Can entrepreneurship programs be successful labor market policies for the poor? A large share of workers in developing countries are self-employed in low-paying work or engage in low-return entrepreneurial activities that keep these workers in poverty. Entrepreneurship programs provide business...

Introduction -- The importance of everything but oil -- A theory about oil, policymakers, and the business environment -- Oil and the business environment in Iran -- Doing business in India's mining belt -- Reform in the Gulf Arab context: Saudi Arabia since the 1990s -- Conclusion

In this paper the author reviews some of the past and current experience of micro-enterprise programmes for women: training, credit and producer groups and co-operatives. Although there are some successes, the evidence indicates that the majority of programmes fail to make any significant impact...