The World Economic Forum is in full swing in Davos, Switzerland.

http://www.weforum.org/en/index.htm

If you think that this is just an obscure meeting of bankers in a swanky ski resort to discuss global banking, think twice! Many important decisions concerning development problems are being made in Davos as the private sector becomes more directly involved in development policy. Treading over what was once the domain of NGOs and international agencies, private companies are now increasingly engaged in providing technical assistance to governments, in devising policies to deal with failed states, in running microfinance initiatives and even in delivering health care and education services to the poorest of the poor.

It is therefore important to understand the way business approaches complex problems in development. Take a look at what have been considered breakthrough ideas for 2010:

http://hbr.org/2010/01/the-hbr-list-breakthrough-ideas-for-2010/ar/1

plenty of good ideas for dissertation topics...