This paper examines the correlates of optimism bias and its impact on World Bank project performance. We measure in different ways using estimated Economic Rates Return (ERR) projects at approval closure. examine over 2,800 that were appraised between 1960 2019. find approximately 60% sample prone to bias. Correlates include both country characteristics. Findings also indicate incidence reduces...

• Trust funds (non-core voluntary aid) for health projects made up nearly half of the World Bank’s total funding for health and social services in 2012-13 • The Bank has four major types of trust funds: IBRD/IDA bank executed trust funds, IBRD/IDA recipient executed trust funds, financial intermediary funds, and IFC trust funds. These funds have distinct purposes, implementation mechanisms, and...

The Independent Evaluation Group is an independent unit within the World Bank Group; it reports directly to the Bank's Board of Executive Directors. IEG assesses what works, and what does not; how a borrower plans to run and maintain a project; and the lasting contribution of the Bank to a country's overall development. The goals of evaluation are to learn from experience, to provide an objecti...

The first steps towards Health Technology Assessment (HTA) were taken in Romania between 1992-2002 when some form of mentorship was performed in this area with Canadian support [1]; later on, from 2002 to 2011 HTA remained a subject only for the academic and research purposes. Only the pressure brought by the Memorandum of Understanding between Romanian Government with International Monetary Fu...

The Independent Evaluation Group is an independent unit within the World Bank Group; it reports directly to the Bank's Board of Executive Directors. IEG assesses what works, and what does not; how a borrower plans to run and maintain a project; and the lasting contribution of the Bank to a country's overall development. The goals of evaluation are to learn from experience, to provide an objecti...

This report has been prepared by the staff of the World Bank. The judgments expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of the Board of Executive Directors or of the governments they represent. The material in this publication is copyrighted. The World Bank encourages dissemination of its work and will normally grant permission promptly. Permission to photocopy items for internal or personal...

The Policy Research Working Paper Series disseminates the findings of work in progress to encourage the exchange of ideas about development issues. An objective of the series is to get the findings out quickly, even if the presentations are less than fully polished. The papers carry the names of the authors and should be cited accordingly. The findings, interpretations, and conclusions expresse...

Agriculture & Rural Development Working Papers is an informal series produced by the Agriculture & Rural Development Department of the World Bank. These papers raise concepts and issues for discussion in the broader development community and describe ongoing research and/or implementation experiences from the Bank. The findings, interpretations, and conclusions are the author's own and should n...