Government interventions to lower interest rates and expand credit to the rural sector are common in developing countries. Some of these policies, like interest rate subsidies, though well-intentioned, can be distortionary and achieve opposite results. Interventions that tackle constraints that...

This note shows how the rich administrative data collected by many governments can be used to evaluate a policy reform, and provides an example where impact evaluation reveals that a policy didn t work as well as intended

Firms in developing countries are widely known to face many constraints, from lack of access to finance and physical capital to poor infrastructure. The course seems to have been particularly effective at promoting business growth for those entrepreneurs who exhibited higher levels of financial...

The second in new series of impact notes highlights an example of ex-past evolution of regulatory reform. While ideally one would like to build in an evolution strategy before a new policy is introduced, much can still be achieved ex-past in cases where existing data collection covers those...

Seeking out business advice, for example through classroom training or consulting, can be a profitable investment. Previous research has found that obtaining business advice through classroom training or one-on-one consulting can increase profits and sales, and firms can recover the cost of...