This series documents Stern's functions covering the period from when he joined World Bank in 1972 as Senior Advisor in the Office of the Economic Advisor to the President (January-October 1972), to his successive positions in the Office of the Vice President, Development Policy (VPD) as Senior Advisor (October 1972-April 1974) and Director (1974-1975).

The files relating to his role as Senior Advisor in the Office of the President primarily includes memoranda addressed to or from Vice President Hollis Cheney, the Bank's Research Committee, and other colleagues in the Office of the Economic Advisor. The correspondence documents the establishment and organization of the World Bank's economic research program, activities of the Research Committee and the Development Research Center, research proposals and decisions, publication of economic reports, discussions on policy papers, joint projects with external organizations, and evaluation of the Bank's economic activities.

The files relating to Stern's Development Policy functions associated with the Front Office of the Vice President include memoranda and letters addressed to the managers of the constituent departments of the Development Policy complex, the President, senior managers, UN offices, government officials, and other outside development organizations and experts. Reports, notes, and other supporting documents are occasionally attached to the memoranda. Records document program, budget, and staffing matters in the Office of the Vice President, management of the research program, country program reviews, growth prospects of developing countries, U.S. aid to development countries, International Development Association (IDA) replenishments, capital markets, Special Drawing Rights (SDR) allocations, World Bank Group-International Monetary Fund cooperation, the European Economic Community, the Committee of Twenty, G-24, the Pearson Commission, the Technical Committee on the transfer of Real Resources, the oil crisis, and some region and country-specific economic statistics. Further, they include comments on the Bank's policy structure regarding the 1972 reorganization, draft speeches for President McNamara and Vice President Hollis Chenery, and reviews of books and articles relating to development.