In a previous blog, we explored the positive impact of impact evaluations and impact evaluation institutional frameworks have had on policy formulation. It is hard to imagine the success of Conditional Cash Transfers, early childhood interventions, massive vaccinations or, more recently, deworming (despite the brouhaha) without the ammunition that hard evidence provided … [Read more...] about 4 examples of strategic ignorance – Part 1
What does and doesn't work in development
3 good examples of the impact of impact evaluations
A few weeks ago, I published a blog post on some of the unsettling implications of this paper that suggested that some interventions lose their punch when done by public agencies. One of the takeaways was the need to “go up the bureaucratic supply chain” as nicely put by Justin Sandefur in a tweet on the post. In other words, the need to jump over the “challenge of … [Read more...] about 3 good examples of the impact of impact evaluations
One Laptop per Child revisited
This is joint post with Julian Cristiá, Ana Santiago and Eugenio Severín; members of the IDB team that developed the OLPC evaluation trial in Peru. Last March we published a post (also here) with the results of the first randomized impact evaluation of the One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) model in Peru, which has been widely discussed in the technology and education blogosphere … [Read more...] about One Laptop per Child revisited
Are supplier development programs effective at improving firm performance?
In a recent paper that I wrote with Irani Arraiz and Francisca Henriquez we find that the Chilean Supplier Development Program benefited both small and medium-sized suppliers and large firms buying their production. This paper is –to the best of our knowledge—the first to present results of an impact evaluation of a supplier development program in Latin America and the … [Read more...] about Are supplier development programs effective at improving firm performance?
Randomizing civil service reform
If anything is clear in the development business, it is that attracting and retaining a qualified and motivated civil service is one of the hardest things to do. And the impact of not having such a work force is stunning if one believes the recent – and very illuminating and controversial – results from the paper by Tessa Bold and others on contract teachers in Kenya. Gabriel … [Read more...] about Randomizing civil service reform