Private Sector: Building the Evidence Base on Effective Private Sector Engagement, Phase I

LASER PULSE partners with USAID/Lab/CTP to implement a Private Sector Engagement (PSE) Evidence and Learning Strategy that will enable USAID staff to implement best PSE practices, based on learnings and evidence. The research addresses the following priority questions as part of USAID’s PSE Evidence and Learning Strategy: 

• What is the effectiveness of different forms of engagement based on the five key values that the private sector offers?
• What external factors drive effective engagement in the private sector? 
• What PSE relationship qualities influence results? 

This activity supports the implementation of the USAID PSE Evidence and Learning Strategy. This process  takes a collaborative approach with the identified researchers from Purdue University, University of Notre Dame and  Catholic Relief Services over a five-year period. The implementation includes collaboratively identifying, developing, and delivering on learning activities and effective learning products that are responsive to the Evidence and Learning Strategy research priorities. This activity requires coordination and collaboration with other parts USAID as well as capturing input from key private sector players as thought partners and shapers of evidence and learning. As the evidence base is better established, the effort will support adaptively narrowing evidence gaps and continuing to identify and prioritize areas requiring more evidence and developing a plan to address them. The research team has expertise in public-private partnerships, business perspectives on sustainable strategies, private sector investment, and building evidence through monitoring and research.