Impact Assessments in Finance and Private Sector Development: What Have We Learned and What Should We Learn ?

31 Pages Posted: 20 Apr 2016

See all articles by David J. McKenzie

David J. McKenzie

World Bank - Development Research Group (DECRG); IZA Institute of Labor Economics

Date Written: May 1, 2009

Abstract

Until recently rigorous impact evaluations have been rare in the area of finance and private sector development. One reason for this is the perception that many policies and projects in this area lend themselves less to formal evaluations. However, a vanguard of new impact evaluations on areas as diverse as fostering microenterprise growth, microfinance, rainfall insurance, and regulatory reform demonstrates that in many circumstances serious evaluation is possible. The purpose of this paper is to synthesize and distil the policy and implementation lessons emerging from these studies, use them to demonstrate the feasibility of impact evaluations in a broader array of topics, and thereby help prompt new impact evaluations for projects going forward.

Keywords: Access to Finance, Debt Markets, Banks & Banking Reform, Microfinance

Suggested Citation

McKenzie, David John, Impact Assessments in Finance and Private Sector Development: What Have We Learned and What Should We Learn ? (May 1, 2009). World Bank Policy Research Working Paper No. 4944, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1414706

David John McKenzie (Contact Author)

World Bank - Development Research Group (DECRG) ( email )

1818 H. Street, N.W.
MSN3-311
Washington, DC 20433
United States

IZA Institute of Labor Economics ( email )

P.O. Box 7240
Bonn, D-53072
Germany

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