Series - Policy, Planning and Program Review Department chronological files

Identity area

Reference code

WB IBRD/IDA WB_IBRD/IDA_95-01

Title

Policy, Planning and Program Review Department chronological files

Date(s)

  • 1972 - 1982 (Creation)

Level of description

Series

Extent and medium

0.84 linear feet of textual records

Context area

Name of creator

Archival history

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

Content and structure area

Scope and content

Series consists of chronological files created during Chernick's time as Division Chief, Senior Advisor, and Acting Director of the Policy, Planning and Program Review Department (PPPRD) between 1972 and 1982. Chronological files contain correspondence in different formats; carbon copies of correspondence sent by Chernick are the most common, while paper copies and telexes are also included. The amount of outgoing correspondence, authored by Chernick, is far more substantial than correspondence received byChernick. While much of the correspondence refers to attachments (reports, country program papers [CPPs], meeting minutes, etc.), very few are included in the files.

Records related to Chernick's role as Division Chief of PPPRD's Program Review Division (PPRPR) from 1973 to 1976 are numerous. The Division's primary roles were to provide guidelines for economic analysis in economic reports and country programs and review CPPs before their submission to the President in order to ensure quality and consistency with the Bank's development objectives. CPPs are confidential reports authored by the regional departments, usually on an annual basis. They include a discussion of a given country's political and economic situation and a history of the Bank's loans and external financing and on that basis propose a five-year lending program for the country. Other, special studies (usually discussing a specific sector within a country or a general development issue) and economic reports were also reviewed by the PPPRD. Chernick's role was to manage his Division's review of CPPs and to arrange Regional Vice Presidents (RVP) meetings and Management Review meetings. As such, correspondence includes: assignment of reviews; schedule of review meetings; discussion of reviews; and policy development and explanation.

Series also consists of correspondence relating to the development and revision of Operational Manual Statements (OMSs). Assignment of tasks related to OMSs is included as are a small amount of OMS drafts and comments on drafts.

Records related to a Working Group on Bank/Fund Collaboration are found in this series. This includes Bank President McNamara's initial request for a report. Chernick's role in the research and writing of this report is unclear; he is copied on related correspondence and drafts were sent to him for review.

Chernick played a significant role in the Development Committee between 1980 and 1982. Created in 1974, the Committee was designed to provide a focal point at a high political level in the structure of economic cooperation for the formation of a comprehensive overview of international activities in the development area, for efficient and prompt consideration of development issues and for coordination of international efforts to deal with problems of financing development. Drafts of Committee meeting agendas are included; in some cases, these drafts are sent from Chernick, as Acting Director of PPPRD, to Bank President McNamara. Correspondence related to scheduling and Committee reviews and projects is also included.

Records in this series relate to a variety of other topics and activities, including: staff hiring and reviews; staff meetings; mission planning; work programs; conference participation and planning; and policy development related to Structural Adjustment Loans (SALs). Also included are: regular summaries of Board meetings authored by Chernick for Hollis Chenery, Vice President of Development Policy (DPS); ad hoc reports and reviews created by Chernick or his staff for superiors within the Development Policy Vice Presidency (DPS) and externally; comments on reports; and a small amount of correspondence related to the research and publication of Chernick's book The Commonwealth Caribbean: The Integration Experience (1978).

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

Accruals are not expected.

System of arrangement

The original order of the records has been maintained. Records are arranged in chronological order.

Conditions of access and use area

Conditions governing access

Records are subject to the World Bank Policy on Access to Information.

Conditions governing reproduction

Records are subject to the Copyright Policy of the World Bank Group.

Language of material

Script of material

Language and script notes

Physical characteristics and technical requirements

Finding aids

An inventory list is available here.

Allied materials area

Existence and location of originals

Existence and location of copies

Related units of description

Related descriptions

Notes area

Alternative identifier(s)

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Description control area

Description identifier

Institution identifier

Rules and/or conventions used

Internal World Bank Group Archives rules based on ISAD(G).

Disclosure status

Level of detail

Dates of creation revision deletion

6 December 2012

Language(s)

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Sources

Accession area