German Institute for Global and Area Studies | Leibniz-Institut für Globale und Regionale Studien

Tabea Lakemann

Research Fellow | Research Team Spokesperson

Short CV

Since 2019: Research Fellow at GIGA's Institute for African Affairs, coordinating research support to the Special Initiative on Decent Work
2018/2019: Seconded to the Federal Foreign Office, working on German Africa Policy
2015-2018: Research Fellow at the Chair of Development Economics, University of Goettingen and GIGA's Institute for African Affairs, coordinating research project on the Performance and Dynamics of Micro and Small Firms in Developing Countries
2014: Student researcher co-coordinating Micro and Small Enterprise Survey in Kampala, Uganda (GIGA Project "Employment, Empowerment and Living Standards")
2010 - 2015: Internships with GIZ sector project "Financial Systems Development" (2015, Eschborn, Germany) and GIZ project "Strengthening Economic and Trade Capacities and Competences in SADC" (2014, Gaborone, Botswana), as well as with the "Asienhaus" (2010, Essen, Germany) and London International Development Centre (2013, London, UK)
2011-2013: Research assistant at Chair of Development Economics (Prof. Stephan Klasen, PhD)
2012: Seminar tutor in student-led seminar "Homo economicus" (University of Goettingen)
2010-2012: Research assistant at Chair of Development Economics and International Economics (Prof. Dreher), University of Goettingen
Education: Study of Economics and Cultural and Social Anthropology at the University of Goettingen (BA) and University of Uppsala; Study of Finance and Development at SOAS, University of London (MSc); Study of International Economics with a focus on Development Economics at the University of Goettingen (MA)

Current Research

Employment in African Economies
Rigorous Impact Evaluations
Firms and Investment

Countries and Regions

Africa
Côte d'Ivoire
Uganda

Research Programmes

Globalisation and Development

Dissertation

Dynamics of Micro and Small Enterprises in Developing Countries

Tabea Lakemann

Research Fellow / Research Team Spokesperson

[email protected]

Economist - Netherlands | 10/2024

Employment Effects of Skills Trainings in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Systematic Review of Recent Randomized Controlled Trials

How effective are skills training programs in sub-Saharan Africa at improving participants’ skills, employment perspectives and income? This systematic review analyses recent, randomized studies conducted between 2019 and 2024, painting a slightly more optimistic picture than earlier studies.

Dr. Bernd Beber

Tabea Lakemann

Regina Schnars (née Dworschak)

Prof. Dr. Jann Lay

GIGA Working Papers | 10/2024

Light Touch, Lean Tally: Impacts of an MSME Support Program in Côte d’Ivoire

Can consulting improve productivity and employment among small firms in developing countries? Our rigorous impact evaluation in Côte d’Ivoire shows that while a light-touch consulting programme had only muted impacts on business practices and firm performance, job quality improved herewith.

GIGA Focus Africa | 4/2024

Good Jobs through Training: Refining Development Cooperation in Africa

Studies have shown that the effectiveness of training programmes in developing countries varies greatly and many have little impact. In view of possible budget cuts regarding German development cooperation, funds should be used where they will have the greatest impact.

Ruhr Economic Papers | 2024

Effects of Skills Training on Employment and Livelihood Outcomes: A Randomized Controlled Trial with Young Women in Ghana

How does skills training impact the livelihood and employment situation of participants, and how accurate are implementers’ beliefs about program effectiveness? This study of a “best-case” training program in fashion for young women in Ghana finds gaps between realised and expected impacts.

Sarah Frohnweiler

Dr. Charles Atanga Adongo

Environmental Research Letters | 2024

Smallholder RSPO Certification, Economic Benefits and Agrochemical Use

Sustainability standards in palm oil production aim to increase economic benefits for smallholders while mitigating environmental harm, but do they achieve these objectives? We study the effects of the Roundtable for Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) standard on smallholders in Jambi, Indonesia.

Dr. Sebastian Renner

Dr. Anette Ruml

Tabea Lakemann

Dr. Nunung Nuryartono

Dr. Aiyen Tjoa

Dr. Marife D. Corre

Prof. Dr. Jann Lay

Research Project | 01/08/2019 - 31/12/2025

Research Support to the Special Initiative “Decent Work for a Just Transition“ (RéUsSITE)

With the African population expected to double by 2050, 20 million new jobs are needed annually. The increasing importance of employment creation led the German Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) to establish the Special Initiative “Decent Work for a Just Transition“. The GIGA offers research support and advice to this initiative.
BMZ, 2019-2023

Research Project | 01/01/2015 - 01/12/2018

Performance and Dynamics of Micro and Small Firms in Developing Countries

Small firms play an important role in many developing contries. This project empirically analyses the performance and dynamics of urban micro and small enterprises [MSEs] and studies specific risks and constraints that these enterprises face. The quantitative analyses are informed by own panel survey data from Uganda.
GIGA, 2015-2018

MiGAZIN | Quote | 17/03/2021

Tabea Lakemann

Research Fellow / Research Team Spokesperson

Dr. Bernd Beber

Leibniz Institute for Economic Research

Conference | 03/05/2023

Rigorous Impact Evaluation of PAP-PME III - Results Presentation and Discussion

Rigorous Impact Evaluations in the SI Decent Work: Short-term Results Tabea Lakemann (Consultant)

Tabea Lakemann

Research Fellow / Research Team Spokesperson

Workshop | 31/10/2022

Lessons Learnt from the PAP-PME Programme

Stakeholder Workshop: Lessons Learnt from PAP-PME Programme, Abidjan Tabea Lakemann (Consultant)

Tabea Lakemann

Research Fellow / Research Team Spokesperson

Teaching | GIGA Institute for African Affairs | Globalisation and Development | GIGA Doctoral Programme | 2023

Rigorous Impact Evaluations in German Development Cooperation

GIGA Doctoral Programme

Session in GIGA Doctoral Programme

Teaching | University of Göttingen | 2018

Controversies in Development Economics

University of Göttingen Göttingen Germany

Block Seminar

Teaching | University of Göttingen | 2017

Controversies in Development Economics

University of Göttingen Göttingen Germany

Block seminar

Tabea Lakemann

Short CV

Current Research

Countries and Regions

Research Programmes

Dissertation

Tabea Lakemann

Publications

Employment Effects of Skills Trainings in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Systematic Review of Recent Randomized Controlled Trials

Light Touch, Lean Tally: Impacts of an MSME Support Program in Côte d’Ivoire

Good Jobs through Training: Refining Development Cooperation in Africa

Effects of Skills Training on Employment and Livelihood Outcomes: A Randomized Controlled Trial with Young Women in Ghana

Smallholder RSPO Certification, Economic Benefits and Agrochemical Use

Research Projects

Research Support to the Special Initiative “Decent Work for a Just Transition“ (RéUsSITE)

Performance and Dynamics of Micro and Small Firms in Developing Countries

Media Contributions

Arbeitsmigranten überweisen weniger Geld in die Heimat

Von Europa nach Afrika - Geldtransfers von Migranten an ihre Familien

Growth in Africa threatened by US-China trade war

Lectures

Impact Evaluations of Skills Trainings in Africa: Results Presented at Oxford’s CSAE Conference

Rigorous Impact Evaluation of PAP-PME III - Results Presentation and Discussion

Lessons Learnt from the PAP-PME Programme

Teaching

Rigorous Impact Evaluations in German Development Cooperation

Controversies in Development Economics

Controversies in Development Economics

Notification

Social Media