Economic Research Forum (ERF)

Editorial guidelines for submitting your article to the Forum

The Forum welcomes contributions that are evidence-based and relevant to public policy issues in the MENA region. Some key guidelines to note are that columns should be:

  • Up to 1,000 words in length in English (not counting references, footnotes, or tables)
  • Start by mentioning a current policy debate or concern
  • Cite someone else’s work before your cite your own work
  • Written at an analytical level that is more evidence-based than a newspaper op-ed piece, but far more accessible than an academic journal article
  • No regression tables or equations in the text; they are too much detail for most readers and not enough for the specialists; just give the results in words or charts and direct readers to the underlying research for details
  • Graphics and, especially, references are welcome to illustrate the research basis of the analysis, commentary and opinions expressed
  • Put the references in as in academic papers, not as in blogs
  • Please provide a short title (for the front page of the site) and a long title (for the top of the column), which may be the same if desired.
  • It’s helpful if authors suggest a two or three sentence ‘teaser’ summarising the column (written from the editors’ perspective); but the piece itself should be written in the first person

Finally, please supply a photo and two or three paragraph biography for your author page on The Forum. Also, please submit it as a Word file (to ease HTML generation); and send xls, ppt or high quality pdf files of figures.

Please use this form to submit your article:

 


Most read

Labour demand and informal employment in Egypt’s manufacturing sector

Egypt’s manufacturing sector faces a dual challenge of weak job creation and persistent informality. Drawing on survey evidence on business behaviour and labour market dynamics, this column explains why job creation is limited and informal work remains such an integral part of how firms organise production. The generation of more formal jobs requires a comprehensive policy approach, one that goes beyond enforcement of labour regulations to reshape the economic environment in which firms and workers make decisions.

Challenges of conflict and industrial policy for development

How effective is industrial policy as a tool for long-term economic growth and development? Against the backdrop of the conflict currently engulfing the Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan and Pakistan (MENAAP), a new report argues that while industrial policies are widely used across the region, they can only address market failures and foster growth when they are aligned with country capabilities, implemented with accountability and backed by capable institutions.

The green transition in MENA economies: challenges and policy pathways

The economies of the Middle East and North Africa are at a critical turning point. Global decarbonisation pressures, energy market volatility and technological transformation are increasingly challenging hydrocarbon-based growth models. This column argues that the green transition is not only an environmental necessity but also a strategic economic imperative.