This paper aims at evaluating the impacts of innovation promotion programs administrated by the Colombian Innovation Agency (COLCIENCIAS). Although the agency implements multiple programs, the focus of these research are on those programs that provide financial incentives for R&D (matching...

This technical note provides a brief overview of the most commonly used methods to carry out impact evaluation of social programs. Impact evaluation is an indispensable tool to assess whether a program is achieving its objective, how the beneficiaries' situation changed as a result of the...

This technical note presents some policy guidance on main targeting mechanisms for social programs and criteria for their evaluation. Several methods exist to target social programs to the desired population. These should be judged on the basis of three criteria: targeting efficiency, leakage,...

This technical note presents some policy guidance on main targeting mechanisms for social programs and criteria for their evaluation. Several methods exist to target social programs to the desired population. These should be judged on the basis of three criteria: targeting efficiency, leakage,...

This technical note provides a brief overview of the most commonly used methods to carry out impact evaluation of social programs. Impact evaluation is an indispensable tool to assess whether a program is achieving its objective, how the beneficiaries' situation changed as a result of the...

This paper raises fundamental questions about how banks in Latin America ought to be supervised. The concentration of wealth holders in Latin America and the equity markets' resulting illiquidity permit investors who control banks to subvert the intent of capital requirements, even when the bank...

The basic worldwide financial safety net architecture provides for a system of similar institutions: a lender of last resort, deposit insurance, and prudential regulation. In countries whose banking systems suffer seriously from negative capital positions and overbanking, such as in some Latin...

This paper analyzes the consequences of alternative financial structures for financial efficiency and stability. The focus is on the organizational structure of banks. Alternative bank structures range from 'narrow banks' to broad 'universal banks.' Each banking structure is assessed in its...

This paper provides an overview of the reserve requirement measures undertaken by the Central Bank of Peru. It provides a rationale for the use of these instruments as well as empirical evidence of their effectiveness. In general, the results show that tightening reserve requirements has the...

Banking authorities must resolve or otherwise deal with existing banks that are weak or insolvent without imposing costs on consumers or taxpayers. Two aspects of this concern should be delineated. First, how can banking regulations be structured so that the future exit of weak and insolvent...