Utrecht University School of Economics

Our last post of this year is a blog by Cătălina Papari who reflects on the 16th United Nations Biodiversity Conference (CBD COP16), held in Cali, Colombia, where she represented Pathways to Sustainability (Utrecht University) Utrecht University School of Economics and Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development, Utrecht University "What benefits the climate does not always benefit nature." This dilemma was central to the discussions, and the conference brought together global stakeholders to address the urgent need to halt biodiversity loss. She focuses on how biodiversity conservation and energy transitions can - and must - work together. Let this be a vision for 2025 and beyond. See you next year! https://lnkd.in/eUWCGMKY

Something to chew on, at the end of the academic year: game theory at U.S.E. Kris De Jaegher recently published 'Whom to Repress: Tall Poppies, Key Players , and Weakest Links’ in the Journal of Conflict Resolution Sage Journals and Call for Papers, in which he looks at political strategies of authoritarian regimes towards their opposition to get a new perspective on repression. Please read on! https://lnkd.in/gGiXNmXm This paper presents a game-theoretic model where dissidents with heterogeneous abilities and motivations contribute to collective action. A regime demotivates dissidents by preemptively increasing their costs of contributing, using a budget that can be spread across them in any way desired. The regime’s optimal targeting strategy is shown to depend on the (technological) degree of complementarity between dissidents’ contributions. For low complementarity, it is optimal to equalize all dissidents’ strengths (where strength depends both on motivation and ability; tall-poppies strategy). For intermediate complementarity, it is optimal to focus all repression on the most able dissidents (key-player strategy). For high complementarity, it is optimal to focus all repression on the least-motivated dissidents (weakest-link strategy). The range of intermediate complementarities for which the key-player strategy is optimal is larger, the larger heterogeneity in abilities. The paper finds indication for the use of these strategies in concrete examples of preemptive repression.

The history and future of Africa’s economy. An interview with my Utrecht University School of Economics and Utrecht University Centre for Global Challenges (UGlobe) colleague Emmanuel Buadi Mensah. Discussing the historical production and institutional deficits. Comparing Asian economies (in particular Singapore) with African economies. The need for structural reforms and good leadership, and the role of migration and remittances. A comparison of the European Union and the African Union. And an entrepreneurial future, within a better connected Africa! #Africa #economicdevelopment #economics #future  

Building Bridges between Africa and Europe in Geneva with the African Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Index #AEEI - thanks to Huruma Bantfu #entrepreneurialecosystem #entrepreneurship #economicdevelopment Utrecht University Centre for Global Challenges (UGlobe) Institutions for Open Societies (Utrecht University)

About bonds, water, climate and... sustainable finance. Yesterday, the NYSE received the interest on the oldest (perpetual) bond in the world - from 1624, issued after a dike along the Dutch river Lek broke, and a vast amount of land was flooded. Representatives of the New York Stock Exchange were also present yesterday evening at the Impact Night of our faculty at Universiteit Utrecht, hosted by Frank Verbeeten Utrecht University School of Economics to discuss sustainable finance, climate finance, the stock exchange and data and: the incentives for sustainable investments. https://lnkd.in/gcq8XBqp

How to develop hubs of innovation and entrepreneurship in historic urban areas, based on heritage? In our HUB-IN consortium (Horizon 2020) we have worked on methodologies and have tested these with the implementation of eight innovation hubs in Belfast, Brasov, Genoa, Grand Angouleme, Lisbon, Nicosia, Slovenska Bistrica and Utrecht. We had some inspiring days last week at the final HUB-IN International conference ‘Innovation meets cultural heritage in cities’ on 26th and 27th November in Lisbon! Project members and interested stakeholders shared experiences in the iconic building of the Lisbon Geographical Society. For more info, reports, videos, tools etc on the HUB-IN project, see https://hubin-project.eu/ Great to work with HUB-IN colleagues and connect to stakeholders at this international conference Vera Gregório, Brian Smith, Ronald Kleverlaan, Chris Taylor, Grit Hartung, Rachna LEVEQUE, Rita Lopes, João Pedro Gouveia, Kinga Kovacs, Diana Henriques,Rick Everts, Saskia Kluitmans, Andrea Thornbury, Leea MIHAILA, Alexandru Belenyi, Silvia Campailla, Fabio Tenore, Michela Fossa, Theoharous Charis, Marina Kyriakou, Savvas Vlachos, Nataša Pernat, Solène Gautron, and many more! Thanks also to our team Utrecht University: Mara van Twuijver, Helen Toxopeus, Ronald Kleverlaan and Dara Van Buiten with whom we developed the dedicated HUB-IN #EntrepreneurialEcosystem framework and the HUB-IN Atlas. For those interested in good practices concerning heritage-led innovation and entrepreneurship in historic urban areas, please check out https://lnkd.in/ebrPUA2D #innovation #entrepreneurship #HistoricUrbanAreas #heritage #sustainability Entrepreneurship @ Utrecht University School of Economics

💭 BLOG ALERT | Following on from our MOU announcement with Utrecht University, here are some of our reflections after co-hosting the successful hybrid workshop on African Entrepreneurial Ecosystems with Utrecht University, Allan Gray Centre for Africa Entrepreneurship and The American University in Cairo on 28th November. Some key highlights include the sharing of new models of entrepreneurship such as the Okabi model based on the Nigerian traditions of collective prosperity. Showcasing of key resources for policymakers such as the African Entrepreneurship Ecosystem Index and much more… Read about the outcomes here: https://lnkd.in/d5a4kq4S Phumlani Nkontwana Erik Stam Tim Gelissen Milou Derks Ayman Ismail Kenneth Amaeshi

In this episode of The Why Curve Podcast, Emmanuel Buadi Mensah of the Utrecht University School of Economics explores why #Africa has yet to achieve significant #development. He argues that the continent's underdevelopment stems from a lack of production, perpetuated by weak institutions. What steps can Africa take to foster change? Emmanuel advocates for institutional reforms to strengthen production and promote trade within Africa. Take a listen! Entrepreneurship @ Utrecht University School of Economics Roger Hearing 🎙️Phil Dobbie The Why? Curve https://lnkd.in/e5hKk95i

🎙️ De nieuwe aflevering staat online! 🎙️ In deze aflevering verwelkomen we Anne-Sophie Halbertsma van Utrecht University School of Economics en Tica Peeman in de @Future of Work Hub podcast! Samen duiken we in het fascinerende thema van besluitvorming in groepen en de rol van medewerkerparticipatie. Hoe beïnvloeden groepsdynamiek en betrokkenheid de keuzes die we maken op de werkvloer? En hoe kun je als organisatie de stem van medewerkers écht laten meetellen? Dan mag je deze aflevering én onze eerdere podcasts niet missen! 🎧 Beluister nu via de link 👉 https://edu.nl/g4wy4 Institutions for Open Societies (Utrecht University) | Future of Work Hub #FutureOfWork #Podcast #Arbeidspotentieel #Werkgeluk #Besluitvorming #Medewerkerparticipatie #Samenwerken #Leiderschap #Organisatiecultuur

🎉 Some good things get even better: celebrating and solidifying the Utrecht University collaboration with i4Policy with a Memorandum of Understanding to advance African Entrepreneurial Ecosystems 🌍 #entrepreneurship #entrepreneurialecosystems #economicdevelopment #research #education #policy #Africa #Europe #globalengagement Utrecht University Centre for Global Challenges (UGlobe) Utrecht University School of Economics #eshipuu Institutions for Open Societies (Utrecht University) Emmanuel Buadi Mensah Kwabena Aboah Addo Robert McDonald Anne-Sophie Halbertsma Maria Greve Daan van Arcken Selin Dilli