Sub-themes
Our flagship publication examines existing evidence and highlights important research gaps in improving SGB outcomes in low-income settings. The SGB Evidence Fund commissioned research to address these shortcomings, identifying five key areas for further research: access to finance, access to labour, access to markets, management practices and training, and improving data collection and usage.
Access to finance
While evidence exists on the effects of different forms of capital support for firms, it is less clear how flexible risk capital targeted towards niche, dynamic and high growth firms can help these actors grow. The research commissioned in this cluster looks at both the demand and supply side of this capital and how to improve both its allocation and impact.
Access to labour
Past research has focused on how to recruit and retain unskilled workers, but evidence lacks on skilled workforce development and on-the-job training. Evidence generated in this cluster focuses on how to reduce hiring frictions and improve matching, especially in the digital age.
Access to markets
The impacts of connections to regional markets and multi-national corporations is well-studied, but the way to develop these linkages sustainably is lacking. SGB Evidence Fund projects examine how to encourage exports and link markets through consortia-building and entrepreneur training.
Management practices and training
Standardised classroom-based training and consulting support has received a lot of attention from economists, but the differential impacts of types of training, mentorship, and consulting support lacked evidence. The largest cluster of the SGB Evidence Fund seeks to remedy this by understanding which types of support are most valuable for MSMEs.
Can light-touch accelerator programmes foster business performance? Evidence from ICT enterprises in Bangladesh
The impact of psychotherapy on business performance of female-led firms
Data-driven learning and firm performance: Experimental evidence from SMEs in Kenya
Enabling entrepreneurs: An impact evaluation of a training and mentoring programme in Uganda
Measuring and managing impact: A field experiment
The impact of early-stage resource acquisition: a randomised field experiment in Morocco
Impulso Chileno impact evaluation
Improving data availability
Crucial data was lacking to evaluate and understand SGBs better. In this cluster, researchers attempt to measure firms' preferences, characteristics, or output, to paint a clearer picture of the firm landscapes and relevant policy requirements.
