Market Building


Robust and functioning markets are key for states and their citizens, particularly those in the midst of reform and transition. Market building consists of setting rules for commercial activity, supporting the growth of private business, and intervening during times of crisis. Understanding this framework, expanded market opportunities also allow governments to more effectively spend their resources and leverage capital to deliver on their mandates for sustainable change. ISE’s work focuses on developing the tools and frameworks for building integrated markets and identifying assets to support inclusive growth and development.

Economic Tools Mapping: Overseas Private Investment Corporation

The Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC), the US government’s developmental finance arm, mobilizes private capital to simultaneously solve global challenges and advance US foreign policy. This note considers how OPIC helps US businesses unlock emerging…

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Himachal Pradesh: Understanding State-Level Transition in India

How did Himachal Pradesh evolve to become one of India’s wealthiest states, with low poverty levels and above-average literacy?  The prospect appeared unlikely when 30 princely Hill states merged to form a state characterized by…

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Economic Tools Mapping: Small Enterprise Assistance Funds

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in emerging and transition markets often struggle to attract capital, although SMEs typically generate countries’ largest source of employment, goods and services. Small Enterprise Assistance Funds (SEAF) provides such enterprises…

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State Function: Market Engagement
Insight & Analysis: Market Building
Topic: International Development Finance
Publication Type: Economic Tools
Economic Tools Mapping: Special Economic Zones

This note reviews special economic zones, the variety of fiscal and economic regimes that govern them, and the potential they offer governments. It considers how they can stimulate foreign investment, regional development, technology transfer, foreign…

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Economic Tools Mapping: Homestrings

The Homestrings investment firm raises equity and debt capital to target emerging and frontier markets. It aims to offer diaspora populations from the developing world access to funds and projects with development potential that were…

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State Function: Market Engagement
Insight & Analysis: Market Building
Topic: International Development Finance
Publication Type: Economic Tools
Bihar: Transformation from a Dysfunctional to a Redistributive State

Confronted by set of deeply entrenched obstacles, the government of Bihar adopted a carefully structured approach to state-building. In this paper we assess the measures it took to consolidate the rule of law, build key…

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