| This dissertation explores how, why, and under what circumstances cost benefit analysis (CBA) and cost effectiveness analysis (CEA) are being used in assessing World Bank education Project Appraisal Documents (PADs) from 2010 to 2014. Choices made when allocating limited education funding to unlimited education needs are challenging as they involve a multitude of factors and CBA/CEA tools are intended to help guide these choices. However, the literature shows that the field of education leverages CBA/CEA tools with low frequency and poor quality compared to other social services. The World Bank offers an opportunity to explore and gain insight into the use of CBA/CEA tools in education projects, as they are the largest funder of education projects and a pre-eminent source of applied development economics.;I have adopted a two-phased mixed methodology approach giving priority to the qualitative dimension. I use a lens rooted in the context of an institutional system---including organizational, personal, project, and worldwide dimensions---to analyze data collected via semi-structured interviews revolving around six specific World Bank Education projects.;I found that CBA dominates CEA use, and CBA use swayed upward from 2011---with CBA becoming the norm by 2014. CBA/CEA tools are used for their value well beyond the initial choice decision, with an emphasis on facilitating rich education discussions and refining project details. Multiple inter-related factors direct how CBA/CEA is used---with data, timeline, and skill set leading the way. However, the systemic organizational norm that roots CBA use in human capital theory has resulted in an overly mechanistic CBA process that is often out of context. This study shows the importance of thoughtful deliberation and concise governance over how CBA/CEA is defined, the triggers that indicate when to use CBA/CEA, and the protocols for authoring a CBA/CEA for an education project. |
