Cost-Benefit Analysis in World Bank Projects

This report has been prepared in the context of a major global effort in the past eight years to better measure results in development assistance. The agenda for this effort was articulated and refined in a series of international conferences, begi...

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Main Author: Independent Evaluation Group
Format: Publication
Language:English
Published: Washington, DC: World Bank 2012
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www-wds.worldbank.org/external/default/main?menuPK=64187510&pagePK=64193027&piPK=64187937&theSitePK=523679&menuPK=64187510&searchMenuPK=64187283&siteName=WDS&entityID=000356161_20110614052210
http://hdl.handle.net/10986/2561
id okr-10986-2561
recordtype oai_dc
spelling okr-10986-25612021-04-23T14:02:03Z Cost-Benefit Analysis in World Bank Projects Independent Evaluation Group ACCOUNTABILITY ACCOUNTING ACCOUNTING PRINCIPLES ACCOUNTING STANDARDS BENEFICIARIES BENEFIT ANALYSIS BENEFIT STREAMS CAPACITY BUILDING COMMUNITIES COST-BENEFIT ANALYSES COST-BENEFIT ANALYSIS COUNTERFACTUAL DECISION MAKING DRIVING ECONOMIC ANALYSIS ECONOMIC CONDITIONS ECONOMIC GROWTH ECONOMIC IMPACT ECONOMIC REFORM ECONOMICS ECONOMISTS EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT EFFECTIVE USE EMERGENCY RESPONSE EMPIRICAL BASIS EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE EMPLOYMENT ENVIRONMENTAL ENVIRONMENTAL COSTS ENVIRONMENTAL EXTERNALITIES ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS EX ANTE ANALYSIS EXPENDITURES EXTERNALITIES FINANCIAL COVENANTS FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS FISHERIES FORECASTS OF TRAFFIC GROWTH HIGHWAY HOUSEHOLD INCOME HOUSEHOLD SURVEYS ICR IDEAL INDICATORS IMPACT EVALUATION INCOME INTEREST RATES INTERVENTION INTERVENTIONS LEARNING MANDATES MARKET PRICES POLICY CHANGES POSITIVE EXTERNALITIES POVERTY REDUCTION PRESENT VALUE PRIVATE GOODS PRODUCTIVITY PROGRAMS PROJECT BENEFICIARIES PROJECT MONITORING PROJECT OBJECTIVES PUBLIC GOOD PUBLIC GOODS PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT RESOURCE MANAGEMENT ROAD ROAD PROJECTS ROADS RURAL DEVELOPMENT SELECTION BIAS SETTLEMENT SHADOW PRICES SUBSIDIARY TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TRAFFIC TRAFFIC DENSITY TRAFFIC GROWTH TRANSACTION COSTS TRANSPARENCY TRANSPORT TRANSPORT PROJECTS TRANSPORT SECTOR TRUE URBAN DEVELOPMENT WAGES WEALTH This report has been prepared in the context of a major global effort in the past eight years to better measure results in development assistance. The agenda for this effort was articulated and refined in a series of international conferences, beginning with the international conference on financing for development in Monterrey in 2002 and continuing through the Accra agenda for action in 2008. Cost-benefit analysis entails measuring results, valuing results, and comparing results with costs, and hence is highly relevant to the results agenda. Cost-benefit analysis can provide a comprehensive picture of the net impact of projects and help direct funds to where their development effectiveness is highest. This study draws two broad conclusions. First, the bank needs to revisit its policy for cost-benefit analysis in a way that recognizes the legitimate difficulties in quantifying benefits while preserving a high degree of rigor in justifying projects. Second, the bank needs to ensure that cost-benefit analysis is done with quality, rigor, and objectivity: poor data and analysis misinform, and do not improve, results. Reforms are required to project-appraisal procedures to ensure objectivity, improve both the analysis and the use of evidence at appraisal, and ensure effective use of cost benefit analysis in decision making. 2012-03-19T09:36:29Z 2012-03-19T09:36:29Z 2010 http://www-wds.worldbank.org/external/default/main?menuPK=64187510&pagePK=64193027&piPK=64187937&theSitePK=523679&menuPK=64187510&searchMenuPK=64187283&siteName=WDS&entityID=000356161_20110614052210 978-0-8213-8578-4 http://hdl.handle.net/10986/2561 English CC BY 3.0 IGO http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/igo/ World Bank Washington, DC: World Bank Publications & Research :: Publication Publications & Research :: Publication
repository_type Digital Repository
institution_category Foreign Institution
institution Digital Repositories
building World Bank Open Knowledge Repository
collection World Bank
language English
topic ACCOUNTABILITY
ACCOUNTING
ACCOUNTING PRINCIPLES
ACCOUNTING STANDARDS
BENEFICIARIES
BENEFIT ANALYSIS
BENEFIT STREAMS
CAPACITY BUILDING
COMMUNITIES
COST-BENEFIT ANALYSES
COST-BENEFIT ANALYSIS
COUNTERFACTUAL
DECISION MAKING
DRIVING
ECONOMIC ANALYSIS
ECONOMIC CONDITIONS
ECONOMIC GROWTH
ECONOMIC IMPACT
ECONOMIC REFORM
ECONOMICS
ECONOMISTS
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT
EFFECTIVE USE
EMERGENCY RESPONSE
EMPIRICAL BASIS
EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE
EMPLOYMENT
ENVIRONMENTAL
ENVIRONMENTAL COSTS
ENVIRONMENTAL EXTERNALITIES
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
EX ANTE ANALYSIS
EXPENDITURES
EXTERNALITIES
FINANCIAL COVENANTS
FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS
FISHERIES
FORECASTS OF TRAFFIC GROWTH
HIGHWAY
HOUSEHOLD INCOME
HOUSEHOLD SURVEYS
ICR
IDEAL INDICATORS
IMPACT EVALUATION
INCOME
INTEREST RATES
INTERVENTION
INTERVENTIONS
LEARNING
MANDATES
MARKET PRICES
POLICY CHANGES
POSITIVE EXTERNALITIES
POVERTY REDUCTION
PRESENT VALUE
PRIVATE GOODS
PRODUCTIVITY
PROGRAMS
PROJECT BENEFICIARIES
PROJECT MONITORING
PROJECT OBJECTIVES
PUBLIC GOOD
PUBLIC GOODS
PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT
RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
ROAD
ROAD PROJECTS
ROADS
RURAL DEVELOPMENT
SELECTION BIAS
SETTLEMENT
SHADOW PRICES
SUBSIDIARY
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE
TRAFFIC
TRAFFIC DENSITY
TRAFFIC GROWTH
TRANSACTION COSTS
TRANSPARENCY
TRANSPORT
TRANSPORT PROJECTS
TRANSPORT SECTOR
TRUE
URBAN DEVELOPMENT
WAGES
WEALTH
spellingShingle ACCOUNTABILITY
ACCOUNTING
ACCOUNTING PRINCIPLES
ACCOUNTING STANDARDS
BENEFICIARIES
BENEFIT ANALYSIS
BENEFIT STREAMS
CAPACITY BUILDING
COMMUNITIES
COST-BENEFIT ANALYSES
COST-BENEFIT ANALYSIS
COUNTERFACTUAL
DECISION MAKING
DRIVING
ECONOMIC ANALYSIS
ECONOMIC CONDITIONS
ECONOMIC GROWTH
ECONOMIC IMPACT
ECONOMIC REFORM
ECONOMICS
ECONOMISTS
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT
EFFECTIVE USE
EMERGENCY RESPONSE
EMPIRICAL BASIS
EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE
EMPLOYMENT
ENVIRONMENTAL
ENVIRONMENTAL COSTS
ENVIRONMENTAL EXTERNALITIES
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
EX ANTE ANALYSIS
EXPENDITURES
EXTERNALITIES
FINANCIAL COVENANTS
FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS
FISHERIES
FORECASTS OF TRAFFIC GROWTH
HIGHWAY
HOUSEHOLD INCOME
HOUSEHOLD SURVEYS
ICR
IDEAL INDICATORS
IMPACT EVALUATION
INCOME
INTEREST RATES
INTERVENTION
INTERVENTIONS
LEARNING
MANDATES
MARKET PRICES
POLICY CHANGES
POSITIVE EXTERNALITIES
POVERTY REDUCTION
PRESENT VALUE
PRIVATE GOODS
PRODUCTIVITY
PROGRAMS
PROJECT BENEFICIARIES
PROJECT MONITORING
PROJECT OBJECTIVES
PUBLIC GOOD
PUBLIC GOODS
PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT
RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
ROAD
ROAD PROJECTS
ROADS
RURAL DEVELOPMENT
SELECTION BIAS
SETTLEMENT
SHADOW PRICES
SUBSIDIARY
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE
TRAFFIC
TRAFFIC DENSITY
TRAFFIC GROWTH
TRANSACTION COSTS
TRANSPARENCY
TRANSPORT
TRANSPORT PROJECTS
TRANSPORT SECTOR
TRUE
URBAN DEVELOPMENT
WAGES
WEALTH
Independent Evaluation Group
Cost-Benefit Analysis in World Bank Projects
description This report has been prepared in the context of a major global effort in the past eight years to better measure results in development assistance. The agenda for this effort was articulated and refined in a series of international conferences, beginning with the international conference on financing for development in Monterrey in 2002 and continuing through the Accra agenda for action in 2008. Cost-benefit analysis entails measuring results, valuing results, and comparing results with costs, and hence is highly relevant to the results agenda. Cost-benefit analysis can provide a comprehensive picture of the net impact of projects and help direct funds to where their development effectiveness is highest. This study draws two broad conclusions. First, the bank needs to revisit its policy for cost-benefit analysis in a way that recognizes the legitimate difficulties in quantifying benefits while preserving a high degree of rigor in justifying projects. Second, the bank needs to ensure that cost-benefit analysis is done with quality, rigor, and objectivity: poor data and analysis misinform, and do not improve, results. Reforms are required to project-appraisal procedures to ensure objectivity, improve both the analysis and the use of evidence at appraisal, and ensure effective use of cost benefit analysis in decision making.
format Publications & Research :: Publication
author Independent Evaluation Group
author_facet Independent Evaluation Group
author_sort Independent Evaluation Group
title Cost-Benefit Analysis in World Bank Projects
title_short Cost-Benefit Analysis in World Bank Projects
title_full Cost-Benefit Analysis in World Bank Projects
title_fullStr Cost-Benefit Analysis in World Bank Projects
title_full_unstemmed Cost-Benefit Analysis in World Bank Projects
title_sort cost-benefit analysis in world bank projects
publisher Washington, DC: World Bank
publishDate 2012
url http://www-wds.worldbank.org/external/default/main?menuPK=64187510&pagePK=64193027&piPK=64187937&theSitePK=523679&menuPK=64187510&searchMenuPK=64187283&siteName=WDS&entityID=000356161_20110614052210
http://hdl.handle.net/10986/2561
_version_ 1764385642700079104