A well-functioning financial system and a vigorous private sector are important drivers of growth and poverty reduction. Finance is central to private sector development and vice versa, and large parts of both sub-disciplines revolve around the behavior and performance of firms. Please see Finance and PSD for some of the policy messages that came out of our recent research and future directions.

 Research Roundup 2008-2011  

The effect of bank competition on access to finance, lending patterns of foreign and government-owned banks during the financial crisis, the impact of financial literacy training on migrants and their families, and an improved database for benchmarking financial development across the world.    More >>

Findings and lessons in the areas of finance and private sector development conducted by the Development Research Group.

Business Training for New and Existing Female-Owned Firms in Sri Lanka (October 2012) 

Financial Development and Structure Database (updated September 2012)

The World Bank Group Entrepreneurship Snapshots (November 2010)