Poverty and Development: Theory vs Reality

When questioning ‘what can Africa learn from South East Asian development?’,  the response is usually summarised in just three words - export oriented industrialisation. However, by challenging this common answer, we find that this kind of insistence on the priority of export industrialisation is based on a mistaken interpretation of history. 

Join us to explore the theories and realities of development with Dr Paul Schapper as he presents case studies from Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Nigeria and Tanzania. Paul will discuss developing country poverty mitigation and economic advancement with reference to theory, corruption, law and training. Evidence drawn from development and poverty mitigation successes lend support to alternative home-grown policy options that forget about exports and institutional development in favour of a focus on agriculture.

Through the course of the presentation, middle income countries of Latin America will also be examined showing that regulatory and training responses to high risk governance and corruption have blocked the professionalisation of management and caused conflicts in relation to public expenditure. Dr Schapper will consider the outlook for resolution of this issue, arguing that there will need to be difficult transition from procedural compliance to performance accountability in public sector administration.

*** Capacity at the venue is limited and door sales may not be available. Pre-purchase tickets early to avoid disappointment! ***

If you are unable to purchase tickets online, please call the Secretary on (08) 6225 2515 or email wa.branch@internationalaffairs.org.au to book a seat.

About the speaker: 

Dr Paul Schapper PhD, BEc, BSc (Hons) is an international specialist in public sector governance and a Development Economist
for the World Bank. His career has spanned 35 years with 18 years in developing-country issues. He has worked in more than 50 countries including in Latin America, Eastern Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Central and South Asia.  

Dr Schapper has lectured at the International Development Law Institute (Rome) and in management at the Australian National Government Executive Development Programme. He has particular interests in the potential roles of technology in economic development and mitigation of public sector corruption.

He is the former Professorial Fellow for Governance, Director-General for the Department of Industry and Technology, Commissioner for Supply, Chief Executive Officer for the Department of Contract and Management Services, Chief Executive for the Office of Public Sector Management and has a PhD in Management. Dr Schapper has also had extensive executive and board responsibilities and has published internationally on e-signature law and other aspects of acquisition management. He has been a peer reviewer for the World Bank and was involved in the recent reforms of the World Bank’s procurement policies and regulations and has undertaken numerous public administrative reviews. He was a founding member on the editorial board of the Journal of Digital Evidence.