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Can Economic Development Programs Be Evaluated?

Author

Listed:
  • Timothy J. Bartik

    (W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research)

  • Richard D. Bingham

    (Cleveland State University)

Abstract

The question addressed in this paper seems simple: Can economic development programs be evaluated? But the answer is not simple because of the nature of evaluation. To determine a program's effectiveness requires a sophisticated evaluation because it requires the evaluator to distinguish changes due to the program from changes due to nonprogram factors. The evaluator must focus on the outcomes caused by the program rather than the program's procedures. Evaluations can be divided into two categories process or formative evaluations and outcome, impact, or summative evaluations. Process evaluations focus on how a program is delivered. Impact evaluations focus on the program's results. Although process evaluations are important, the focus of this chapter is on program outcomes thus the concern with impact evaluations; however, both types of evaluations need to be defined.

Suggested Citation

  • Timothy J. Bartik & Richard D. Bingham, 1995. "Can Economic Development Programs Be Evaluated?," Upjohn Working Papers 95-29, W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research.
    • Handle: RePEc:upj:weupjo:95-29
    Note: A revised version of this paper appears in R. Bingham and R. Mier, eds. 1997. Dilemmas of Urban Economic Development: Issues in Theory and Practice. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, pp. 246-277.
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Papke, Leslie E., 1994. "Tax policy and urban development : Evidence from the Indiana enterprise zone program," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 54(1), pages 37-49, May.
    2. Timothy J. Bartik, 1991. "Who Benefits from State and Local Economic Development Policies?," Books from Upjohn Press, W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research, number wbsle.
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    4. Harry J. Holzer & Richard N. Block & Marcus Cheatham & Jack H. Knott, 1993. "Are Training Subsidies for Firms Effective? The Michigan Experience," ILR Review, Cornell University, ILR School, vol. 46(4), pages 625-636, July.
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    Cited by:

    1. Guilherme Resende, 2011. "Evaluating Micro and Macro Effects of Regional Development Policies: The Case of the Northeast Regional Fund (FNE) in Brazil, 2000-2006," ERSA conference papers ersa10p853, European Regional Science Association.
    2. Orso, Cristina, 2011. "Microcredit and poverty. An overview of the principal statistical methods used to measure the program net impacts," POLIS Working Papers 154, Institute of Public Policy and Public Choice - POLIS.
    3. Ann Markusen & Amy Glasmeier, 2008. "Rejoinder: History, Leadership, Place Prosperity, Rationales, Competitiveness, Outcomes," Economic Development Quarterly, , vol. 22(2), pages 115-118, May.
    4. Timothy J. Bartik, 2004. "Evaluating the Impacts of Local Economic Development Policies on Local Economic Outcomes: What Has Been Done and What Is Doable?," Book chapters authored by Upjohn Institute researchers, in: Evaluating Local Economic and Employment Development: How to Access Waht Works Among Programmes and Policies, pages 113-142, W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research.
    5. Bondonio, Daniele, 2009. "Impact identification strategies for evaluating business incentive programs," POLIS Working Papers 129, Institute of Public Policy and Public Choice - POLIS.
    6. Ted K. Bradshaw, 2002. "The Contribution of Small Business Loan Guarantees to Economic Development," Economic Development Quarterly, , vol. 16(4), pages 360-369, November.
    7. Guilherme M. Resende, 2020. "Measuring Micro- and Macro-Impacts of Regional Development Policies: The Case of the Northeast Regional Fund (FNE) Industrial Loans in Brazil, 2000–2006," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 48(4), pages 646-664, July.
    8. Dave Valler & Andrew Wood, 2010. "Conceptualizing Local and Regional Economic Development in the USA," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 44(2), pages 139-151.
    9. Laura A. Reese & David Fasenfest, 2003. "Planning for Development: An Assessment of the Economic Development District Planning Process," Economic Development Quarterly, , vol. 17(3), pages 264-279, August.
    10. Antonio Avalos, 2010. "Migration, Unemployment, And Wages: The Case Of The California San Joaquin Valley," Contemporary Economic Policy, Western Economic Association International, vol. 28(1), pages 123-135, January.
    11. Daniele Bondonio, 2003. "Do Tax Incentives Affect Local Economic Growth? What Mean Impacts Miss in the Analysis of Enterprise Zone Policies," Working Papers 03-17, Center for Economic Studies, U.S. Census Bureau.
    12. Michael Keane & Eoghan Garvey, 2006. "Measuring the employment effects of the rural renewal tax scheme," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 40(3), pages 359-374.
    13. Bondonio, Daniele & Engberg, John, 2000. "Enterprise zones and local employment: evidence from the states' programs," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 30(5), pages 519-549, September.
    14. Christopher E. Bartels & Jeremy L. Hall, 2012. "Exploring Management Practice Variation in Tax Increment Financing Districts," Economic Development Quarterly, , vol. 26(1), pages 13-33, February.
    15. Eric Amankwaah & Nicholas Mensah & Nana Okyir Baidoo, 2022. "The impact of location tax incentives on the growth of rural economy: evidence from Ghana," Future Business Journal, Springer, vol. 8(1), pages 1-19, December.
    16. Laura A. Reese & David Fasenfest, 1999. "Critical Perspectives on Local Development Policy Evaluation," Economic Development Quarterly, , vol. 13(1), pages 3-7, February.
    17. Janna Johnson, 2009. "Rural Economic Development in the United States," Economic Development Quarterly, , vol. 23(3), pages 229-241, August.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    economic; development; programs; evaluate; Bartik; Bingham;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J0 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - General
    • O2 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Development Planning and Policy
    • R0 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General

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