Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/96306 
Year of Publication: 
2014
Series/Report no.: 
WIDER Working Paper No. 2014/026
Publisher: 
The United Nations University World Institute for Development Economics Research (UNU-WIDER), Helsinki
Abstract: 
Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) are now widely used in development economics. However, their use is often resisted by non-governmental development organizations. The objections they raise differ between the three types of activities of such non-governmental organizations (NGOs): capacity building, advocacy, and service delivery. This paper discusses the objections and alternatives to RCTs for each type. RCTs might not be appropriate even for service delivery, the activity which would appear to be best suited to their use. This is because typically local NGO staff can use their discretion in selecting communities or individuals for participation in a service-delivery programme. A standard RCT does not mimic the use of private knowledge of local circumstances and can therefore be misleading.
Subjects: 
impact evaluation
randomized controlled trials
non-governmental development organizations
JEL: 
C21
C33
O22
Persistent Identifier of the first edition: 
ISBN: 
978-92-9230-747-9
Document Type: 
Working Paper

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