Most low- and middle-income countries have many small but only a few medium-sized and large enterprises. Small firms seem to have difficulties growing into medium-sized ones. This is problematic because medium-sized companies tend to be the main creators of higher quality and better-paid...

In low and middle-income countries micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) constitute a large part of the industrial fabric. By offering possibilities to gain income, training and work experience MSMEs are said to provide livelihoods to millions of people worldwide. However, across developed...

In developing countries, micro and small enterprises (MSEs) comprise the largest part of the industrial fabric – offering millions of people worldwide the chance to be employed and earn livelihoods. However, empirical evidence suggests that a large majority of MSEs never manage to upgrade...

How and to what extent can deep preferential trade agreements (PTAs) support the upgrading of companies from developing countries within global value chains (GVCs)? This question is of increasing importance, as PTAs have become the trade instrument of choice of major trading powers, and their...

The wide availability of renewable energy sources in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) is at the core of several large-scale European initiatives to support clean energy generation in the region and import part of it to Europe. Given the current socio-economic and political challenges in...

This study - commissioned by the German Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) – evaluates the direct effects (i.e. the direct and induced outputs) of budget support in Zambia. It forms part of a joint international evaluation of budget support in Zambia. The report focuses on...

While the role of private foundations as development assistance providers has attracted growing interest in the development policy community, country-level analyses of foundation engagement remain scarce. This study examines private foundation funding for development in Tanzania, focusing on the...

This study was produced in close cooperation with the Economic Association of Zambia (EAZ) within the framework of DIE’s postgraduate training programme. It is based on field-work conducted in Zambia between February and April 2010 and forms part of the background work conducted for an...

The Middle East and North Africa region has been the focal point of large investments in renewable energy, primarily due to high solar irradiation and wind speed in coastal areas. Most countries in the region have set renewable energy targets to diversify their energy mix. Investments have also...

The existence of under-aided countries, sectors, and sub-national regions – also known as “aid orphans” – implies inefficiencies in the current overall allocation of aid resources. This is of particular concern because aid effectiveness depends not only on how well resources are...