Research Project (Ongoing)

Empirical Analysis of ODA Reputation: Capturing the Effects of ODA on Trust Building

The international community has been built on relationships of mutual trust between states in the post-World War II era. The trust between states has been at the foundation of modern international order, which is grounded in multilateralism and mutual respect for sovereignty. Its absence severely impacts security, trade activities, people-to-people exchange, and broader socioeconomic activities. Official development assistance (ODA) has played an important role in fostering such trust.

However, in recent years, the increased presence of emerging countries, coupled with the shift toward nationalism caused by economic recessions in developed countries, has led to questions on what benefits and values ODA can bring to donor countries. Studies on ODA to date have focused on development outcomes and social shifts in developing countries; beneficial networking and other advantages for donor countries have been investigated only as secondary considerations. As international order is currently transitioning, the benefits and values that ODA brings to the international community need to be re-evaluated.

By analyzing the reputation of ODA both in donor and recipient countries, this study will examine how ODA has contributed to building trust between states that leads to the development of long-term relationships. Findings will be used to draw implications and make suggestions for the future.

More specifically, through surveys and media analyses, the study aims to suggest how ODA can be improved by examining the following from multiple perspectives: the reputation of ODA among citizens of donor countries, what determines this reputation, the reputations of ODA and donor countries within recipient countries, and how these reputations are affected by the features of the assistance provided by each donor country.