January 2012
1 post
Become the next OECD Student Ambassador and Win a...
Become the next OECD Student Ambassador and Win a FREE Trip to Paris
The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) is the Organization that since 1961 has provided fact-based analysis and policy advice to help governments achieve and measure progress. To this day we continue to promote better policies for better lives.
Dear Faculty,
As we begin our third year of...
October 2011
2 posts
Development Dialogue: Towards Green Growth Event... →
Development Dialogue: Lunch and Learn with USC...
RSVP October Lunch & Learn
Organic Food Delivery
Carl Cade, Revolution Foods
Wednesday, October 12th
12:30 – 1:50 p.m. in JKP 104
September 2011
1 post
Development Dialogue: First Event Next Tuesday!
INTERESTED in U.S.-MEXICAN RELATIONS? HOW ABOUT a CAREER in the FOREIGN SERVICE? Tuesday, September 27 CLAYTON ALDERMAN, Pol/Econ Officer, U.S. Consulate Tijuana, Mexico (USC SIR alum) OECD Development Dialogue Series Topic: “U.S. Foreign Policy and Presence in Mexico” Time: 12:30pm-2:00pm Location: Social Sciences Building (SOS), Room B40 Discussant: Carol Wise, Associate Professor...
August 2011
3 posts
Our Economic Woes Need a Long-Term Fix →
An op-ed from OECD Secretary General Angel Gurria.
In Less Exciting News... →
Sorry to have to start off the year with less than upbeat news, but in keeping with the direction of the global economy:
New OECD data shows a further slowdown in economic growth for its member (mostly characterized as developed) countries in the second quarter…
Welcome to the 2011-2012 OECD Student Ambassador...
The new year is kicking off here at USC and so is OECDxUSC! Come check out the program at tomorrow’s (Wednesday, August 24th) Involvement Fair on Trousdale Parkway and Alumni Park from 11am to 2pm.
Also make sure to check out our updated About page and stay tuned for the 2011-2012 Development Dialogue with exciting new Events on the horizon!
April 2011
11 posts
Israel is a Prosperous but Radically Unequal... →
One of the first OECD reports I’ve seen based on Israel, a new member country as of May 2010, and its economic inequality.
Malaysia applies for OECD member status →
OECD urges Japan to raise Sales tax
In the wake of the magnitude-9 earthquake in Japan last month, the Japanese government has been reluctant to raise tax rates due to the widespread devastation and economic panic caused by the quake and its subsequent tsunami. However, the OECD has been looking more forward. In its regular economic survey on Japan, the OECD asserts that while production may fall in the short term, the long term...
Unemployment may linger
The OECD released a report today (summarized here in the Wall Street Journal) that expressed concern with the risk that unemployment rates may linger at their current highs as OECD member economies attempt to recover.
Many, if not most, OECD member countries’ unemployment rates have lifted by at least 2% since the economic crisis. The UK, Greece, Italy, Ireland, Portugal, and the US have...
OECD Video Competition Winners have been... →
Woergoetter Follow-Up
In the wake of our February talk with Mr. Andreas Woergoetter (head of OECD Economics Division), this article from Bloomberg discusses the OECD’s arguments for developing tighter fiscal policies in Estonia. The article explains that Estonia, who adopted the Euro just this past January, should adopt spending ceilings and a regulatory mechanism to help moderate the effects of economic cycles....
Blame Canada?
While most Americans view Canada as a fairly safe and reputable country, the latest OECD report notes that Canadian firms might display more indicators of corruption than one would normally assume. I found this article, referencing accounting and auditing firm Ernst & Young’s concern that Canadian firms might be exposed to increased fraud investigation as a result of the OECD report.
...
Who works the longest?
This article summarizes the OECD’s publication Society at a Glance, released on Tuesday. Society at a Glance looks at social trends and policy developments in OECD countries. Using indicators taken from the larger OECD databases and other sources, it demonstrates how societies are changing over time and compared with other countries.
This article specifically examines a chapter that looks...
this is a fun one →
This is a fun one! I very rarely come across a secondary source talking about the OECD, its history, and its role in global politics. Here, the Telegraph is trying to make my job easier. Love it! Definitely check out this link.
UAE and OECD →
This article discusses recent UAE efforts to build a stronger relationship with the OECD, hoping to decrease their dependence on oil revenues and diversify their international trading prospects.
Spending too much or taxing to little?
To continue our discussion on tax, this article from The Economist attempts to break down the changes in OECD member country deficits by discussing additional spending and lowering taxes in the wake of the Great Recession.
Countries like Hungary have been spending less and taxing more, where as the United States has been spending more and taxing less.
How better to balance the budget?
...
Tax Policy: Appropriating the Surplus
As a follow up to the recent article about tax distribution in OECD articles, I found this blog entry (or, in fact, a series of blog entries) from the Economist that again approaches the idea about the appropriateness and progressiveness of OECD member countries’ tax systems.
Whereas the previous article considers the US tax system the most progressive of any OECD member country, this...
March 2011
10 posts
Looking at Japan's recovery
Japan’s recent earthquake, an event now referred to as “3/11”, has caused a lot of speculation among investors. Where should investors place their money in light of the crisis? Will Japan be able to bounce back? How can this crisis be turned into an opportunity for good policy?
The answers to these questions are difficult to predict, as they depend on so many variables in the...
US has most progressive tax of 24 OECD countries
While this article is not an official OECD publication, it hosts an interesting comparison of 24 OECD member nations by comparing the “progressiveness” of their tax systems. This table measures the share of taxes paid by the richest 10 percent of households, the share of all market income earned by that group, and the ratio of what that 10 percent of households pays in taxes versus...
S.G. visits Washington Center
I’m on the OECD Washington Center site about twice a day, perusing upcoming events or helping interested parties find the “internship” page. Today, I was particularly excited to see this event, to be hosted at the Center for Global Development in Washington, DC tomorrow, about the OECD in a G20 world.
For those of you considering the OECD Student Ambassadorship, these are the...
Teachers paid for performance
If you follow education policy in the United States, or even if you watched President Obama’s State of the Union Address this January, you are aware that there is a fierce debate over teachers’ compensation here in the US. As many of my friends graduate from univrsity and head into programs like Teach for America (and as I, myself, look to continue my education), the current and future...
the OECD and nuclear industry, part 2
As a follow up to Wednesday’s article on the OECD and nuclear industry, this article continues to discuss the OECD’s role and research in getting Japan’s post-earthquake nuclear disaster under control. In such a recent catastrophe, it is encouraging to see the OECD’s research being used in such a timely and relevant manner.
Gerard Winn and Martin Roberts discuss new...
Aid statistics from the OECD
This week, the OECD Washington Center (the “headquarters” for our student ambassador program and brains behind the operation) hosted and event with marc Tocatlian and Yasmine Ahmad on aid statistics. This is one of the most relevant areas for devleopment statistics to many research works, and is often the most difficult area in which to pin down accurate statistics. I am thrilled to...
the OECD and nuclear industry
Following Japan’s recent 8.9 magnitude earthquake and subsequent nuclear activity, the Wall Street Journal released this article regarding the OECD member countries’ contribution to nuclear industry in the world economy. The OECD’s nuclear agency represents around 85% of the global nuclear capacities, making Japan’s stumble an interesting event in world politics. While I...
February 2011
13 posts
Some clarifications on the OECD Student Ambassador...
I have been receiving several repeat questions lately, so I would like to clear up what is required of students who wish to apply to the OECD Student Ambassador position for the 2011-2012 school year. Most are included in the general information, but deserve to be highlighted.
First - there is no official application form. Instead, please compile a cover letter that discusses your qualifications...
Boom and Bust in the Baltic States
Yesterday, M. Andreas Woergoetter, Head of the Country Studies 5 Division in the Economics Department of the OECD, visited USC to deliver a seminar on the boom and bust cycle in Estonia.
Estonia is a small country - population only 1.3 million - that (re-)gained its independence shortly after the fall of the Soviet Union, in 1991. One third of its population is ethnically Russian. But one...
Missing the Mark on Education
PISA - the Programme for International Student Assessment, mentioned many times on this blog - is a survey of the standardized educational progress of its member countries (and some others). The most recent PISA results have placed, as usually, the United States somewhat behind its peers in other OECD countries, alerting policymakers to the decline in our primary and secondary education. I found...
Gauging the Chances of Euro Zone Defaults
From the blog called Economix, this article discusses popular opinion regarding the debt crises in Europe (particularly in Greece, Ireland, and Spain), and the research papers of the OECD. As European nations channel their energy into creating a permanent sovereign debt handling system, few people believe that these “at risk” countries will be able to avoid true debt restructuring.
...
Colombia Applies for OECD membership
It has been difficult to find a compelling yet unbiased account of Colombia’s recent application for OECD membership. From what I have been able to pull from the news, Colombia has applied to the OECD (as has been expected). Of course, to a certain extent, Colombia would like to be a part of the OECD in some ways because of its company. OECD membership implies the research and aid that help...
OECD’s Angel Gurría marks the 100th birthday of...
[taken from New Release, Washington, D.C. February 4, 2011]
OECD Secretary-General Angel Gurría today paid tribute to President Ronald Reagan for his support and leadership of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), a product of United States vision and ingenuity after the Second World War. “President Reagan recognized the OECD as a key institution to promote...
OECD insights blog provides another great look... →
While I do my best to follow the OECD in the press and in their own research, the OECD Insights blog is another wonderful way to keep in touch with the OECD’s work. I introduced OECD Insights earlier in the program, but the blog is a fun and frequently updated way to keep up with newest research and pressing issues!
Youth Unemployment and the OECD
This article from BBC news provides a short but interesting description of the plight of working youths. The OECD does significant research on jobs in general but also on the more specific issue of youth employment issues across the globe. Lack of experience for 18-24 year-olds in search of work hurts their chances, making their unemployment rate double that of 25+ year-old job hunters.
The...
OECD in Egypt
While this article is quite short, I found it very interesting and important to note the presence that the OECD has had throughout recent events in Egypt. The OECD frequently faces criticism for the exclusivity of its research, focusing on member and enhanced-engagement countries. However, in the past year of following the OECD more closely, I have found several articles like this in which the...
OECD Washington Center seeks next class of Student...
The time has come to start looking for the next round of OECD student ambassadors (school year 2011-2012). This is a school year-round commitment, promising some wonderful interaction with USC faculty, event planning experience, and experience with statistics and data on the OECD iLibrary. Not to mention, only ten students in the country get to do it - talk about a resume booster! The official...
January 2011
1 post
WELCOME BACK!
WELCOME BACK to school and an extra welcome to the OECD’s 50th anniversary year. OECDxUSC will have a lot of great things in store for this semester. For starters, check out the new and improved OECD website! This blog will also be updated and ready to roll very soon.
Our first big speaking event will take place on February 15th, with a visiting OECD economics from Paris. Stay tuned!
December 2010
6 posts
OECD Secretary-General Angel Gurría welcomes...
This past Monday, December 13, OECD Secretary-General Angel Gurria spoke alongside French President Nicolas Sarkozy at the Elysees Palace in Paris, France. The OECD is headquartered in Paris. Sarkozy will now host the rotating presidency of the G20 and the OECD begins its 50th Anniversary celebration this month.
The OECD’s 50th Anniversary Ministerial meeting and Forum will follow the G8 Summit...
OECD iPhone Ap!!
I have to admit, i don’t have an iPhone and therefore was unaware of the new OECD iPhone Ap that a friend showed me earlier today. This ap allows you to access the entire OECD factbook instantly on your phone. AKA, it is the coolest thing ever, and it’s totally free! So if you have an iPhone, download now!
Win a Trip to Paris! →
The OECD is now hosting a video contest, one of the many exciting opportunities to join in on the 50th anniversary fun. What are your criteria for progress? Create a short (3 minute) video and be considered for one of three trips to Paris to showcase your work at the OECD Forum in May, 2011!
If you have any questions or want to brainstorm ideas, contact OECD Student Ambassador Lauren Goodwin for...
OECD Releases latest PISA survey →
Yesterday, December 7th, the OECD released its most recent Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) survey. Korea and Finland top the charts, with the US receiving average scores and the UK dropping several places despite its recent financial injections into the education system. PISA tests 15 year olds, providing a means of comparison that countries can use to assess their education...
November 2010
13 posts
some thoughts for nations as they approach... →
As PISA is one of the OECD’s pilot research initiatives, I thought it would be interesting to look at this article about how education spending affects that actual conditions of learning on the ground. The Economist argues in this article that it is the shape of education, not its size or spending, that makes a difference. As OECD countries - particularly the United States, as its public...
Crisis in Korea? Or lack thereof? →
In the past 24 hours, I have been monitoring the progress of North Korea’s shelling attack on South Korea, an OECD member country and the host of November’s G20 conference. This article is not a direct news piece, but rather an opinion article. Definitely check up the facts on other websites, but I just thought it would be fun to share some of the opinions going around about the...
