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Randomized Control Trials and Qualitative Evaluations of a Multifaceted Programme for Women in Extreme Poverty: Empirical Findings and Methodological Reflections

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  • Naila Kabeer

Abstract

This paper sets out to synthesize key lessons from studies using alternative methodologies to impact assessment. Drawing on Sen’s capability approach as a conceptual framework, it analyses two pairs of impact assessments which were carried out in West Bengal and Sindh around the same time and within close proximity to each other. Each pair consisted of a randomized control trial and a qualitative assessment of attempts to pilot BRAC’s approach to transferring assets to women in extreme poverty. The paper reports on the findings of these studies, their strategies for establishing their claims about causality and the information base they drew on to establish these claims. It finds that not only did the RCTs fail to meet their own criteria for establishing causality, but they also provided very limited explanation for the patterns of outcomes observed. Such information formed the substance of the qualitative studies. The paper concludes that greater use of mixed methods could help to offset some of limitations of RCTs and to place their findings on much firmer ground.

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  • Naila Kabeer, 2019. "Randomized Control Trials and Qualitative Evaluations of a Multifaceted Programme for Women in Extreme Poverty: Empirical Findings and Methodological Reflections," Journal of Human Development and Capabilities, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 20(2), pages 197-217, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:jhudca:v:20:y:2019:i:2:p:197-217
    DOI: 10.1080/19452829.2018.1536696
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    Cited by:

    1. Shraddha Jain, 2020. "Human Development, Gender and Capability Approach," Indian Journal of Human Development, , vol. 14(2), pages 320-332, August.
    2. Kabeer, Naila, 2020. "‘Misbehaving’ RCTs: The confounding problem of human agency," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 127(C).
    3. Kabeer, Naila, 2020. "Misbehaving’ RCTs: the confounding problem of human agency," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 102940, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    4. Wintrup, James, 2023. "Health by the people, again? The lost lessons of Alma-Ata in a community health worker programme in Zambia," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 319(C).
    5. Yonatan Eyal, 2020. "Self-Assessment Variables as a Source of Information in the Evaluation of Intervention Programs: A Theoretical and Methodological Framework," SAGE Open, , vol. 10(1), pages 21582440198, January.
    6. Vikram Tyagi & Sophie Webber, 2021. "A rusting gold standard: Failures in an Indonesian RCT, and the implications for poverty reduction," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 53(5), pages 992-1011, August.
    7. Kvangraven, Ingrid Harvold, 2020. "Impoverished economics? A critical assessment of the new gold standard," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 127(C).
    8. Svenja Flechtner, 2021. "Dimensions of Poverty. Measurement, Epistemic Injustices and Social Activism," Review of Income and Wealth, International Association for Research in Income and Wealth, vol. 67(2), pages 530-544, June.
    9. Margolies, Amy & Colantuoni, Elizabeth & Morgan, Rosemary & Gelli, Aulo & Caulfield, Laura, 2023. "The burdens of participation: A mixed-methods study of the effects of a nutrition-sensitive agriculture program on women’s time use in Malawi," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 163(C).
    10. Karimli, Leyla & Lecoutere, Els & Wells, Christine R. & Ismayilova, Leyla, 2021. "More assets, more decision-making power? Mediation model in a cluster-randomized controlled trial evaluating the effect of the graduation program on women's empowerment in Burkina Faso," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 137(C).
    11. Willan, Samantha & Gibbs, Andrew & Shai, Nwabisa & Ntini, Nolwazi & Petersen, Inge & Jewkes, Rachel, 2020. "Did young women in South African informal settlements display increased agency after participating in the Stepping Stones and Creating Futures intervention? A qualitative evaluation," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 265(C).
    12. Naritomi, Joana & Sequeira, Sandra & Weigel, Jonathan & Weinhold, Diana, 2020. "RCTs as an opportunity to promote interdisciplinary, inclusive, and diverse quantitative development research," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 127(C).
    13. Pieterse, Pieternella, 2020. "Does the RCT tail wag the implementation dog?," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 127(C).
    14. Wintrup, James, 2022. "Promising careers? A critical analysis of a randomised control trial in community health worker recruitment in Zambia," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 299(C).

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