Krishna B. Kumar

Director, RAND International Research; Distinguished Chair in International Economic Policy; Senior Economist; Professor, Pardee RAND Graduate School

Santa Monica Office

Education

Ph.D. in economics, University of Chicago; M.S. in computer science, University of Wisconsin

Media Resources

This researcher is available for interviews.

To arrange an interview, contact the RAND Office of Media Relations at (310) 451-6913, or email media@rand.org.

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Overview

Krishna Kumar is a senior economist at the RAND Corporation and its director of International Research and director of the Initiative for Global Human Progress at the Pardee RAND Graduate School, where teaches economic development. He holds RAND’s Distinguished Chair in International Economic Policy, and previously directed RAND’s Labor & Population research unit. He has led or co-led projects to find mutually beneficial opportunities for Syrian refugees and host countries in the Middle East, studied informal labor markets in Bangladesh, developed a comprehensive model of U.S. labor market inequality, calculated the gross regional product of the Kurdistan Region—Iraq, implemented a labor force survey to collect data for the Kurdistan Regional Government to understand the region’s unemployment rate, and developed a data collection system. He has worked on strategies to develop the private sector in the Kurdistan region, conducted a randomized control trial evaluation of an agricultural training program in China to improve farmer decisions and evaluated the socio-economic impact on the working poor of moving into permanent housing in India. He has also studied the effect of U.S. federal funding of life sciences research on university R&D and commercialization, the role of economic and social policies in Mexico’s development, public policy on Indian entrepreneurship, and conducted a comparative analysis of the Indian and Chinese education systems. His research has been published in leading journals in economic growth and development and macroeconomics. Kumar holds a Ph.D. in economics from The University of Chicago.

Research Focus

Pardee RAND Graduate School Courses

Economic Development

Previous Positions

Director, RAND Labor & Population

Recent Projects

Mutually Beneficial Opportunities for Syrians and Host Countries in Middle Eastern Labor Markets
Understanding informal labor in Bangladesh using matched employer-employee surveys
The Formal-Informal Labor Nexus and Growth: The Case of Bangladesh
Agent-based model of the role of perceptions in income tax evasion
Calculating the gross regional product of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq

Selected Publications

, "Opportunities for All: Mutually Beneficial Opportunities for Syrians and Host Countries in Middle Eastern Labor Markets" (with Shelly Culbertson et al), RAND (RR-2653-QFFD), 2018

, "Calculating the Gross Regional Product of the Kurdistan Region – Iraq" (with Shmuel Abramzon et al), (RR-1405-KRG), 2016

, “University R&D Funding Strategies in a Changing Federal Funding Environment” (with Margaret E. Blume-Kohout and Neeraj Sood), Science and Public Policy (2015), 42(3): 355-368; doi: 10.1093/scipol/scu054

Matthew Baird, Lindsay Daugherty, Krishna Kumar and Aziza Arifkhanova, "Regional and Gender Differences and Trends in the Anesthesiologist Workforce," Anesthesiology, 2015, 2015

Krishna B. Kumar, John G. Matsusaka, "From Families to Formal Contracts: An Approach to Development," Journal of Development Economics, 90, 2009

Elizabeth M. Caucutt, Krishna B. Kumar, "Africa: Is Aid an Answer?" The B.E. Journal of Macroeconomics (Advances), 2008, 8(1), 2008

Dirk Krueger, Krishna B. Kumar, "Skill-specific rather than General Education: A Reason for US-Europe Growth Differences?" Journal of Economic Growth, 9(2), 2004

Dirk Krueger, Krishna B. Kumar, "US-Europe differences in technology-driven growth: quantifying the role of education," Journal of Monetary Economics, 51(1), 2004

Honors & Awards

2010 President’s Award, RAND
2008 Silver Merit Award, RAND
Awards for teaching excellence, Pardee RAND Graduate School, Duke Fuqua School of Business, Indian School of Business

Commentary

Jobs Can Improve the Lives of Syrian Refugees and Their Host Communities—and Support Stability in the Middle East
Host governments, international development agencies, and donor countries like the United States could take several steps to improve Syrian refugee employment. This would increase self-reliance among Syrian refugees and ease pressures on host communities.
Mar 11, 2019 Foreign Policy
What the Shutdown Revealed About the Fragility of American Life
The government shutdown highlighted the lack of resilience many suffer from when they encounter unexpected economic events. The median American family has been losing ground for decades. Policy responses to address this situation will be complex and difficult, but are much needed.
Feb 11, 2019 RealClearPolicy
Carrier Deal Does Not Carry the Day for American Workers
Despite the good intentions, pressuring companies like Carrier to keep jobs in the U.S. addresses only the smaller part of the problem, globalization, not the larger one, technological change. A long term solution would be to upgrade the education and training system so that students graduate with skills for life-long learning.
Dec 21, 2016 United Press International
Evolving 21st-Century Workplace and the American Workforce: Trends and Policy Responses
Three trends have important implications for the future of work: a shifting demography toward older workers, more women, and more diversity; continuing technological change that will increase the demand for skilled workers; and increased globalization.
Aug 23, 2016 The RAND Blog
Labor Day Blog Series: American Worker
To celebrate Labor Day, the American Worker series of commentaries offers research, reflections, and policy insights on a variety of topics that affect American workers.
Aug 22, 2016 The RAND Blog
Bridging the Global Age Gap
The Trans-Pacific Partnership offers hope for balancing the world's rapidly aging with its jobless youth. As long-term care for the elderly becomes a pressing need in many developed countries, services such as monitoring and reminding people to take their medications could be provided remotely from countries with an abundance of younger workers.
Oct 8, 2015 U.S. News & World Report
Reaching the 80 Percent: Q&A with Krishna Kumar
Krishna Kumar discusses studying agriculture in China, low-income housing in India, and labor markets in Bangladesh, and how research can help the developing world.
Jun 15, 2015
Blog
All Models Fail in Certain Situations
A key problem facing the technology-laden globalised US economy is the gap between skills that employers demand and the unemployed have, writes Krishna B. Kumar.
Aug 31, 2011 Financial Times
Blog
Capitalism Still Works: Our Economy Will Recover Because We Are Innovators and Entrepreneurs
While soul-searching and even self-loathing are inevitable during a crisis, this is no time for America to shy away from a capitalist system that has produced decades of economic growth, writes Krishna Kumar.
Sep 17, 2009 Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Blog
A Laid-Off Child Is a Terrible Mind to Waste
Published commentary by RAND staff: A Laid-Off Child Is a Terrible Mind to Waste, in Rediff.
Nov 10, 2006 Rediff
Blog
'There Is Still So Much Infosys in Me'
'There Is Still So Much Infosys in Me', in Rediff
Aug 1, 2006 Rediff

Publications

Journal Article
Journal Article
Transitions Between Informal and Formal Employment: Results from a Worker Survey in Bangladesh
We study transitions between different types of formal and informal employment using retrospective job histories from a new survey in Bangladesh.
Mar 14, 2019
Draft
Employer and Employee Preferences for Worker Benefits: Evidence from a Matched Survey on the Bangladesh Informal Sector
Uses choice experiments conducted in small and medium enterprise clusters in Bangladesh to address employer and employee preferences for worker benefits.
Feb 18, 2019
Report
Opportunities for All: Mutually Beneficial Opportunities for Syrians and Host Countries in Middle Eastern Labor Markets
This report examines the labor markets in Turkey, Jordan, and Lebanon for Syrian migrants fleeing the civil war. Each country has its specific challenges, and recommendations are tailored to each to improve the socioeconomic environment for all.
Dec 13, 2018
Research Brief
Win-Win Solutions for Syrian Refugees — and Their Hosts
Nearly 7 million Syrian refugees live in other Middle Eastern countries due to the Syrian Civil War. RAND researchers conducted surveys and focus groups to find policies that might create economic opportunities for refugees and host-nation workers.
Dec 13, 2018
Draft
Draft
Does Informal Employment Respond to Growth Opportunities? Trade-Based Evidence from Bangladesh
Examines the effects of growth opportunities -- in the form of export-induced demand in Bangladesh -- on four types of employment: formal, casual, unpaid, and self-employment.
Jul 21, 2017
Draft
Draft
What Aspects of Formality Do Workers Value? Evidence from a Choice Experiment in Bangladesh
Uses a choice experiment to elicit workers' willingness to pay for specific job benefits typically associated with formal employment (contracts, termination notice, paid leave, preferred working hours, and access to a retirement account).
Jul 20, 2017
Draft
Draft
Improving Estimation of Labor Market Disequilibrium Through Inclusion of Shortage Indicators
Develops a new methodology to improve the estimation of a disequilibrium model that incorporates a survey-based shortage indicator into the model and estimation strategy.
Jan 9, 2017
Report
Report
Calculating the Gross Regional Product of the Kurdistan Region — Iraq: Arabic translation
Estimates the gross regional product (GRP) of the Kurdistan Region -- Iraq in 2012 (excluding natural resources) and describes efforts to set up a system for data collection and analysis to support future annual GRP calculation.
Dec 21, 2016
Report
Report
Calculating the Gross Regional Product of the Kurdistan Region — Iraq: Kurdish translation
Estimates the gross regional product (GRP) of the Kurdistan Region -- Iraq in 2012 (excluding natural resources) and describes efforts to set up a system for data collection and analysis to support future annual GRP calculation.
Oct 21, 2016
Report
Calculating the Gross Regional Product of the Kurdistan Region — Iraq
Estimates the gross regional product (GRP) of the Kurdistan Region -- Iraq in 2012 (excluding natural resources) and describes efforts to set up a system for data collection and analysis to support future annual GRP calculation.
Mar 22, 2016
Report
Report
Building the Future: Summary of Four Studies to Develop the Private Sector, Education, Health Care, and Data for Decisionmaking for the Kurdistan Region — Iraq
This report summarizes four studies intended to help the Kurdistan Regional Government expand access to good education and health care, increase private-sector development, and design a data-collection system to support high-priority policies.
Mar 17, 2016
Journal Article
Regional and Gender Differences and Trends in the Anesthesiologist Workforce
A study of workforce trends in anesthesiology by region and gender in the United States.
Oct 19, 2015
Report
Report
Making an Impact in the Kurdistan Region — Iraq: Summary of Four Studies to Assess the Present and Future Labor Market, Improve Technical Vocational Education and Training, Reform the Health Sector, and Build Data Collection Capacity
This executive summary describes key results from four studies carried out by the RAND Corporation for the Kurdistan Regional Government. These studies aim to improve the economic and social development of the Kurdistan Region -- Iraq.
Feb 3, 2015
Report
Report
The Power of Innovation to Drive Inclusive Growth: Proceeds from the 2014 L.A. Policy Symposium
Video of the 8th Annual L.A. Policy Symposium,
Oct 22, 2014
Report
Report
Capacity Building at the Kurdistan Region Statistics Office Through Data Collection: Arabic translation
RAND worked closely with the Kurdistan Region Statistics Office to build capacity by preparing, conducting, and analyzing the first round of a survey of the regional labor force.
Aug 26, 2014
Report
Report
Capacity Building at the Kurdistan Region Statistics Office Through Data Collection: Kurdish translation
RAND worked closely with the Kurdistan Region Statistics Office to build capacity by preparing, conducting, and analyzing the first round of a survey of the regional labor force.
Aug 26, 2014
Multimedia
RAND Behavioral Finance Forum 2014: Leveraging Behavioral Insights to Improve Financial Health
Video compilation of the 2014 Behavioral Finance (BeFi) Forum in Washington, D.C., a day-long event that included a series of topical panels on curated presentations of academic research followed by discussion by leading researchers, practitioners, and policymakers.
Jul 29, 2014
Report
The Socioeconomic Effects of the Working Poor Moving to Permanent Dwellings: The Case of the Ashray Affordable Housing Pilot Project in India
RAND Corporation researchers assessed whether low-cost housing projects may help low-income workers and their families improve their living conditions while still allowing developers to recover their costs.
May 30, 2014
Report
The Anesthesiologist Workforce in 2013: A Final Briefing to the American Society of Anesthesiologists
To understand how population and health care changes affect the anesthesiologist workforce, researchers conducted a national survey of American Society of Anesthesiologists members in 2013. This report documents their findings.
May 30, 2014
Report
Report
Designing a System for Collecting Policy-Relevant Data for the Kurdistan Region — Iraq: Arabic-language version
Surveys the availability of reliable policy-relevant data in the Kurdistan Region -- Iraq, identifies the high-priority areas for which more data are required, and develops guidance for a system to collect and disseminate these data on an ongoing basis.
May 23, 2014
Report
Report
Strategies for Private-Sector Development and Civil-Service Reform in the Kurdistan Region — Iraq: Arabic-language version
This monograph provides strategies to reemploy civil-service workers in the private sector and to increase private-sector employment in the Kurdistan Region -- Iraq.
May 13, 2014
Report
Report
Designing a System for Collecting Policy-Relevant Data for the Kurdistan Region — Iraq: Kurdish-language version
Surveys the availability of reliable policy-relevant data in the Kurdistan Region -- Iraq, identifies the high-priority areas for which more data are required, and develops guidance for a system to collect and disseminate these data on an ongoing basis.
May 1, 2014
Report
Report
Strategies for Private-Sector Development and Civil-Service Reform in the Kurdistan Region — Iraq: Kurdish-language version
This monograph provides strategies to reemploy civil-service workers in the private sector and to increase private-sector employment in the Kurdistan Region -- Iraq.
Apr 28, 2014
Report
Report
Capacity Building at the Kurdistan Region Statistics Office Through Data Collection
RAND worked closely with the Kurdistan Region Statistics Office to build capacity by preparing, conducting, and analyzing the first round of a survey of the regional labor force.
Apr 22, 2014
Report
Designing a System for Collecting Policy-Relevant Data for the Kurdistan Region — Iraq
Surveys the availability of reliable policy-relevant data in the Kurdistan Region -- Iraq, identifies the high-priority areas for which more data are required, and develops guidance for a system to collect and disseminate these data on an ongoing basis.
Apr 18, 2014
Report
Strategies for Private-Sector Development and Civil-Service Reform in the Kurdistan Region — Iraq
Strategies for Private-Sector Development and Civil-Service Reform in the Kurdistan Region -- Iraq
Apr 14, 2014
Journal Article
Journal Article
The Impact of Labor Market Regulation on Employment in Low-Income Countries: A Meta-Analysis
We conclude that the evidence for LICs (and recent LICs) points to a negative effect of regulations on formal employment, and a compensating positive effect on informal employment.
2014
Journal Article
Journal Article
University R&D Funding Strategies in a Changing Federal Funding Environment
This paper evaluates how changes in US National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding levels affected US universities' total biomedical R&D efforts, over a period of dramatic change in the federal funding environment.
2014
Journal Article
How Effective Are Different Approaches to Higher Education Provision in Increasing Access, Quality and Completion for Students in Developing Countries? Does This Differ by Gender of Students?
How to effectively increase access to and quality in higher education in developing countries is a highly debated topic.
Aug 1, 2013
Report
Hedge Funds, Systemic Risk, and Dodd-Frank: The Road Ahead
These proceedings summarize the key themes and issues raised during a September 2012 RAND symposium. Discussion focused on how hedge funds might contribute to systemic risk and the extent to which recent financial reforms address these risks.
Jun 12, 2013
Report
Report
Knowledge-Based Economies and Basing Economies on Knowledge: Skills a Missing Link in GCC Countries
Assesses the development of Gulf Cooperation Council countries in the various dimensions of a knowledge-based economy.
Jun 4, 2013
Report
Building the Future: Summary of Four Studies to Develop the Private Sector, Education, Health Care, and Data for Decisionmaking for the Kurdistan Region — Iraq (with Kurdish-language version)
This report summarizes four studies intended to help the Kurdistan Regional Government expand access to good education and health care, increase private-sector development, and design a data-collection system to support high-priority policies.
May 8, 2013
Report
Building the Future: Summary of Four Studies to Develop the Private Sector, Education, Health Care, and Data for Decisionmaking for the Kurdistan Region — Iraq (with Arabic-language version)
This report summarizes four studies intended to help the Kurdistan Regional Government expand access to good education and health care, increase private-sector development, and design a data-collection system to support high-priority policies.
May 8, 2013
Research Brief
Research Brief
How Can Economic and Political Ties Between U.S. and Mexico be Strengthened? (Spanish translation)
This study identifies areas that are negatively affecting U.S.-Mexico relations and suggests that the two countries might take a binational approach to improving their long-term partnership.
Jan 25, 2013
Research Brief
Research Brief
How Can Economic and Political Ties Between the United States and Mexico Be Strengthened?
This study identifies areas that are negatively affecting U.S.-Mexico relations and suggests that the two countries might take a binational approach to improving their long-term partnership.
Nov 27, 2012
Research Brief
Research Brief
Do Hedge Funds Pose a Systemic Risk to the Economy?
RAND research finds that hedge funds did not play a pivotal role in the financial crisis of 2007-2008 but assesses how such funds could contribute to systemic risk in the future.
Sep 19, 2012
Report
Hedge Funds and Systemic Risk
This report explores the extent to which hedge funds create or contribute to systemic risk, the role they played in the financial crisis, and whether and how the 2010 Dodd-Frank legislation addresses the potential systemic risks they pose.
Sep 19, 2012
Draft
Draft
What is the impact of labour market regulation on employment in LICs? How does it vary by gender?
Analyzes the impacts of various labour market regulations on employment outcomes in low-income countries and how it varies by gender.
Aug 16, 2012
Journal Article
Journal Article
The Impact of Different Approaches to Higher Education Provision in Increasing Access, Quality and Completion for Students in Developing Countries
This systematic review aims to synthesize the evidence on the effectiveness of various approaches to higher education provision in increasing access, quality and completion for students in developing countries.
Jul 1, 2012
Report
United States and Mexico: Ties That Bind, Issues That Divide
This binational reference for U.S. and Mexican policymakers presents the interrelated issues of Mexican immigration to the United States and Mexico's economic and social development.
Apr 11, 2012
Journal Article
Journal Article
Qatar's Knowledge Economy: Has Its Development Been Balanced?
The authors adopt a cross-country perspective to assess Qatar's performance in the various components of the knowledge economy using multiple indicators.
Feb 1, 2012
Report
How Americans Will Live and Work in 2020: A Workshop Exploring Key Trends and Philanthropic Responses
These proceedings summarize the discussion at a July 2011 workshop convened to examine how trends in four areas -- the economy, demographics, the workplace, and lifestyles -- will affect the poor and vulnerable in America in the coming decade.
Jan 16, 2012
Research Brief
Is There a Shortage of Anesthesia Providers in the United States?
Analysis of labor market trends suggests that the United States is experiencing a shortage of anesthesiology providers.
Jul 7, 2010
Report
Report
An Analysis of the Labor Markets for Anesthesiology
Anesthesiologists and Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists provide most anesthesiology services in the United States. Following survey, demand-based, and econometric analyses, the authors conclude that a national shortage of both is highly likely.
Mar 9, 2010
Draft
Draft
Indian Entrepreneurial Success in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom
Examines Indian entrepreneurial performance and success in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom using census data.
Jan 8, 2010
Report
Report
Catalysts of Entrepreneurship -- Policies for Growth: International Conference on Entrepreneurship
Presents the proceedings of the first International Conference on Entrepreneurship, which was held at the Indian School of Business on June 5-6, 2009; participants discussed policy issues affecting the growth of entrepreneurship in India.
Nov 19, 2009
Periodical
Periodical
RAND Review: Vol. 32, No. 3, Fall 2008
The cover story offers 12 suggestions for the new U.S. president; other pieces discuss education and health in China and India, health policy models, the U.S. Postal Service mailbox monopoly, a green U.S. Army, and political reform in the Arab world.
Dec 14, 2008
Brochure
Brochure
Policy Insight, Volume 2, Issue 1, February 2008: China and India: Different Educational Paths Toward Prosperity
This Policy Insight summarizes how different educational approaches in China and India have been successful in stimulating aggregate economic growth; both paths offer valuable lessons for China, India, and the rest of the developing world.
Feb 16, 2008
Report
Report
Education and the Asian Surge: A Comparison of the Education Systems in India and China
Different educational approaches in China and India have been successful in stimulating economic growth; the successes and challenges of both education systems offer valuable lessons for China, India, and the rest of the developing world.
Feb 15, 2008