Some lessons from OU MSc (Development Management) - Macroeconomics

1) Since WW2, there was an increase in GDP per capita inequality between states and within states up until about 1990 (Milanovic, 2012).  Since the 1990s this continues within states, but is reversing between states.  More recent HDI measures (literacy, health, wealth) indicate that global HDI figures have consistently improved between 1990 and 2012 (UNDP, 2000 p.12)

2) Negative GDP growth seen in sub-Saharan Africa in 1970s ('debt-led growth' following OPEC crisis) and 1980s ('lost decade').  Similar, if slightly less pronounced trends seen in India and Bangladesh.

3) Most MDGs have moved nearly to the success criteria between 1990 and 2015, key sub-measure exceptions being carbon emissions (climate change), clean water availability

4) Should be noted that global measures give a helpful overview but national/regional/local distinctions are much more important for intervention.  Unless, of course, you're implementing macroeconomic interventions, which seem just as heinously complex as implementing UK macroeconomic interventions.

5) Recent significant African progress in HDI-esque index (including GDP) seen in Angola, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Malawi, Lesotho, Ghana, Nigeria, Mozambique.  Continued progress in Brazil/India/China; and the Asian tigers (Singapore, Taiwan, HongKong, South Korea) have recovered the late 1990s slump to a repeat of rapid growth

Ethical labelling and CSR

ODI have written a critical piece which includes a review of the Fairtrade and Rainforest Concern labels - includes some consideration about the challenges a plethora of labelling poses by time-poor consumers
Is a gap in the market for a 'good for development' label?

Interesting look at CSR from McDonalds' point of view - the McLibel campaigners' commentary from the 1980s/1990s.  Clearcutting and union-busting seems less common these days.
McDonald's detailed global CSR site

Another interesting take from the tobacco giant - even the CSR pages seem grey and rather sickly
British American Tobacco CSR pages

Australia-focused critique of aid

Australia view of aid:
http://www.aidwatch.org.au/book/export/html/14

UK Welfare Statistics

A helpful (if left motivated) Guardian article detailing some useful welfare statistics in the UK:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2013/apr/06/welfare-britain-facts-myths

Number of benefit claimants:
4.3 million households get at least half their income from benefits, including:
1.3 million with 1+ kids
115,000 families with 4+ kids
13,000 families with 6+ kids

Worklessness:
340k households in which nobody has ever worked (though 170k of these are under 25)
150k households which have 2 generations workless

Total spend:
£210bn p.a. on benefits (DWP), including pensions (DWP) and tax credits (HMRC)
0.8% of welfare benefits are paid fraudulently (£1.2bn)
58k households hit by the benefit cap

Addendum: consistent with the above, the Rowntree Foundation indicate 5m people as being on major benefits, with 50% due to ill health, 30% due to joblessness, 20% due to lone parent/carer status.  However, this is only £20bn worth of benefits - much more comes from housing benefit and tax credits.

My conjecture now: In simple terms, although there are ~30m people in the UK who get some form of benefit, I imagine that the 5m above get about £13k p.a. each (£65bn) and the other 25m share the rest (£65bn), while £75bn goes on pensions and £5bn on admin.

Cheerful outlook

It's all good after all

http://whatho.in/2011/3-reasons-why-life-always-gets-better/

Concealed Octopus / Cute dogs

Cute dogs (courtesy of Stella Creasy, MP)
http://www.buzzfeed.com/mattbellassai/dogs-who-are-too-stupid-for-their-own-good

Concealed Octopus - well hidden!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ckP8msIgMYE

Career navigation

LinkedIn founder Great Reid Hoffman provides some insight into career navigation
http://www.businessinsider.com/career-advice-from-linkedins-founder-2013-3?op=1