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News, ideas, and analysis from J-PAL staff and affiliated professors. Subscribe to our newsletter to receive monthly email updates.

Adeyemi Dipeolu, Mark Malloch-Brown, and Alexia Latortue speak at the Growth Summit in Rabat, Morocco.

Africa’s jobs problem is a market access problem

One common way that governments and development funders try to promote business growth and job creation is to help businesses produce more, including by giving them credit and training. This can be useful, but only a little and for some. Why? Part of the answer is because most firms are not just...
Esther Duflo sits in a blue shirt with a man in a blue suit, facing each other

To boost jobs in low- and middle-income countries, support more than just entrepreneurs

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When J-PAL co-founder Esther Duflo spoke with Aspen Network of Development Entrepreneurs (ANDE) last fall, she shared a message that resonated deeply with both our organizations: " Evidence is not about confirming what we believe; it’s about discovering what actually makes a difference. "
Rural entrepreneurs selling their products

Empowering rural entrepreneurs in Chile: Insights from the Trafkintunkimun program evaluation

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Can business training programs help rural microentrepreneurs thrive? A new evaluation of Trafkintunkimun, a rural entrepreneurship training program in southern Chile, finds that participants improved their business practices and household incomes. Gains were strongest for women and for entrepreneurs...
A man in side profile uses a desktop computer

AI for social good: Supporting workers and businesses in LMICs

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Researchers in the J-PAL network have been using randomized evaluations to learn how to help people get jobs and how to help businesses grow for over two decades, drawing out insights to inform policies and programs from Brazil to sub-Saharan Africa and beyond . Researchers have also started testing...
Women entrepreneur standing in front of garments smiling

Beyond easy metrics: Evaluating what matters for women entrepreneurs

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  • Tanvi Jaluka
Tanvi Jaluka shares how she and her team at CARE conducted qualitative research as part of a baseline survey for Strive Women program in Peru, Pakistan, and Vietnam.
Workers in a ptivate garment factory

The Evidence Effect: What we’ve learned working with the private sector for inclusive growth

The private sector is a fundamental force for driving global prosperity. For corporations and investors, there’s enormous opportunity in low- and middle-income countries’ growing markets and talent. What’s less clear is how to partner most effectively for maximum impact: How can multinationals...
A woman working in a leather textile shop.

Expanding access to financing for SMEs

Access to finance is critical for firms to grow, innovate, and create jobs that help workers escape poverty. However, small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) worldwide are often underserved by financial institutions. In this blog, we explore early findings on SME financing for policymakers...
 MSMEs products displayed at the Center for Integrated Services for MSMEs in West Java, Indonesia

Can product curation overcome challenges in MSME market expansion? Opportunities for impact evaluation

Insights from a recent Learning Collaborative event hosted by J-PAL Southeast Asia (SEA) and the Directorate of MSME and Cooperative Development of Indonesia’s Ministry of National Development Planning (Bappenas) shed light on evidence and insights on the most effective approaches to support MSMEs...