Ideas and the value of international organisations

Periodic reflection on positive things in life can change one’s attitude for the better and create a more open attitude to new opportunities. I use such reflections to develop my List of Positive Things, which I keep on my iPod and update a few times a week during my commute to work. I sometimes scroll through the list and come away feeling renewed. For example, I’ll do this after a bad day at the office or when looking for ideas for new projects. Among the multitude of topics, the value of international organisations is one that comes up repeatedly.

The value of international organisations: a few entries from my list of positive things

This list is not comprehensive, but rather focuses on the topic of international organisations and ideas. It reflects observations arising from the course of my work at an international organisation (20+ years).

  • International organisations have helped to develop innovation as a field of study in its own right. This provides a powerful, cross-cutting perspective on the economy that can deliver policy insights that otherwise may be missed. The Innovation Strategy initiative of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) is an example of this type of work.
  • International organisations have supported a vast, on-going wave of research on a range of topics. Analysts will sometimes develop research that is remarkable for its novelty or depth. This can lead to concrete ideas for ways to improve economic performance.  Many papers resulting from this work have been posted on the Social Science Research Network. (I’m grateful to this network for making available and distributing a broad range of papers. Browsing the abstracts, I can follow developments in my field. Some of the material is relevant to my current research and some inspires new research directions.)
  • International dialogue at OECD and other international organisations can lead to creativity and diffusion of ideas. In some cases, this can promote understanding where there was a risk of conflict. Some dialogue happens via the day-to-day operations inside these organisations. Some of it takes place at international conferences and workshops, where various stakeholders come together. 
  • Staff at international organisations, particularly analytical staff, often demonstrate a high level of professional competence. I am continually impressed by the intelligence, dedication and energy that many of my colleagues bring to their work. This is often accompanied by a strong desire to promote development and make the world a better place. There are certainly occasional problems associated with ambition, turf, bureaucratic intrigues and politics (both within the organisations and among their member countries). But, on balance, the staff calibre is high.  
  • Improving government policy: International comparisons and peer review can be powerful catalysts to stimulate positive changes in government. The process of sharing and learning among experts is often catalysed by new insights from staff papers from international organisations. It is great to see this process in operation!

 Bottom line: International organisations can be powerful sources of new ideas for government, private sector, academia and non-governmental organisations. While there is certainly room for improvement in their operations (e.g., via better management practices and evaluation), the contributions of these organisations to making the world a better place should not be underestimated.

 

 

 

Urban Bike Commuters Unite! Velib, Paris

Whenever I’ve lived in an urban area, I’ve always been a dedicated user of public transportation. In Paris, I’ve continued this practice on a near daily basis in my commute to work and sometimes on my days off, too. The dense network of trains, metro and buses  has a great structure that generally helps to get you where you need to go in an efficient manner. The metro and buses (traffic permitting) offer a decent standard of service. The suburban trains, however, can be vulnerable to strikes, weather outages and other disruptions. As I live just outside of town (7 miles from the Eiffel tower), I depend on suburban trains (RER C) and this can lead to some frustration.

And then a few years ago, Paris launched a system of rental bikes called Velib. Velib has proven to be a great idea! The urban bike system was developed by a private firm (JC Decaux) on space made available by the city. In exchange for developing and operating the system, JC Decaux gets public advertising space around town. The system now has more than 20000 bikes and 1400 stations around Paris. The city of Paris has developed some 400 KM of bikeways (nearly 250 miles ), which helps riders to avoid motor vehicle traffic on many routes. For 30 euros (the equivalent of about 40 dollars) per year, a rider can get a pass with unlimited free rides of up to 1/2 hour at a time. A rider pays a small surcharge for going a bit over time (1 euro for the first 1/2 hour of overtime).

The result is a system that operates with private sector efficiency, at minimal public sector expense, yet with public policy objectives in mind (easing movement of people, promoting  health benefits, reducing pollution and congestion, etc). While I still need to take a train into town, the system enabled me to cut 20 minutes off of my commute (each way, each day) and avoid an often frustrating connection in town on the suburban train. In a recent month, I got more than 8 hours of additional exercise thanks to Velib (the system keeps track for you). And, somebody else is responsible for the maintenance and security of the bikes I use. No longer do I have to worry about bike theft or fixing flats. (You do need to keep in mind safety and remember to wear a helmet and some reflective material.) Now, instead of being underground, I am actually in touch with the city. I see more of the world around me and I arrive at the office feeling invigorated.

Here is a short overview that presents Velib (updated in Dec 2017). The Velib system does face some challenges. In a city with hills, it is difficult to keep the distribution of bikes aligned (people prefer to ride one way, down hill). The most difficult to reach stations provide credits to those who pedal up to them and JC Decaux does some bike redistribution during the day, but it is not enough. There is also a problem with vandalism (high youth unemployment, for example, can lead to bored and frustrated kids). And, there is a lack of parking slots at many of the most used stations. This can leave a rider wandering from station to station looking for a parking place to return the bike (or, conversely, lacking any available bikes at rush hour).

Here, I have some important advice for fellow Velib users and a plea for solidarity: If you face a lack of parking at a station, go to the automated kiosk and flash your badge and then follow the instructions to validate. The system will grant you 15 minutes of credit to give you a chance to get to the next available station. A map will indicate these on the kiosk screen. This is good for you personally. But, also, if enough of us frustrated riders continue demanding this credit, which costs the system operators, then maybe they will build additional parking places. For too long I wasn’t aware of this and continued to pedal at my own expense in such situations!

If you live in the Paris area and haven’t yet discovered the system, I’d encourage you to give Velib a try. If you live in another city without such a system, why not press your public officials to consider one. Meanwhile, here’s wishing you “happy trails”!

Update, 2 August: For perspectives on biking in London, check out this blog posting from the Economist’s Blighty Blog, “Safer than you think”.

Killing Time in Seattle Airport

Changing planes in Seattle Airport… which needs a bit of refurbishment in the international arrivals area. It is quite a contrast from the newly refurbished and modern Sheremetievo Airport in Moscow where I was yesterday! But, the people are friendly and there is a nice Alaska amber beer on tap in the Delta lounge. Makes the transfer kinda pleasant.  :0)

Plane at the Seattle Airport