On a selective basis, EBRD’s Office of the Chief Economist conducts rigorous impact assessments of some of the Bank’s main operations. These studies comprise randomised controlled trials (RCTs), lab-in-the-field experiments, as well as quasi-experimental approaches. The EBRD Impact Briefs summarise the main findings of each of these studies in a non-technical and accessible format.
Small business and job creation: Evidence from the EBRD regions
(2021). This Brief reports on the impact of access to finance, and related advisory services, on employment in small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the EBRD regions.
Transport infrastructure and regional growth: Evidence from roads and
railways across the EBRD regions
(2020). This Brief reports on recent EBRD research that estimates the impact of major investments to upgrade roads across Turkey as well as roads and railways in the Western Balkans.
Private equity and value creation
(2019). This Brief explores how private equity funds can help companies prosper. It documents a rich set of value-creation strategies followed by PE funds, which help boost investment, employment and sales and deliver returns to investors.
Gender discrimination in small business lending: Evidence from Turkey
(2019). This Brief reports on a randomised lab experiment with a Turkish bank to detect gender discrimination among lending staff. Though gender bias was widespread among staff, this did not cause explicit discrimination in loan approvals. However, for women, loan approval was more likely to be made conditional on the presence of a guarantor.
