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Inter-American Development Bank: 'Training Minds, Shaping Policies: Evidence From a Behavioral Economics Course for Public Officials'
WASHINGTON, July 6 (TNSLrpt) -- The Inter-American Development Bank issued the following white paper in June 2026 entitled "Training Minds, Shaping Policies: Evidence from a Behavioral Economics Course for Public Officials."
Here are excerpts:
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Why do some public policies fail despite policymakers' good intentions? One answer is that policymakers, like everyone else, are prone to cognitive biases (Banuri et al., 2019; Battaglio Jr et al., 2019; Kuehnhanss and Heyndels, 2018). While these biases are well documented among citizens and consumers, far less is known about whether--and how--we
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WASHINGTON, July 6 (TNSLrpt) -- The Inter-American Development Bank issued the following white paper in June 2026 entitled "Training Minds, Shaping Policies: Evidence from a Behavioral Economics Course for Public Officials."
Here are excerpts:
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Why do some public policies fail despite policymakers' good intentions? One answer is that policymakers, like everyone else, are prone to cognitive biases (Banuri et al., 2019; Battaglio Jr et al., 2019; Kuehnhanss and Heyndels, 2018). While these biases are well documented among citizens and consumers, far less is known about whether--and how--wecan de-bias those who design and implement policy. This paper tests whether a brief online behavioral economics training course can improve public officials' reasoning and decision-making.
Behavioral science has transformed our understanding of human decision-making, revealing the systematic ways in which individuals deviate from rational-actor models (Achtziger et al., 2014; Artiga Gonz'alez et al., 2024; Brocas and Carrillo, 2014; Camerer et al., 2005; DellaVigna, 2009; Kahneman, 2011). These deviations, such as loss aversion, overconfidence, and reliance on heuristics, are not only predictable but potentially malleable (Brookins et al., 2014; Cherry and Shogren, 2007; Comerford, 2011; Dolan et al., 2012; H~ugelsch~afer and Achtziger, 2014; Posten et al., 2014). Prior work shows that cognitive reflection can be enhanced through training (Lades, 2014; Morewedge et al., 2015; Sellier et al., 2019) and that awareness of one's biases can reduce discriminatory or suboptimal behaviors (Pope et al., 2018). Recent studies suggest that training may represent a promising way to improve decisions, performance, and job satisfaction (Banerjee et al., 2021; Budr'ia, 2012; Busso et al., 2023; Garc'ia et al., 2013; Ravaghi et al., 2021). Yet few studies have tested whether policymakers can be de-biased through scalable training programs. Can behavioral science not just diagnose bias, but help cure it?
We provide results from a randomized controlled trial embedded in a widely accessible online course on behavioral economics for Latin American public officials. Decision-making and cognitive skills were measured using a diagnostic test that combined three Cognitive Reflection Test (CRT) items (Frederick, 2005; Primi et al., 2016; Toplak et al., 2014) with three scenario-based questions assessing behavioral principles, such as framing, loss aversion, and incentives, and one item eliciting a choice between a structural and a behaviorally oriented policy instrument. Participants who completed the course scored 0.87 standard deviations higher on average (p < 0.001), with especially large gains in applied behavioral scenarios. These results suggest that modest, scalable interventions can strengthen cognitive processes of direct relevance for policy design.
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View full text here: https://publications.iadb.org/publications/english/document/Training-Minds-Shaping-Policies-Evidence-from-a-Behavioral-Economics-Course-for-Public-Officials.pdf
[Category: IADB]
Inter-American Development Bank: 'The Price of Protection: Tariff Incidence and Import Collapse Under the Infamous Smoot-Hawley Tariff'
WASHINGTON, July 6 (TNSLrpt) -- The Inter-American Development Bank issued the following white paperin June 2026 entitled "The Price of Protection: Tariff Incidence and Import Collapse under the Infamous Smoot-Hawley Tariff."
Here are excerpts:
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The Tariff Act of 1930 represents the largest and most comprehensive American tariff increase in the last 100 years of American trade policy. In the two years after its passage, the ad valorem equivalent tariff rate in the US increased dramatically, from 44.4% in 1930 to 59% in 1932 (Bond et al., 2013), and trade volume declined by roughly 40% over
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WASHINGTON, July 6 (TNSLrpt) -- The Inter-American Development Bank issued the following white paperin June 2026 entitled "The Price of Protection: Tariff Incidence and Import Collapse under the Infamous Smoot-Hawley Tariff."
Here are excerpts:
* * *
The Tariff Act of 1930 represents the largest and most comprehensive American tariff increase in the last 100 years of American trade policy. In the two years after its passage, the ad valorem equivalent tariff rate in the US increased dramatically, from 44.4% in 1930 to 59% in 1932 (Bond et al., 2013), and trade volume declined by roughly 40% overthis same period. The Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act, as it is more commonly known, raised rates on a wide range of manufacturing and agricultural imports, greatly increasing the coverage of American tariffs and adding hundreds of new line items to the tariff code. In turn, it provoked both a massive trade war (Mitchener, O'Rourke, and Wandschneider, 2023)
nd ushered in a new era of global protectionism (Eichengreen and Irwin, 1995; Irwin, 2011, 2012).
Given Smoot-Hawley's scale and scope, this paper asks a series of straightforward questions regarding its effects. First, how did the tariff act change import prices and quantities in the short run and medium run? Second, what is the average trade elasticity derived from a large, broad-based increase in tariff rates at different time horizons, and do measured elasticities appear sensitive to monetary policy? Third, how much did total U.S imports fall due to Smoot-Hawley Tariff and what was the estimated change in welfare due to its enactment?
To estimate these effects and parameters, we build a database consisting of newly digitized monthly, free-on-board (FOB) import prices between January 1929 and June 1932, spanning 88 categories of imports and accounting for 60% of total U.S. imports (by value) in 1929. We then match these price data to the corresponding monthly data on the quantities and values of these same 88 import categories.
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View full text here: file:///Users/moirasirois/Downloads/The-Price-of-Protection-Tariff-Incidence-and-Import-Collapse-under-the-Infamous-Smoot-Hawley-Tariff.pdf
[Category: IADB]
Inter-American Development Bank: 'An Analysis of Agricultural Total Factor Productivity Growth and Its Determinants in Bolivia'
WASHINGTON, July 6 (TNSLrpt) -- The Inter-American Development Bank issued the following white paper in June 2026 entitled "An Analysis of Agricultural Total Factor Productivity Growth and Its Determinants in Bolivia."
Here are excerpts:
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In Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), increasing agricultural productivity is necessary to feed its growing population, reduce pressure on natural resources, and improve the livelihoods of its rural population. Agriculture is a key sector in the region, accounting for 13% of global agricultural production value and 17% of agricultural exports (OECD/FAO,
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WASHINGTON, July 6 (TNSLrpt) -- The Inter-American Development Bank issued the following white paper in June 2026 entitled "An Analysis of Agricultural Total Factor Productivity Growth and Its Determinants in Bolivia."
Here are excerpts:
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In Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), increasing agricultural productivity is necessary to feed its growing population, reduce pressure on natural resources, and improve the livelihoods of its rural population. Agriculture is a key sector in the region, accounting for 13% of global agricultural production value and 17% of agricultural exports (OECD/FAO,2021). Moreover, agricultural productivity growth contributes two to four times more to poverty reduction than growth in other sectors (De Janvry & Sadoulet, 2010). However, the growth rate of agricultural productivity in LAC has slowed significantly in recent years. During the first decade of the century, Total Factor Productivity (TFP) in the agricultural sector grew at an annual rate of 2.2%. That rate, however, fell to 1.5% between 2010 and 2020 (Nin-Pratt et al., 2023). Stagnating productivity growth threatens the progress that has been made towards eliminating rural poverty and food insecurity. Looking toward the future, sustainable agricultural productivity growth must balance productivity improvements with the conservation of natural resources, enhanced ecosystem resilience, and reduced climate change impacts. To achieve this, public spending on agriculture plays a crucial role. In LAC, however, it represents about 5% of agricultural GDP, significantly lower than the average share achieved in other countries, including Canada and the U.S. (Conroy et al., 2024).
Bolivia exemplifies both the opportunities and challenges of sustainable agricultural productivity growth in the LAC region. Agriculture is a cornerstone of the country's economy, contributing an average of 12.28% to GDP over the past five years and employing 27% of the population in 2022 (World Bank, 2024). A large share of agricultural production is carried out by family farmers. Out of 871,927 Agricultural Production Units (UPAs), 80% are Family Production Units, involving nearly two million farmers of peasant, Indigenous, and intercultural origin (Ministerio de Desarrollo Rural y Tierras [MDRyT], 2021)
Bolivia's agricultural GDP has shown significant growth in recent decades. Between 2006 and 2019, the sector grew at an annual rate of 3.8%, outpacing the Latin American average of 2.6% (Alcaraz Rivero et al., 2021). This growth has largely been driven by the expansion of agricultural land and the increased use of inputs, while agriculture also played a crucial role in poverty reduction, with rural poverty rates falling from nearly 90% in the 1990s to 55% by 2017 (Diaz Rios et al., 2019).
This sectoral growth has been supported by significant increases in agricultural production over the past sixty years. Using data from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Salazar et al. (2024) find that the country registered an average annual growth rate of 3.6% of agricultural production, explained mainly by increases in TFP (average annual growth rate of 2.1%). To a lesser extent, during this same period, there was a positive trend in the use of inputs (average annual growth rate of 1.4%). The improved performance of productivity relative to input use is a dynamic that began in the decade of 1971-1980 and has continued since then.
Nevertheless, Bolivia continues to face challenges to increasing agricultural productivity. Despite the sector's expansion, the yields of key crops, soybean, quinoa, potato, and sugarcane, remained below the Latin American average between 2006 and 2018 (Alcaraz Rivero et al., 2021). Rising temperatures and increasing precipitation variability in recent decades have made climate one of the key factors influencing productivity in Bolivia.
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View full text here: https://publications.iadb.org/publications/english/document/An-Analysis-of-Agricultural-Total-Factor-Productivity-Growth-and-Its-Determinants-in-Bolivia.pdf
[Category: IADB]
Social Security I.G.: Audit Finds Errors in Administrative Sanctions and Benefit Withholding Process
WOODLAWN, Maryland, July 3 (TNSrep) -- The Social Security Administration's Office of the Inspector General issued the following news release:
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Audit Finds Errors in Administrative Sanctions and Benefit Withholding Process
The Social Security Administration's (SSA) Office of the Inspector General (OIG)issued an audit report finding SSA made errors in processing administrative sanctions and recovering related overpayments tied to fraud and other sanctionable conduct.
Administrative sanctions are designed to deter fraud and abuse by temporarily withholding benefits from individuals who make
... Show Full Article
WOODLAWN, Maryland, July 3 (TNSrep) -- The Social Security Administration's Office of the Inspector General issued the following news release:
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Audit Finds Errors in Administrative Sanctions and Benefit Withholding Process
The Social Security Administration's (SSA) Office of the Inspector General (OIG)issued an audit report finding SSA made errors in processing administrative sanctions and recovering related overpayments tied to fraud and other sanctionable conduct.
Administrative sanctions are designed to deter fraud and abuse by temporarily withholding benefits from individuals who makefalse statements or fail to report information affecting eligibility or payment amounts.
The audit, Administrative Sanctions and Benefit Withholding (042303), reviewed SSA's handling of sanctions cases referred between June 2017 and May 2022.
SSA OIG found SSA employees and systems made errors in 75 percent of the sampled cases reviewed. Based on projections from the sample, auditors estimate SSA improperly processed sanctions for approximately 454individuals, resulting in an estimated $49.6 million in improper payments.
Among the issues identified, SSA:
* Withheld benefits for the wrong months, for an inappropriate duration, or before appeal rights expired.
* Should have suspended benefits to impose sanctions for individuals who were receiving benefits but did not.
* Did not adequately document sanctions' development, determinations, and approvals or add required language to SSA records about imposed or deferred sanctions.
* Did not send correct and/or complete initial sanction determination notices or benefit suspension notices.
* Did not recover overpayments in accordance with policy for individuals whom SSA overpaid because of a sanctionable event, such as failing to report a marriage or income.
The audit found many of the errors stemmed from complex manual processes, inconsistent documentation practices, and limitations in SSA's systems used to process sanctions and overpayment recoveries.
"Administrative sanctions are an important tool for protecting the integrity of Social Security programs and deterring fraud," said Michelle L. Anderson, Assistant Inspector General for Audit performing the duties of the Inspector General. "SSA can strengthen these efforts by improving oversight, modernizing systems controls, and ensuring employees consistently follow policies related to sanctions and overpayment recovery."
The report noted SSA began implementing improvements to its system in 2025, including enhanced tracking and additional processing reminders. However, auditors found further action is needed to improve automation, documentation, notice accuracy, and recovery of overpayments tied to fraud or similar fault.
The OIG made seven recommendations to SSA, including updating policies, strengthening system controls, improving employee documentation requirements, enhancing notice review procedures, and ensuring full recovery of overpayments when appropriate.
SSA agreed with the recommendations and stated it plans to take corrective action.
Read the full report here (https://oig.ssa.gov/assets/uploads/042303.pdf).
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Original text here: https://oig.ssa.gov/news-releases/2026-07-02-audit-finds-errors-in-administrative-sanctions-and-benefit-withholding-process/
IDB Group Providing Grants of At Least $1 Million to Support Venezuela's Emergency Response to Earthquakes
WASHINGTON, July 3 -- The Inter-American Development Bank issued the following news release:
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IDB Group Providing Grants of At Least $1 Million to Support Venezuela's Emergency Response to Earthquakes
* Immediate humanitarian assistance, including $350,000 from the IDB, contributions from IDB member countries currently estimated at $300,000-$400,000, and $100,000-$200,000 raised through the IDB Group's internal "Together for Venezuela" solidarity campaign, with employees' contributions matched by the Bank.
* Assessment of damage and losses, with $150,000 from the IDB to guide early recovery
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, July 3 -- The Inter-American Development Bank issued the following news release:
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IDB Group Providing Grants of At Least $1 Million to Support Venezuela's Emergency Response to Earthquakes
* Immediate humanitarian assistance, including $350,000 from the IDB, contributions from IDB member countries currently estimated at $300,000-$400,000, and $100,000-$200,000 raised through the IDB Group's internal "Together for Venezuela" solidarity campaign, with employees' contributions matched by the Bank.
* Assessment of damage and losses, with $150,000 from the IDB to guide early recoveryand the restoration of essential public services.
The humanitarian-assistance component will be implemented in coordination with Caritas Venezuela, a nonprofit organization with nationwide reach and extensive experience in emergency response, as well as with other multilateral organizations involved in the response, ensuring rapid and effective delivery of aid to affected communities.
"The IDB Group stands with the people of Venezuela during this difficult time," said IDB Group President Ilan Goldfajn. "This grant package will help meet urgent humanitarian needs while strengthening the country's damage assessment for emergency response. We will work closely with the government and our partners to support recovery efforts, mobilize resources, and help the affected communities rebuild."
The IDB is providing its support through a non-reimbursable emergency technical cooperation, the financial instrument available to support borrowing members facing urgent needs due to extraordinary natural events. Additionally, this technical cooperation has been designed to facilitate further resource mobilization.
In addition, the IDB Group's internal fundraising campaign "Together for Venezuela," launched in collaboration with the Office of the Executive Director for Venezuela and the Bank's employee associations, will support Caritas to provide emergency assistance and help affected communities recover and rebuild.
The IDB Group will continue working with the government of Venezuela and partners, including United Nations agencies and other humanitarian stakeholders, to support recovery efforts and help strengthen the country's resilience.
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About the IDB Group
The Inter-American Development Bank Group (IDB Group) is the leading source of financing and knowledge for improving lives in Latin America and the Caribbean. It comprises the IDB, which works with the region's public sector and enables the private sector; IDB Invest, which directly supports private companies and projects; and IDB Lab, which spurs entrepreneurial innovation.
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Original text here: https://www.iadb.org/en/news/idb-group-providing-grants-least-1-million-support-venezuelas-emergency-response-earthquakes
GameChangers: Explore the Connection Between Art, Soccer and Development at the IDB ArtLAC Gallery
WASHINGTON, July 3 -- The Inter-American Development Bank issued the following news release:
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GameChangers: Explore the Connection Between Art, Soccer and Development at the IDB ArtLAC Gallery
Presented in the context of the 2026 World Cup and the IDB Group's The Development World Cup series of initiatives, GameChangers: The Field's Pulse Meets the Gallery brings art and sport into dialogue through soccer as a cultural force and a driver of development across Latin America and the Caribbean.
Curated by Manuela Reyes and Mariana Mejia, the exhibition features works by Alma Digital, Rodrigo
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, July 3 -- The Inter-American Development Bank issued the following news release:
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GameChangers: Explore the Connection Between Art, Soccer and Development at the IDB ArtLAC Gallery
Presented in the context of the 2026 World Cup and the IDB Group's The Development World Cup series of initiatives, GameChangers: The Field's Pulse Meets the Gallery brings art and sport into dialogue through soccer as a cultural force and a driver of development across Latin America and the Caribbean.
Curated by Manuela Reyes and Mariana Mejia, the exhibition features works by Alma Digital, RodrigoImaz, Felipe Jacome, Mandy Barker, Lao Gabrielli, Ronald Pizzoferrato, among others. It explores the relationship between art and sport through emotion, perception, and memory, positioning the fan as an active presence, someone who feels, interprets, and gives meaning to the game both on and off the field.
As Reyes explains, "More than an exhibition, GameChangers unfolds as a platform for exploring sport as a driver for social transformation and development across Latin America and the Caribbean. The exhibition highlights how sport is embedded in everyday life, and how both creative and athletic gestures can transform perceptions, open new imaginaries, and strengthen a sense of belonging."
Through interactive installations, a collective archive of fan memorabilia, interventions, oral histories, and participatory activations, GameChangers transforms the IDB ArtLAC Gallery into a space for encounter where individual experiences become shared memories.
GameChangers is an invitation to feel, remember, and connect. The exhibition encourages visitors to reflect on what remains long after the match is over: emotions, memories, and collective experiences.
On view through November 13, 2026
Monday to Friday, 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
IDB ArtLAC Gallery
1300 New York Ave. NW
Washington, D.C.
Free admission
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About the IDB
The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), a member of the IDB Group, is devoted to improving lives across Latin America and the Caribbean. Founded in 1959, the Bank works with the region's public sector to design and enable impactful, innovative solutions for sustainable and inclusive development. Leveraging financing, technical expertise, and knowledge, it promotes growth and well-being in 26 countries. Visit our website: https://www.iadb.org/en.
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Original text here: https://www.iadb.org/en/news/gamechangers-explore-connection-between-art-soccer-and-development-idb-artlac-gallery
Audit Finds Social Security Administration's Employees Did Not Always Document Reasons for Removing Beneficiaries' Incorrect Death Postings
WOODLAWN, Maryland, July 3 (TNSrep) -- The Social Security Administration's Office of the Inspector General issued the following news release:
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Audit Finds Social Security Administration's Employees Did Not Always Document Reasons for Removing Beneficiaries' Incorrect Death Postings
The Social Security Administration (SSA) Office of Inspector General (OIG) released an audit report, Beneficiaries Incorrectly Recorded as Deceased (032311). The audit examined whether SSA employees complied with Agency policies when correcting the records of living beneficiaries who were incorrectly recorded
... Show Full Article
WOODLAWN, Maryland, July 3 (TNSrep) -- The Social Security Administration's Office of the Inspector General issued the following news release:
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Audit Finds Social Security Administration's Employees Did Not Always Document Reasons for Removing Beneficiaries' Incorrect Death Postings
The Social Security Administration (SSA) Office of Inspector General (OIG) released an audit report, Beneficiaries Incorrectly Recorded as Deceased (032311). The audit examined whether SSA employees complied with Agency policies when correcting the records of living beneficiaries who were incorrectly recordedas deceased.
To administer the Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance and Supplemental Income programs, SSA collects death information using the Numident as its official source of death information. SSA's Numident is SSA's master database of Social Security number assignments and associated identity records. SSA records all recipients' deaths in its Death Master File (DMF). As required by law, SSA shares the DMF with other Federal agencies and external entities, which use the DMF to match records and prevent fraud. SSA reported it posted approximately 5.6 million death records to the DMF in Calendar Year 2025. Of those, SSA subsequently determined that 12,504 records--or 0.22 percent--were erroneous.
SSA records incorrect deaths when (1) a technician makes an administrative error, such as manually inputting a wrong Social Security number or beneficiary identification codes from legitimate death reports; or (2) the Agency receives erroneous death reports, such as are port from a beneficiary's representative payee or relative, someone acting on the beneficiary's behalf, other government agencies, or financial institutions.
The OIG reviewed a random sample of beneficiaries whom SSA recorded as deceased between January 2020 and December 2024 and later removed the death records from the Numident (and thereby removing such records from the DMF). Auditors found that, when SSA technicians corrected 45 percent of the incorrect death records, they did not document why the deaths were recorded in the first place, or why they were subsequently removed, as required by Agency policy.
When technicians do not adequately document SSA's records, the Agency does not have information to respond to beneficiaries' inquiries or address future actions on the beneficiaries' records, such as subsequent death reports. SSA also cannot identify trends or root causes for why it recorded living beneficiaries as deceased so it can develop corrective actions to prevent future errors.
"Strengthening guidance and ensuring consistent documentation are essential for SSA to enhance its accountability, transparency, and service to beneficiaries," said Michelle L . Anderson, Assistant Inspector General for Audit as First Assistant. "The audit demonstrates that the Agency should clarify all policies and procedures related to when and where its employees must document the reasons for death removals and any associated actions taken to remove incorrect death records."
The full report can be found here (https://oig.ssa.gov/assets/uploads/032311.pdf).
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Original text here: https://oig.ssa.gov/news-releases/2026-07-02-audit-finds-social-security-administration%E2%80%99s-employees-did-not-always-document-reasons-for-removing-beneficiaries%E2%80%99-incorrect-death-postings/
