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This paper examines the scalability of the results from the Tennessee Student-Teacher Achievement Ratio (STAR) Project, a prominent educational experiment. We explore how the misalignment between the experimental design and the econometric model affects researchers' ability to learn about the intervention's scalability. We document heterogeneity in compliance with class-size reduction that is more extensive than previously acknowledged and discuss its consequences for the evaluation of the experiment. Guided by this finding, we implement a new econometric framework incorporating heterogeneous treatment effects and endogenous class size determination. We find that the effect of class size on test scores differs considerably across schools, with only a small fraction of schools having significant benefits from reduced class sizes. We discuss the challenges this poses for the intervention's scalability and conclude by analyzing targeted class-size interventions.

This paper takes stock of the literature on behaviourally informed interventions to facilitate the transition to a circular economy, and discusses measures that could be pilot tested in Italy. The paper provides an overview of the key concepts of behavioural economics and describes the main "biases" that could influence the adoption of behaviours aligned with the transition to a circular economy by consumers. It goes on to review the empirical evidence on the motivations that may affect the adoption of such behaviours, as well as taking stock of empirical insights into the effectiveness of implemented behavioural interventions relevant to the circular economy transition. Finally, the paper introduces three proposals for experimental pilots in Italy. This working paper was developed in the context of project 21IT01 "Advanced policy instruments to accelerate the circular economy", funded by the European Commission's Directorate-General for Structural Reform Support (DG REFORM). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Unpaid Care and Domestic Work (UCDW) and Paid Domestic Work (PDW) are essential to societal wellbeing. However, these activities often carry negative perceptions, attitudes and beliefs when performed by men and boys. As a result, women and girls typically shoulder the primary responsibility for performing UCDW. Similarly, society often undervalues PDW by perceiving it as low-skilled work, as demonstrated through low remuneration and unfair employment practices. The narratives many cultures embrace concerning UCDW and PDW partly explain why these essential activities frequently fall on women and girls, and why society often undervalues PDW. This report documents a collaborative research project between Busara Center for Behavioral Economics and Oxfam to investigate existing narratives on UCDW and PDW in Kenya, and test potentially transformative narratives that could shift societal attitudes.

This research study across three countries – Kenya, UK, and Zimbabwe – was carried out to identify the dominant narratives that influence public perceptions of care and informal work. It enabled the researchers to develop and test new narratives that could be used to improve public attitudes towards care and informal work. Creating new stories about care and informal work is vital to securing adequate investment and support from communities, traditional leaders and governments.

This chapter turns to the policy challenge of fostering environmentally sustainable digitalization that works for inclusive development. It stresses that policy responses at the national, regional and international levels are more likely to prove successful if they refect the involvement of all stakeholders and address digital, socioeconomic and environmental goals holistically, across the entire life cycle of digital devices and ICT infrastructure. Government strategies to mitigate GHG emissions, conserve water resources and reduce waste generation should also pay adequate attention to the environmental footprint of digitalization, as well as to how digital technologies can offer solutions to environmental concerns. Given the asymmetrical distribution of capabilities and resources, development partners are called upon to offer adequate support to low-income countries to strengthen their ability to participate effectively in a more circular global digital economy that is also environmentally sustainable., A. The need for a new policy mindset This report has explored the relationship between digitalization and environmental sustainability, from the perspective of trade and development, with a view to [...]

While the preceding chapters focused on the three phases of the life cycle of digitalization, this chapter discusses a specifc application of digital technologies, namely e-commerce. Attention is turned to the indirect implications of digitalization on the environment, which can be both positive and negative. As stressed in chapter I, assessing these indirect effects is even more challenging than measuring the direct environmental footprint of digitalization. This chapter has a particular focus on business-to-consumer (B2C) e-commerce, and explores how it can be as sustainable as possible., A. Introduction Digitalization has had a major impact on domestic and international commerce. Boosted by the COVID-19 pandemic, more people and businesses are going online to look for the goods [...]

As the evolving digital economy continues to create both opportunities and challenges for trade and sustainable development, the Digital Economy Report 2024, for the first time, turns its attention to the environmental implications of digitalization. Against a backdrop of multiple environmental crises and the digital solutions leveraged to tackle them, it is increasingly important to consider how to reduce the environmental footprint of digitalization itself. This chapter outlines the importance of exploring the implications that arise at the nexus of digitalization and environmental sustainability, and stresses the need to consider the entire life cycle of digital products. The chapter also notes that many developing countries face a particular challenge, as they are less equipped to harness digitalization to mitigate environmental risks while also being exposed to many of the potential environmental costs associated with digitalization., A. The digitalization and environmental sustainability nexus 1. An area in need of more attention Sustainable development is a vital priority for the United Nations and the global community, articulated [...]