credit

Grants and finance can alleviate poverty traps associated with lumpy investments, but the impact on development depends on the supply of investment goods

Poorer business owners settle for lower prices when bargaining with buyers

Access to finance improved firm performance, product quality and price, but disadvantaged competitor firms

Ecuador's efforts to increase corporate tax audits led to a welcome surprise: banks stepped up their lending efforts as confidence in firms rose

A ban on intermediary oil traders, intended to reduce their market power, backfired: prices rose 10% as wholesalers lost intermediary trade credit

Policy interventions in non-agricultural small-scale enterprises shed light on what matters for firm growth and profitability

Lack of insurance is a key constraint to small firms. Flexibility sees improved outcomes and socioeconomic status, combined with lower default rates.

How does the World Bank support countries hit by natural disasters?

Rodger Voorhies shares a first-hand account of the importance of empirical analysis for development practitioners