The William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan
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Vision: Solving for Business: Because Business Drives Economic Growth and Social Freedom
At the William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan (WDI), unlocking the power of business to provide lasting economic and social prosperity in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) is in our DNA. We gather the data, develop new models, test concepts and collaborate with partners to find real solutions that lead to new opportunities. This is what we mean by Solving for Business—our calling since the Institute was first founded as an independent nonprofit educational organization in 1992. We believe societies that empower individuals with the tools and skills to excel in business, in turn generate both economic growth and social freedom—or the agency necessary for people to thrive. WDI is the parent organization for NextBillion.
Articles in The William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan-Sponsored Series
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Guest Articles
Monday
May 17
2021Amy Gillett / Kristin Babbie Kelterborn
An Engaging Approach to Entrepreneurship Training: Four Free Case Studies Highlight Solutions to Business Dilemmas in Emerging Markets
Entrepreneurs in emerging markets face a number of common challenges when growing their businesses, yet there is a lack of affordable and accessible training tools geared specifically to their needs. To help fill that gap, the William Davidson Institute (WDI)'s Entrepreneurship Development Center has published four free case studies exploring dilemmas faced by small businesses on the path to growth. WDI's Amy Gillett and Kristin Babbie Kelterborn highlight these studies, which can be put to use in entrepreneurship training programs or used by entrepreneurs themselves.
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- Uncategorized
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Interviews
Thursday
February 4
2021Embedding Gender Equity Into Companies’ DNA: An Investor Consortium Builds the Evidence Base for Gender Lens Investing
As gender lens investing moves into the mainstream, investors and enterprises need support in getting buy-in for this approach – and in implementing it effectively. To that end, the Gender-Smart Enterprise Assistance Research Coalition is working to build the evidence base for investing with a gender lens, with support from the Performance Measurement and Improvement team at the William Davidson Institute. NextBillion spoke with Lisa Willems at AlphaMundi and Rebecca Fries at Value for Women about the momentum that’s driving gender lens investing, the challenges it faces and the work the new consortium is doing.
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- Investing, NextBillion Originals
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Guest Articles
Monday
September 21
2020Heather Esper / Vava Angwenyi / Monica Cuba / Matthew Guttentag / Mallory St. Claire
Flipping the Script: Why Small and Growing Businesses Should Lead the Researchers – Not the Other Way Around
All too often, global development research hinges on the interest of researchers, rather than the knowledge needs of small and growing businesses and their impacted communities. This can leave entrepreneurs with plenty of reports, but no practical tools for continuing to collect and use data themselves. Analysts at the William Davidson Institute, Gente Del Futuro, Practical Action and ANDE propose a better approach: letting small businesses lead the way.
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- Technology
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Guest Articles
Monday
June 8
2020Amy Gillett / Johanna Mendelson Forman
Keeping Food on the Table During COVID-19: How Refugee Entrepreneurs Have Stayed Afloat – and Thrown a Lifeline to Others
The COVID-19 crisis has hit the food sector particularly hard, with far-reaching implications for both enterprises and the people they supply with food during the lockdown. Amy Gillett at the William Davidson Institute and Johanna Mendelson Forman at the Stimson Center discuss three key developments that are allowing food sector entrepreneurs to pivot to new business models that can help them weather these challenges.
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- Coronavirus
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Interviews
Wednesday
April 22
2020Moving Past Traditional Philanthropy: A Q&A with Enterprise Development Pioneer Frank Giustra
Earlier this year, the Clinton Giustra Enterprise Partnership announced that it was spinning off from the Clinton Foundation, where it had been an initiative since its founding in 2007. The independent organization, now called Acceso, works to build businesses and connect them to the broader marketplace – particularly in Latin America. Its founder, Frank Giustra, discusses its new focus and ongoing work in this Q&A.
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- Agriculture, Investing
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Guest Articles
Monday
March 2
2020Seven Stages of SME Growth – One Common Problem: The Challenge of Financing Small Businesses Across Their Life Cycle
There’s an endless variety of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the world, but these businesses often experience similar problems that arise at similar stages in their growth. Barbara Peitsch, an international economic development consultant at the William Davidson Institute, discusses these stages and their associated challenges, and explores how SMEs can access financing that's appropriate for their level of development.
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- Finance
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Guest Articles
Monday
January 13
2020Is Vertical Integration Good or Bad for Off-Grid Energy Access? Let’s Get Specific
Pay-as-you-go off-grid energy business models are often vertically integrated, including elements of manufacturing, distribution, consumer financing, payment collection and after-sales service. But some believe it's more cost-effective to outsource many of these aspects of the business model to service providers. Paul Clyde and Colm Fay at WDI argue that vertical integration is neither inherently good, nor bad: They explore its history, and its advantages and disadvantages for the nascent off-grid energy industry.
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- Energy
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Guest Articles
Wednesday
December 4
2019Delivering Family Planning to Rural Customers: Are Mobile Pharmacies ‘Just What the Doctor Ordered’?
Pharmacies serve as key access points for family planning products in many emerging markets. In countries like Malawi, the number of pharmacies has ballooned by nearly 100% in the past 10 years. Yet it can be difficult to run a sustainable pharmacy business, especially in rural areas. Andrea Bare and Erika Beidelman at the William Davidson Institute discuss potential solutions – including an innovative mobile pharmacy – based on conversations with Malawian entrepreneurs.
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- Health Care, Telecommunications
