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The Impact of Infrastructure on Development Outcomes: A Meta-Analysis

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  • Foster, Vivien
  • Gorgulu, Nisan
  • Jain, Dhruv
  • Straub,Stéphane
  • Vagliasindi, Maria

Abstract

This paper presents a meta-analysis of the infrastructure research done over more than three decades, using a database of over a thousand estimates from 221 papers reporting outcome elasticities. The analysis casts a wide net to include the transport, energy, and digital or information and communication technology (ICT) sectors, and the whole set of outcomes covered in the literature, including output, employment and wages, inequality and poverty, trade, education and health, population, and environmental aspects. The results allow for an update of the underlying parameters of interest, the “true” underlying infrastructure elasticities, accounting for publication bias, as well as for heterogeneity stemming from both study design and context, with a particular focus on developing countries.

Suggested Citation

  • Foster, Vivien & Gorgulu, Nisan & Jain, Dhruv & Straub,Stéphane & Vagliasindi, Maria, 2023. "The Impact of Infrastructure on Development Outcomes: A Meta-Analysis," Policy Research Working Paper Series 10350, The World Bank.
    • Handle: RePEc:wbk:wbrwps:10350
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Alexandre Belloni & Victor Chernozhukov & Christian Hansen, 2014. "Inference on Treatment Effects after Selection among High-Dimensional Controlsâ€," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 81(2), pages 608-650.
    3. Isaiah Andrews & Maximilian Kasy, 2019. "Identification of and Correction for Publication Bias," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 109(8), pages 2766-2794, August.
    4. Isaiah Andrews & Maximilian Kasy, 2019. "Identification of and Correction for Publication Bias," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 109(8), pages 2766-2794, August.
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    1. Stringer, Thomas & Clavel, Esteban Ricardo García & Burelo, Manuel, 2025. "Gender-specific impacts of road accessibility on rural development," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 125(C).
    2. Lipscomb, Molly & Montalvo, Cesar & Novak, Brendan, 2025. "The impact of infrastructure investment on resilience to environmental shocks: Evidence from Ecuador," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 188(C).
    3. Woo-Mora, L. Guillermo, 2025. "Populism’s original sin: Short-term populist penalties and uncertainty traps," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 172(C).
    4. Medeiros, Victor & Ribeiro, Rafael S.M. & Amaral, Pedro V.M. & Stein, Alexandre Q., 2025. "Highway infrastructure and economic development: Measuring causal impacts of infrastructure investments using a three-step instrumental variable identification strategy," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 163(C), pages 394-407.
    5. Moreau, Flavien & Aligishiev, Zamid, 2024. "Diversification in sight? A macroeconomic assessment of Saudi Arabia’s vision 2030," International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 180(C).

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