Handbook Of Research On Cost–Benefit Analysis

‘Anyone interested in cost–benefit analysis will find this anthology valuable.’
– E. Kacapyr, Choice

‘This book breathes new life into an old but intellectually robust field by applying the principles of cost–benefit analysis to contemporary issues such as drug-abuse treatment, active labor market programs, tobacco addiction, financial regulation, malnutrition and corruption. Several chapters link cost–benefit analysis to other techniques such as cost-effectiveness and impact evaluation. The book will be valuable to scholars wanting to do further research in the field, as well as to consumers of cost–benefit analysis – those who need to know the underpinnings of what their analysts give them.’
– Shanta Devarajan, The World Bank, US

‘This is a very nice and very useful set of articles on cost–benefit applications. The book will be particularly useful for students but also for professionals interested in keeping up with the state of applied work. I will use some of the articles in my class. Brent’s introduction is also well done.’
– Richard O. Zerbe, University of Washington, Seattle, US

This Handbook provides an authoritative overview of current research in the field of cost–benefit analysis and is designed as a starting point for those interested in undertaking advanced research. The Handbook contains major contributions to the development of the field, focussing on standard microeconomic policy evaluations, the relatively neglected area of macroeconomic policy and its integration into a formal CBA framework, and dynamic considerations in CBA

Presenting insights from many influential thinkers, and edited by a leading academic in the field, this comprehensive work will prove an invaluable reference tool for economists, researchers and scholars.

Contents:

Preface

PART I: INTRODUCTION
1. Overview of the Field and the Contributions in the Handbook
Robert J. Brent

PART II: MICROECONOMIC EVALUATIONS
2. Cost–Benefit Analysis for Health
Peter Zweifel and Harry Telser

3. Cost–Benefit Analysis of Drug Abuse Treatment
William S. Cartwright

4. Can Cost–Benefit Analysis Guide Education Policy in Developing Countries?
Emmanuel Jimenez and Harry Anthony Patrinos

5. Cost–Benefit Analysis in Transport: Recent Developments in Rail Project Appraisal in Britain
Chris Nash and James Laird

6. Cost–Benefit Analysis of Environmental Projects and the Role of Distributional Weights
Robert J. Brent and Booi Themeli

7. Cost–Benefit Analysis Applied to Labour Market Programmes
Michele Campolieti and Morley Gunderson

8. Regulation and Cost–Benefit Analysis
Franco Papandrea

9. Can Cost–Benefit Analysis of Financial Regulation be Made Credible?
Patrick Honohan

PART III: MACROECONOMIC EVALUATIONS
10. The Welfare Effects of Inflation: A Cost–Benefit Perspective
Karl-Heinz Tödter and Bernhard Manzke

11. Cost–Benefit Analysis of Economic Globalization
Clem Tisdell

12. Poverty Alleviation Programs and their Impacts: A Survey
Jyotsna Jalan

13. Too Hungry to Read: Is an Education Subsidy a Misguided Policy for Development?
Parantap Basu

14. Project Finance and Cost–Benefit Analysis
Peggy B. Musgrave

15. Cost–Benefit Analysis and the Evaluation of the Effects of Corruption on Public Projects
Robert J. Brent

PART IV: DYNAMIC EVALUATIONS
16. Social Security and Future Generations
Hans Fehr and Øystein Thøgersen

17. Irreversible Investments: A Cost–Benefit Perspective
Rati Ram and Rajeev K. Goel

18. Pro-Growth, Pro-Poor: Is There a Trade-off?
J. Humberto Lopez

19. The Value of the 1964 Surgeon General’s Report
Frank Chaloupka and Richard M. Peck

Index