Firms in poor countries are much smaller than firms in rich countries, with the modal firm being a single person, the owner. Meanwhile, youth unemployment and underemployment are widespread.
Garlick, Orkin and Quinn (2017) run the first randomised controlled trial to compare microenterprise data from surveys of different frequency – weekly or monthly – and medium – phone or in-person.
Bazzi, Muendler and Rauch (2017) use new data on credit transactions and formal firms in Brazil to identify the effects of a large-scale expansion in credit for small and medium enterprises.
This randomized controlled trial evaluates a business training programme for women-owned small and medium enterprises in urban Uganda, examining both the direct effects on the management and growth of businesses invited to participate, and the indirect effects on the rest of the community.
Microfinance lenders make limited credit offers because of operational challenges of extensive screening and selection process. We study if optimizing a referral protocol can be used to recruit good entrepreneurs and thus increase access to credit.
Most firms are informal throughout the developing world; and most small and medium enterprises (SMEs) (60-80%) do not register with tax authorities, lowering the tax base. This remains a persistent phenomenon despite the numerous attempts made to encourage registration.
This project expands a previous intervention that implemented a fleet management system in Kenya’s semi-formal public transport system along three margins: possible negative effects of the tracking system, role of cash incentives in enhancing safety and increasing duration and participation to the pilot.
This project aims to develop a research programme that investigates the role of innovation in micro-enterprises’ marketing practices in driving performance.
