Frequently Asked Questions

General questions on the Bank's World Development Report (WDR) series

Why does the World Bank produce a World Development Report (WDR)?
From what perspective does the WDR approach its chosen theme?
How often is the WDR published?
Who writes the WDR and what is its research methodology?
Who is the WDR written for?
How is consultation a part of the WDR process?
What is the role of consultation in the WDR process?
Where can I find a complete list of recent WDRs with download/purchase information?
Where can I find concise information about recent WDRs?
Are WDRs available in languages other than English?

General questions on the Bank's World Development Report series

Why does the World Bank produce a WDR?
The World Bank's annual WDR is both a published document and a process for discussion about a specific development area. This report is one of the important vehicles the Bank has for engaging in dialogue with the global development community. Each year, the chosen topic provides a lens through which to view and discuss different aspects of the development process. For example, the 2004 WDR focused on delivery of services to the poor, the 2005 WDR on a better investment climate for all, and the 2006 WDR on the role of equity in development. WDRs website

From what perspective does the WDR approach its chosen theme?
The report discusses the chosen issue from a global perspective, invariably leading to much debate and discussion on some of the leading issues of the day. While the Bank's experience is drawn upon, the report is not intended to focus on the Bank and its specific operations. The focus on issues rather than the specifics of Bank operations is important since there are many other internal and external vehicles for evaluating the Bank's performance in specific projects. As a contribution to the critical analysis and public discussion of development issues, the WDR aims to raise fundamental questions -- that have no easy answers -- rather than recite generic answers.

How often is the WDR published and when?
The WDR is published annually, usually in September in advance of the Bank's Annual Meetings.

Who writes the WDR, and what is its research methodology?
The WDR, a staff report rather than a policy document of the Bank's Executive Board, is written by a team of researchers (selected every year) and is produced by the World Bank's Development Economics Research department under the guidance of the Chief Economist. The team draws on a range of material, from inside and outside the Bank. It commissions some new work through background papers, and then synthesizes this and existing analyses into themes and sub-themes that the Report highlights. The background papers and the bibliography consulted are listed at the end of the Report.

Who is the WDR written for?
The target audience for the WDR is the global development community, including policy makers and government officials, representatives of civil society organizations, students, teachers, journalists, business leaders and other professionals in developing and developed countries.

How is consultation a part of the WDR process?
A range of different forms and types of consultations bring to the WDR process alternative perspectives on the topic under consideration. These include both information gathering on operational experiences and comments on the various stages of the WDR draft document. Bank management encourages the WDR team to consult with a variety of relevant stakeholders and experts during the preparation of the report, including those inside and outside the Bank.

What is the role of consultation in the WDR process?
(i)  While the Bank is trying to expand consultation activities, this is subject to limitations of time and resources. The final report is published on a tight production schedule, in advance of the Bank’s Annual Meetings.
(ii) Although the consultations support the dialogue and enrich the perspectives present in the report, eventually it is the report team that takes responsibility for integrating and synthesizing the many (and often conflicting) comments received.
(iii) Due to time constraints, the WDR team is not able to review papers or comments submitted in languages other than English, French and Spanish. However, during the in-country consultations, other languages will be used to drive the consultation.

Where can I find a complete list of recent WDRs with download/purchase information?
A complete list of recent WDRs with links to the website for each WDR and download/purchase information is available on the WDR website.

Where can I find concise information about recent WDRs?
Please visit the WDR website for a synopsis of the last ten years' WDRs. View as a webpage or download as PDF.

Are WDRs available in languages other than English?
Yes. The Overview of the report is translated into several languages, all available when the report is published in English. Multiple language translations of the whole report are available several months later.