Productive development policies (PDPs)-what used to be called industrial policies-are increasingly recognized as an essential part of the development toolkit, and the need for public-private cooperation is increasingly viewed as a key element for the successful design and implementation of such...

Limited borrower information may create targeting distortions in credit markets. Community-based lending programs may reduce these distortions by exploiting information transmitted in local networks, but connections may create asymmetries in power. This paper analyzes how local leaders balance...

A randomized controlled trial with 945 entrepreneurs in Jamaica shows positive short-term impacts of soft-skills training on business outcomes. The effects are concentrated among men and disappear 12 months after the training. The main channel is increased adoption of recommended business...