Nikola Spatafora

Last Updated: July 10, 2013

Dr. Nikola Spatafora is Lead Research Economist for East Asia & the Pacific at the World Bank. He is currently on leave from the IMF, where he has served in the Research Department, European Department, Fiscal Affairs Department, and IMF Institute.

His research interests and publications focus on:

  Economic Growth
  Structural Transformation
  International Trade
  Oil and Natural Resources
  Remittances
  FDI

He has published widely, including in the Journal of International Economics, Journal of Development Economics, IMF World Economic Outlook, and World Bank Global Economic Prospects. His research has also been featured in the Economist, Financial Times, and Wall Street Journal.

He holds a Ph.D. in Economics from Yale, and a B.A. (First Class) in Politics, Philosophy, & Economics from Balliol College, Oxford.

Personal Web Page

Email: NSPATAFORA@imf.org

Fluent In: French, Italian, Spanish.

Education:

YALE UNIVERSITY, Ph.D., Economics (1997)

OXFORD UNIVERSITY, B.A. (First-Class Honours), Politics, Philosophy, & Economics (1991)


Previous Experience:

WORLD BANK, Development Economics Research Group, Washington DC
Consultant, 1995, 1994, 1993.

YALE UNIVERSITY
Teaching Assistant / Lecturer, 1993–1997: Graduate International Economics, Graduate Macroeconomics, and Undergraduate Macroeconomics.

DRESDNER KLEINWORT BENSON, London, UK
Summer Associate, 1992.


Professional Activities:

Referee for: American Economic Review, Economic Journal, Journal of Development Economics, Journal of International Economics, Journal of Political Economy, Journal of Population Economics, Quarterly Journal of Economics, Review of Economics and Statistics, Review of Economic Studies, World Development, and World Bank Economic Review.


Awards and Honors:

1996–97: Robert Leylan Prize Dissertation Fellowship

1995: Sasakawa Young Leaders Fellowship

1992–94: Yale University Doctoral Fellowship

1992: Einaudi Foundation (Turin, Italy) Fellowship

1990: Oxford University Roy Jenkins Prize in Economics

1989: Balliol College, Oxford, Merit Scholarship


Country work or Mission Assignment:

Country Officer: Cyprus, Italy, Portugal, Russia.
Missions & Review: Albania, Brazil, China, Greece, India, Ireland, Japan, FYR Macedonia, Oman, South Africa, Turkey.

IMF Books and Working Papers:

Education and Health for Inclusiveness , Working Paper No. 2021/060 , March 05, 2021

Regional Disparities, Growth, and Inclusiveness , Working Paper No. 2021/038 , February 12, 2021

Quality Upgrading and Export Performance in the Asian Growth Miracle , Working Paper No. 19/259 , November 27, 2019

Remittances and Vulnerability in Developing Countries , Working Paper No. 14/13 , January 27, 2014

Export Quality in Developing Countries , Working Paper No. 13/108 , May 15, 2013

Economic Diversification in LICs: Stylized Facts and Macroeconomic Implications , Staff Discussion Notes No. 12/13 , December 14, 2012

Commodity Price Shocks and Fiscal Outcomes , Working Paper No. 12/112 , May 01, 2012

Capital Inflows, Financial Development, and Domestic Investment : Determinants and Inter-Relationships , Working Paper No. 12/120 , May 01, 2012

Structural Transformation and the Sophistication of Production , Working Paper No. 12/59 , February 01, 2012

Global Shocks and their Impacton Low-Income Countries : Lessons From theglobal Financial Crisis , Working Paper No. 11/27 , February 01, 2011

The End of an Era? The Medium- and Long-term Effects of the Global Crisis on Growth in Low-Income Countries , Working Paper No. 10/205 , September 01, 2010

Commodity Terms of Trade: The History of Booms and Busts , Working Paper No. 09/205 , September 01, 2009

Asia Rising: A Sectoral Perspective , Working Paper No. 07/130 , June 01, 2007

Oil Shocks and External Balances , Working Paper No. 07/110 , May 01, 2007

The Equilibrium Real Exchange Rate in a Commodity Exporting Country: The Case of Russia , Working Paper No. 03/93 , May 01, 2003

Macroeconomic and Sectoral Effects of Terms-of-Trade Shocks - The Experience of the Oil-Exporting Developing Countries , Working Paper No. 99/134 , October 01, 1999

Other Published Materials

2009, Structural Reforms and Economic Performance in Advanced and Developing Countries, IMF Occasional Paper 268.

2008, "Globalization, Commodity Prices, and Developing Countries," World Economic Outlook, April.

2007, "The Changing Dynamics of the Global Business Cycle," World Economic Outlook, October.

2007, "Decoupling the Train: Spillovers and Cycles in the Global Economy," World Economic Outlook, April.

2006, "Asia Rising: Patterns of Economic Development and Growth," World Economic Outlook, September.

2006, "Oil Prices and Global Imbalances," World Economic Outlook, April.

2005, "Building Institutions," World Economic Outlook, September.

2005, "Workers' Remittances and Economic Development," World Economic Outlook, April.

2004, "How Will Demographic Change Affect the Global Economy?" World Economic Outlook, September.

2004, "China’s Emergence and Its Impact on the Global Economy," World Economic Outlook, April.

2003, "How Concerned Should Developing Countries be about G-3 Exchange Rate Volatility?" World Economic Outlook, September.

2003, "Growth and Institutions," World Economic Outlook, April.

Dr. Nikola Spatafora is Lead Research Economist for East Asia & the Pacific at the World Bank. He is currently on leave from the IMF, where he has served in the Research Department, European Department, Fiscal Affairs Department, and IMF Institute.

His research interests and publications focus on:

  Economic Growth
  Structural Transformation
  International Trade
  Oil and Natural Resources
  Remittances
  FDI

He has published widely, including in the Journal of International Economics, Journal of Development Economics, IMF World Economic Outlook, and World Bank Global Economic Prospects. His research has also been featured in the Economist, Financial Times, and Wall Street Journal.

He holds a Ph.D. in Economics from Yale, and a B.A. (First Class) in Politics, Philosophy, & Economics from Balliol College, Oxford.

Personal Web Page

Email: NSPATAFORA@imf.org

Fluent In: French, Italian, Spanish.

Education:

YALE UNIVERSITY, Ph.D., Economics (1997)

OXFORD UNIVERSITY, B.A. (First-Class Honours), Politics, Philosophy, & Economics (1991)


Previous Experience:

WORLD BANK, Development Economics Research Group, Washington DC
Consultant, 1995, 1994, 1993.

YALE UNIVERSITY
Teaching Assistant / Lecturer, 1993–1997: Graduate International Economics, Graduate Macroeconomics, and Undergraduate Macroeconomics.

DRESDNER KLEINWORT BENSON, London, UK
Summer Associate, 1992.


Professional Activities:

Referee for: American Economic Review, Economic Journal, Journal of Development Economics, Journal of International Economics, Journal of Political Economy, Journal of Population Economics, Quarterly Journal of Economics, Review of Economics and Statistics, Review of Economic Studies, World Development, and World Bank Economic Review.


Awards and Honors:

1996–97: Robert Leylan Prize Dissertation Fellowship

1995: Sasakawa Young Leaders Fellowship

1992–94: Yale University Doctoral Fellowship

1992: Einaudi Foundation (Turin, Italy) Fellowship

1990: Oxford University Roy Jenkins Prize in Economics

1989: Balliol College, Oxford, Merit Scholarship


Country work or Mission Assignment:

Country Officer: Cyprus, Italy, Portugal, Russia.
Missions & Review: Albania, Brazil, China, Greece, India, Ireland, Japan, FYR Macedonia, Oman, South Africa, Turkey.

IMF Books and Working Papers:

Education and Health for Inclusiveness , Working Paper No. 2021/060 , March 05, 2021

Regional Disparities, Growth, and Inclusiveness , Working Paper No. 2021/038 , February 12, 2021

Quality Upgrading and Export Performance in the Asian Growth Miracle , Working Paper No. 19/259 , November 27, 2019

Remittances and Vulnerability in Developing Countries , Working Paper No. 14/13 , January 27, 2014

Export Quality in Developing Countries , Working Paper No. 13/108 , May 15, 2013

Economic Diversification in LICs: Stylized Facts and Macroeconomic Implications , Staff Discussion Notes No. 12/13 , December 14, 2012

Commodity Price Shocks and Fiscal Outcomes , Working Paper No. 12/112 , May 01, 2012

Capital Inflows, Financial Development, and Domestic Investment : Determinants and Inter-Relationships , Working Paper No. 12/120 , May 01, 2012

Structural Transformation and the Sophistication of Production , Working Paper No. 12/59 , February 01, 2012

Global Shocks and their Impacton Low-Income Countries : Lessons From theglobal Financial Crisis , Working Paper No. 11/27 , February 01, 2011

The End of an Era? The Medium- and Long-term Effects of the Global Crisis on Growth in Low-Income Countries , Working Paper No. 10/205 , September 01, 2010

Commodity Terms of Trade: The History of Booms and Busts , Working Paper No. 09/205 , September 01, 2009

Asia Rising: A Sectoral Perspective , Working Paper No. 07/130 , June 01, 2007

Oil Shocks and External Balances , Working Paper No. 07/110 , May 01, 2007

The Equilibrium Real Exchange Rate in a Commodity Exporting Country: The Case of Russia , Working Paper No. 03/93 , May 01, 2003

Macroeconomic and Sectoral Effects of Terms-of-Trade Shocks - The Experience of the Oil-Exporting Developing Countries , Working Paper No. 99/134 , October 01, 1999

Other Published Materials

2009, Structural Reforms and Economic Performance in Advanced and Developing Countries, IMF Occasional Paper 268.

2008, "Globalization, Commodity Prices, and Developing Countries," World Economic Outlook, April.

2007, "The Changing Dynamics of the Global Business Cycle," World Economic Outlook, October.

2007, "Decoupling the Train: Spillovers and Cycles in the Global Economy," World Economic Outlook, April.

2006, "Asia Rising: Patterns of Economic Development and Growth," World Economic Outlook, September.

2006, "Oil Prices and Global Imbalances," World Economic Outlook, April.

2005, "Building Institutions," World Economic Outlook, September.

2005, "Workers' Remittances and Economic Development," World Economic Outlook, April.

2004, "How Will Demographic Change Affect the Global Economy?" World Economic Outlook, September.

2004, "China’s Emergence and Its Impact on the Global Economy," World Economic Outlook, April.

2003, "How Concerned Should Developing Countries be about G-3 Exchange Rate Volatility?" World Economic Outlook, September.

2003, "Growth and Institutions," World Economic Outlook, April.

Publications in Books and Conference Volumes

2010, “The Impact of the Boom in Global Finance on Developing Countries,” Chapter 2, World Bank Global Economic Prospects 2010: Crisis, Finance, and Growth.

2009, “Oil Shocks and External Balances,” Journal of International Economics 77(2): 181–194, April; CEPR Discussion Paper 6303, IMF Working Paper 07/110.

2008, "Remittances, Transaction Costs, and Informality," Journal of Development Economics 86(2): 356–366, June; World Bank Working Paper WPS 3704.