Dr. Poornima Dore’s Post

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Driving Impact, Innovation & Public Policy l Author l Impact Advisor l Former Director Tata Trusts l Visiting Prof. at XLRI l Economist by Profession l Musician at Heart

The Accident of Birth Have you ever wondered about why some regions consistently outperform others in terms of economic growth and development? I talk about this in my #TEDx Talk on "The Myth of #Growth without #Equity" It’s not just about hard work or individual talent—a large part of it has to with what we can call ' the Accident of Birth' : the initial conditions that shape a region's potential. These could be geographical advantages, historical events, resource availability, or the level of infrastructure already in place. The truth is, where you start can have a huge impact on where you end up. This is where the concept of Cumulative Causation comes in, introduced by economist Gunnar Myrdal. His theory suggests that regions that begin with advantages—whether it’s natural resources, skilled labor, or capital—are more likely to keep attracting more of the same. Think of it as a snowball effect: the wealthy get wealthier, and the more developed regions get even more investment and opportunities, creating a cycle of growth. On the other hand, regions that start with fewer resources often struggle to break free from a cycle of poverty and underdevelopment, leading to what we call a “poverty trap.” What does this mean for policy and development? I believe it highlights that : simply focusing on growth alone isn’t enough. Without addressing these deep-rooted inequalities, we risk leaving whole regions behind. It’s crucial to think about how we can disrupt this cycle by identifying strengths and levers of growth, and also strategically investing in disadvantaged areas, providing them with the infrastructure, education, and opportunities they need to break free from their initial disadvantages. Had the opportunity to explore these ideas in more depth in my talk on “The Myth of Growth without Equity.” On real-world examples of how these dynamics play out in what I have seen in the world of industry & policy and why it is so important to go deeper when we think about economic growth and global development. If you’re interested or work on this issue of why some regions succeed and others fall further behind and how to solve for balanced growth, pls do join our community & I encourage you to watch the full talk on youtube here: https://lnkd.in/gmMinYBx What are your thoughts? How have you seen this play out in your own ecosystem or region? Let’s start a conversation about how we can help break these cycles and foster more inclusive growth for everyone. Join our community at www.poornimadore.com for more. Some interesting projects on the anvil. #EconomicDevelopment #InclusiveGrowth #Policy #RegionalInequality #TEDxTalk #SustainableDevelopment #GrowthWithEquity #EconomicJustice #PovertyTrap #InvestmentInPeople #BreakingTheCycle #SocialImpact

Ajit Chaudhuri

Retired as Chief Strategy Officer at Tata Steel Foundation, ex AVP at Tata Sons

2w

Sounds really interesting and I will go to the original talk shortly. ‘Cumulative causation’ - I love it.

Alka Upadhyay

Partner,Climate Change and Sustainability Services, EY; ex-Tata Sons; ex-Tata Steel

2w

@ will definitely watch ; would love to hear your views on ‘Paradox of Plenty’ too !!

Sanjay Arora

Employability Coach | Managing Director at Evolvere Management Consulting Pvt. Ltd.

2w

Great insight. This is an incredibly insightful post highlighting the deep-rooted dynamics of economic development. The concept of the "Accident of Birth," paired with Gunnar Myrdal's Cumulative Causation theory, offers a powerful framework to understand why some regions thrive while others struggle. Your focus on addressing systemic inequalities through strategic investment and fostering inclusive growth is both inspiring and necessary. The call to go beyond superficial growth metrics and address structural imbalances is a critical perspective for policymakers and leaders alike. #InclusiveGrowth #EconomicEquity #DevelopmentMatters #BalancedGrowth #SustainableFutures

Meherram Gadekar

Expert in Rural Development, Rural Management & CSR

2w

Found the abstract interesting. Will look up your talk.

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niloy mitter

management consultant having experience in operations to healthcare to csr

1w

Congratulations Dr poornima

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Rohi Choudhary

Public Policy/ Socio-economic Analysis/ SDGs Framework/ Project Management/ Business Development

2w

I could only relate to how Bihar still is one of the best examples of "poverty trap" and cumulative causation.

Madhura Chakrabarti, PhD

People Analytics | Employee Listening | Global Leadership

2w

So proud!

Sumant Kumar

EDUCATION|PUBLIC HEALTH|WASH|SANITATION|LIVELIHOOD|EDUCATION|RESOURCE MOBILIZATION|PARTNERSHIPS|CSR|MSW|TISS|Ex-Assistant Manager at M3M Foundation CSR & Ex- Tata Trusts

2w

Mam, Very Insightful. Thanks for bringing to us Sumant

Chulbul Tiwari

Partner Marketing Lead, India , Philippines, Vietnam at Microsoft

2w

Very very insightful

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