Firms

Evidence from China finds that firms underestimate the value of new partnerships and therefore under-search for partners. As a result, referrals to new suppliers and clients can greatly improve firm performance.

How can Development Finance Institutions use research to inform their investment decisions? What is their role in supporting economic development and private investment?

Evidence from Kenya shows how cash transfers in imperfect markets lead businesses to capture some of the benefits by raising prices, ultimately at the expense of transfer recipients.

Are flexible cash grants or earmarked grants for technical training and consulting services more suitable to boost profits, employment and survival of small firms? New evidence from Burkina Faso that directly compares both types of support shows that...

Interventions that reduce bias in loan approvals, promote asset-based financing and enhance women's control over income and assets can effectively expand credit access for women.

Closing the gender gap in entrepreneurship is not just a social equity issue—it is a powerful lever for economic growth. Evidence from India shows that women hire more women, and so efforts to boost female entrepreneurship will increase female labour...