Bottlenecks for Evidence Adoption
Governments increasingly use RCTs to test innovations, yet we know little about how they incorporate results into policy-making. We study 30 U.S. cities that ran 73RCTs with a national Nudge Unit.
Research
Designing a public transit network: Evidence from Jakarta, Indonesia
Examining the expansion of Jakarta’s bus system shows how simple improvements in public transport service quality can boost usage
Institutional Change and Adaptive Efficiency: A Study of China's Hukou System Evolution
Since the 1990s, neo-institutionalists have posited that "institutions matter". However, they overlook one important issue: the ways institutions change also matters.
Mexico City Digital Agency for Public Innovation
"When we talk about innovation and citizens’ rights in Mexico City, we’re talking about using cutting-edge technology to bring education, connectivity, and security closer to everyday life while foste
Improving delivery of the social safety net: The role of stigma
Many low-income households in the US miss out on social safety net benefits because of the information, compliance, and psychological costs associated with take-up of government assistance.
Improving delivery of the social safety net: The role of stigma
Many low-income households in the US miss out on social safety net benefits because of the information, compliance, and psychological costs associated with take-up of government assistance.
Inter-city collaboration: Why and how cities work, learn and advocate together
City governments are at the forefront of public problem-solving.
Cross-Boundary Collaborations in Cities: Where to Start
How public, for-profit, and civic organizations working to address the same city-wide social challenge can find a common starting point.
A Framework for Reducing Place-Based Inequity
In the spring of 2023, the Data-Smart City Solutions team at the Harvard Kennedy School (ÌÇÐÄvlog¹ÙÍø) hosted 30 large-city chiefs of staff at the school, and asked whether their cities’ chief equity officers
Optimal Public Transportation Networks: Evidence from the World’s Largest Bus Rapid Transit System in Jakarta
Designing public transport networks involves tradeoffs between extensive geographic coverage, frequent service on each route, and relying on interconnections as opposed to direct service.
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