About Us

This website features the research outputs of the Development Research Group and the World Development Report Unit (both a part of the World Bank's Development Economics Vice Presidency located in Washington, D.C.). The objective of these outputs is to provide the development community and Bank staff with the analytical tools and research data necessary to generate more effective development policy.

Development Research Group  
The DEC Research Group is the main research unit in the Bank. Unlike operations and network departments, which also undertake research, its mandate includes research that may be cross-country and across sectors, reaching beyond the ambit of any specific regional unit or sector board.  However, it also undertakes in-depth, systematic investigations of policy experience within single countries where this is expected to generate insights of a broader nature. In addition to working papers, articles and books, the Research Group produces Policy Research Reports. It also provides cross-support to the Bank’s operations. The Research Group comprises seven thematic units, whose research programs are described in the Projects & Programs section of this website.

World Development Report Unit
Every year, a team of researchers from inside and outside the Bank prepares the World Development Report, an annual publication that seeks to break new ground, while also consolidating existing knowledge on a particular aspect of development. The WDR, both during preparation and subsequent presentation, stimulates debate on new directions for development policy.  The World Development Report (WDR) 2009, to be published in October 2008, is on reshaping economic geography.