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Using Knowledge to Improve Development Effectiveness: An Evaluation of World Bank Economic and Sector Work and Technical Assistance, 2000-06. Helena Tang Lead Evaluation Officer September 2008. Why did we evaluate ESW and TA?. The Bank considers knowledge important for development
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Using Knowledge to Improve Development Effectiveness: An Evaluation of World Bank Economic and Sector Work and Technical Assistance, 2000-06 Helena Tang Lead Evaluation Officer September 2008
Why did we evaluate ESW and TA? • The Bank considers knowledgeimportant for development • ESW and TA are the Bank’s main knowledge products • Knowledge: long-standing agenda for the Bank • “Global knowledge bank” (1996) • One of 6 strategic pillars going forward • First comprehensive evaluation of these products • Inform Bank’s future strategy on knowledge and learning
What are ESW and TA? • ESW • Economic reports (53 types) • Inform Bank activities (strategy and lending) • Influence client’s policies and/or programs • TA • Technical Advice • Implement reforms and strengthen institutions (drafting legislation, training in data analysis, knowledge sharing, etc.)
What questions did we ask? • To what extent did ESW and TA meet their objectives? To what extent did the following affect the achievement of ESW and TA objectives? • Origination(client-requested or not) • Partnership in production with local institutions (government or others) • Technical quality • Dissemination
What evaluation tools did we use? Five Sets of Evidence • 12 Country Reviews
Country Review Selection Serbia Romania Jordan Bangladesh Mali Guyana Vietnam Malaysia Democratic Republic of Congo Peru Mauritius Lesotho
What evaluation tools did we use? Five Sets of Evidence • 12 Country Reviews • Electronic Surveys of in-country stakeholders • Specific ESW • Specific TA • General • Electronic Surveys of all ESW and TA TTLs • Electronic Survey of loan TTLs • Statistical and econometric analysis
Client views on ESW and TA • Clients find Bank ESW and TA more useful than those provided by other institutions • Clients valueBank ESW and TA for their high quality, objectivity, and provision of international perspectives • Clients generally prefer TA over ESW(IBRD & IDA) • Middle income country (MIC) clients prefer TA and ESW over lending • Some MIC clients clearly prefer de-linking TA and ESW from lending
Client country respondents had a range of views on the effectiveness of ESW and TA At least two-thirds gave an above average rating
Examples of effective ESW: Vietnam PER • Budget legislation • MTEF • Capacity
Examples of effective ESW: ICAs • Privatization (Serbia) • Competitiveness strategy (Guyana) • Labor law, property registration, deregulation of public service delivery (Malaysia)
Example of effective TA: Mauritius Aid for Trade • Just-in-time advice on trade reform program • Analysis of reform scenarios and effects • Recommendations incorporated in government reform program
ESW improved Bank activities • Shaped country assistance strategies • Improved lending quality • Presence of relevant ESW associated with better loan quality at entry • Around 90 percent of DPL but only around 60 percent of investment loans
What made ESW and TA effective? • Technical Quality • Good quality ESWrequires resources • ESW better resourced in IBRD than in IDA countries • Bank budget and not trust-fund matters • Origination • Client interest and buy-in essential but productscan be originated by the Bank
What made ESW and TA effective? • Partnership • Close collaboration with clients throughout the process but not necessarily co-production • Collaboration takes time (completion of forest sector review in DRC delayed nearly 2 years) • Dissemination • Sustained engagement beyond one-off dissemination • Broad vs targeted • Language and translation
What made ESW and TA effective? • Government capacity • Lower in post-conflict and some low income countries (DRC, Lesotho) • Lower in countries with high turnover of senior government officials (Jordan, Serbia, and in the sector ministries in Peru)
Recommendation #1 • Reinvigorate the mandate(underpinned FY99 ESW reforms) of a strong knowledge base on countries where Bank is providing (planning to provide) funds
Recommendation #2 • For IDA countries, ensure ESW is adequately resourced, even if it means fewer ESW in some countries
Recommendation #3 • Enhance institutional arrangements: substantive task team presence in country offices, and include a clear strategy for sustained post-delivery engagement
Recommendation #4 • Recognize and build on client feedback to help counter-balance current Bank incentives for lending over non-lending, and ESW over TA Tell Us What You Think Feedback
Recommendation #5 • Take results tracking framework more seriously, including systematizing client-feedback