluctuating exchange rates or a rise in global interest rates. The global financial architecture, dominated by institutions like the IMF and World Bank, often conditions loans on structural adjustment policies, which are then implemented with austerity measures...
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When Employees Go to Court: Lessons for Rwanda's Accounting Sector

  The auditing profession thrives on the trust, reputation, and expertise of its human resources. The current research topic was brought to light through an incisive paper, entitled "When Employees Go to Court: Employee Lawsuits and Talent Acquisition in Audit Offices," that appeared in the Journal of Accounting Research and a collaboration between authors Jade Huayu Chen. Whereas this study investigates U.S.-based firms, it would seem there is much herein for teachings that may relate to what transpires in Rwanda's emerging accounting industry. Chen's study addresses the impact of employee lawsuits on audit offices. The findings indicate that these incidents damage an office's reputation and diminish its ability to attract superior professionals. An employee lawsuit, often filed for reasons such as wage disputes, discrimination, or wrongful termination, serves as an information intermediary reflecting inadequate workplace culture and mismanagement. It means, stud...

Rising from the Shadows: How the World's Poorest Nations Can Rewrite Their Economic Future

  Most often we economists are very often studying the poorest countries in the world not simply to analyze grimy statistics but to find ways by which these countries could embark on paths toward transformation. Think about it for a second: Burundi, South Sudan, Somalia, Central African Republic, Niger, Chad, Mali, Yemen, Burkina Faso, and Sierra Leone-all have held the title of "poorest," though with so much potential and resources lying under their feet. They stand at the threshold of transformation, notwithstanding that heavy burden of poverty, political instability, and infrastructure deficits. By reinventing their economies and leveraging even modest strengths, these countries can break free from the chains of poverty. What helps knit them together is their shared heritage of turmoil: political turbulence, continuing conflict, and economic precariousness have been nothing short of traveling companions. The resulting turbulence discourages foreign investment, disrupts e...