Lost in internal evaluation? Accountability and insulation at the World Bank

Figures & data

Table 1. Mechanisms of accountability in international organizations.

Level	Mechanisms	Accountability holders	Accountability givers	Costs to accountability givers
Internal	Hierarchical	Leaders of the organization	Subordinate officials (Director-General, Head of Unit, Public Official)	Loss of career opportunities
	Supervisory	States	IO and its head (President or Director General)	Restraints on ability to act, loss of office
	Administrative	Agencies (Audit offices, Independent Supervisory Agencies, Anti-fraud offices)	IO President or Director-General	Restrictions of authority; Loss of material resources (budget and personnel)
External	Peers	Other IOs, ombudsmen	IO President or Director-General	Effects on networks and on others’ support
	Public reputational	Public opinion	IO President or Director-General	Diffuse reputation costs; Loss of prestige
	Market	Shareholders, borrowers, and consumers	IO President or Director-General	Loss of access to investors’ capital or the markets of borrower states

Own table based on Grant and Keohane (2005) and Bovens (2007).

Figure 1. Accountability mechanisms at the World Bank.

Grant, R. W., & Keohane, R. O. (2005). Accountability and abuses of power in world politics. American Political Science Review, 99(1), 29–43. doi: 10.1017/S0003055405051476

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Bovens, M. (2007). Analysing and assessing accountability: A conceptual framework. European Law Journal, 13(4), 447–468. doi: 10.1111/j.1468-0386.2007.00378.x

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