Economic Evaluation of Sustainable Development

Economic Evaluation of Sustainable Development

Author: Vinod Thomas

Publisher: Springer

Published: 2019-04-16

Total Pages: 164

ISBN-13: 9811363897

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

This book is open access under a CC BY 4.0 license. This book presents methods to evaluate sustainable development using economic tools. The focus on sustainable development takes the reader beyond economic growth to encompass inclusion, environmental stewardship and good governance. Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) provide a framework for outcomes. In illustrating the SDGs, the book employs three evaluation approaches: impact evaluation, cost-benefit analysis and objectives-based evaluation. The innovation lies in connecting evaluation tools with economics. Inclusion, environmental care and good governance, thought of as “wicked problems”, are given centre stage. The book uses case studies to show the application of evaluation tools. It offers guidance to evaluation practitioners, students of development and policymakers. The basic message is that evaluation comes to life when its links with socio-economic, environmental, and governance policies are capitalized on.


Impact Evaluation in Practice, Second Edition

Impact Evaluation in Practice, Second Edition

Author: Paul J. Gertler

Publisher: World Bank Publications

Published: 2016-09-12

Total Pages: 444

ISBN-13: 1464807809

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

The second edition of the Impact Evaluation in Practice handbook is a comprehensive and accessible introduction to impact evaluation for policy makers and development practitioners. First published in 2011, it has been used widely across the development and academic communities. The book incorporates real-world examples to present practical guidelines for designing and implementing impact evaluations. Readers will gain an understanding of impact evaluations and the best ways to use them to design evidence-based policies and programs. The updated version covers the newest techniques for evaluating programs and includes state-of-the-art implementation advice, as well as an expanded set of examples and case studies that draw on recent development challenges. It also includes new material on research ethics and partnerships to conduct impact evaluation. The handbook is divided into four sections: Part One discusses what to evaluate and why; Part Two presents the main impact evaluation methods; Part Three addresses how to manage impact evaluations; Part Four reviews impact evaluation sampling and data collection. Case studies illustrate different applications of impact evaluations. The book links to complementary instructional material available online, including an applied case as well as questions and answers. The updated second edition will be a valuable resource for the international development community, universities, and policy makers looking to build better evidence around what works in development.


Econometric Evaluation of Socio-Economic Programs

Econometric Evaluation of Socio-Economic Programs

Author: Giovanni Cerulli

Publisher: Springer

Published: 2015-05-08

Total Pages: 319

ISBN-13: 3662464055

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

This book provides advanced theoretical and applied tools for the implementation of modern micro-econometric techniques in evidence-based program evaluation for the social sciences. The author presents a comprehensive toolbox for designing rigorous and effective ex-post program evaluation using the statistical software package Stata. For each method, a statistical presentation is developed, followed by a practical estimation of the treatment effects. By using both real and simulated data, readers will become familiar with evaluation techniques, such as regression-adjustment, matching, difference-in-differences, instrumental-variables and regression-discontinuity-design and are given practical guidelines for selecting and applying suitable methods for specific policy contexts.


Economic Evaluation in Education

Economic Evaluation in Education

Author: Henry M. Levin

Publisher: SAGE Publications

Published: 2017-06-15

Total Pages: 377

ISBN-13: 148338179X

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

The past decade has seen increased attention to cost-effectiveness and benefit-cost analysis in education as administrators are being asked to accomplish more with the same or even fewer resources, philanthropists are keen to calculate their "return on investment" in social programs, and the general public is increasingly scrutinizing how resources are allocated to schools and colleges. Economic Evaluation in Education: Cost-Effectiveness and Benefit-Cost Analysis (titled Cost-Effectiveness Analysis: Methods and Applications in its previous editions) is the only full-length book to provide readers with the step-by-step methods they need to plan and implement a benefit-cost analysis in education. Authors Henry M. Levin, Patrick J. McEwan, Clive Belfield, Alyshia Brooks Bowden, and Robert Shand examine a range of issues, including how to identify, measure, and distribute costs; how to measure effectiveness, utility, and benefits; and how to incorporate cost evaluations into the decision-making process. The updates to the Third Edition reflect the considerable methodological development in the evaluation literature, and the greater empiricism practiced by education researchers, to help readers learn to apply more advanced methods to their own analyses.


Incentives to Pander

Incentives to Pander

Author: Nathan M. Jensen

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Published: 2018-03-15

Total Pages: 271

ISBN-13: 1108311423

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Policies targeting individual companies for economic development incentives, such as tax holidays and abatements, are generally seen as inefficient, economically costly, and distortionary. Despite this evidence, politicians still choose to use these policies to claim credit for attracting investment. Thus, while fiscal incentives are economically inefficient, they pose an effective pandering strategy for politicians. Using original surveys of voters in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom, as well as data on incentive use by politicians in the US, Vietnam and Russia, this book provides compelling evidence for the use of fiscal incentives for political gain and shows how such pandering appears to be associated with growing economic inequality. As national and subnational governments surrender valuable tax revenue to attract businesses in the vain hope of long-term economic growth, they are left with fiscal shortfalls that have been filled through regressive sales taxes, police fines and penalties, and cuts to public education.


Economic Analysis and Infrastructure Investment

Economic Analysis and Infrastructure Investment

Author: Edward L. Glaeser

Publisher: University of Chicago Press

Published: 2021-11-11

Total Pages: 479

ISBN-13: 022680058X

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

"Policy-makers often call for expanding public spending on infrastructure, which includes a broad range of investments from roads and bridges to digital networks that will expand access to high-speed broadband. Some point to near-term macro-economic benefits and job creation, others focus on long-term effects on productivity and economic growth. This volume explores the links between infrastructure spending and economic outcomes, as well as key economic issues in the funding and management of infrastructure projects. It draws together research studies that describe the short-run stimulus effects of infrastructure spending, develop new estimates of the stock of U.S. infrastructure capital, and explore the incentive aspects of public-private partnerships (PPPs). A salient issue is the treatment of risk in evaluating publicly-funded infrastructure projects and in connection with PPPs. The goal of the volume is to provide a reference for researchers seeking to expand research on infrastructure issues, and for policy-makers tasked with determining the appropriate level of infrastructure spending"--