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PRWP

Reproducibility package for Neither Too Little, nor Too Late: Restructuring as a Reflex for Outcomes

2025
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Reference ID
RR_WLD_2025_500
Author(s)
Ze Han, Lisandro Martin, Juan Jose Leguia
Collections
World Bank Policy Research Working Papers
Metadata
JSON
Created on
Dec 23, 2025
Last modified
Dec 23, 2025
  • Project Description
  • Downloads
  • Overview
  • Reproducibility Package
  • Description
  • Scope and coverage
  • Disclaimer
  • Access and rights
  • Contacts
  • Information on metadata
  • Overview

    Abstract

    We examine whether project restructuring improves World Bank project performance. Using panel data on Implementation Status and Results (ISR) ratings, we combine two-way fixed effects with the PanelMatch estimator to address concerns that restructurings are endogenously timed. Restructurings consistently raise ISR ratings, and these gains persist across successive reporting cycles. Timing and scope both matter: early restructurings generate durable improvements, while late interventions yield shorter-lived boosts bounded by project horizons. Level One restructurings produce larger effects than Level Two adjustments. These patterns show that adaptation works best when it is timely and substantive. More broadly, restructuring should be viewed not as a reactive correction but as an ordinary mechanism of adaptive management -- a structured learning process that transforms performance signals into actionable design updates, reinforcing institutional flexibility and credible mid-course correction.

    Reproducibility Package

    Scripts
    Readme Get Reproducibility Package
    Link: https://reproducibility.worldbank.org/index.php/catalog/427/download/1218/README.pdf
    Reproducibility package for Neither Too Little, nor Too Late: Restructuring as a Reflex for Outcomes
    File name
    RR_WLD_2025_500
    Zip package
    RR_WLD_2025_500.zip
    Title
    Reproducibility package for Neither Too Little, nor Too Late: Restructuring as a Reflex for Outcomes
    Date
    2025-12
    Dependencies
    R dependencies are listed in the file renv.lock. Stata dependencies are listed in the ado folder.
    Instructions
    See README in reproducibility package.
    Notes
    Computational reproducibility verified by Development Impact (DECDI) Analytics team, World Bank.
    Source code repository
    Repository name URI
    Reproducible Research Repository (World Bank) https://reproducibility.worldbank.org
    Software
    R
    Name
    R
    Version
    4.5.1
    Stata
    Name
    Stata
    Version
    19.5 MP

    Reproducibility

    Technology environment

    Paper exhibits were reproduced on a computer with the following specifications:
    • OS: Windows 11 Enterprise
    • Processor: Intel(R) Xeon(R) Gold 6226R CPU @ 2.90GHz
    • Memory available: 16.0 GB

    Technology requirements

    Runtime: 1.5 hours

    Reproduction instructions

    Most data used is limited-access and not included in the reproducibility package. Once users have access to all the data, to reproduce the findings, a new user needs to:

    1. Adjust the file path in the main.R script and run the code.
    2. Adjust the file path in the main.do do-file and run the code.
      The README contains information on accessing all datasets.

    Data

    Datasets
    World Bank projects data
    Name
    World Bank projects data
    Note
    Source: World Bank. Files location: /data/raw/v_dim_portfolio_project_isr.csv, /data/raw/v_dim_project.csv, /data/raw/v_dim_restructuring.csv. Data are limited-access available to World Bank staff at http://databricks.worldbank.org > prd_corpdata > dm_operation_gold. Data was accessed on August 18, 2025.
    Access policy
    Data access was granted directly to the study authors by the data owners. It was obtained with a custom data license that does not allow for redistribution and it is not included in the reproducibility package.
    Citation
    World Bank. (n.d.). "World Bank projects data [dataset]". Unpublished data. Accessed on August 18, 2025.
    Restructuring-related terms in Results and Performance reports
    Name
    Restructuring-related terms in Results and Performance reports
    Note
    Source: Author's construction based on the Results and Performance of the World Bank Group reports. See details in the README. File location:/data/final/rap_rest_freq.csv
    Access policy
    Data are included in the reproducibility package
    Citation
    Martin, L., Leguia, J. J., Han, Z. 2025. "Restructuring-related terms in Results and Performance reports [dataset]". Constructed on August 18, 2025.
    World Bank Documents and Reports
    Name
    World Bank Documents and Reports
    Note
    Source: World Bank. The metadata for World Bank project restructuring documents was extracted using the World Bank Documents API. See details in the README. File location:/data/final/txt_meta.csv Constructed on September 19, 2025.
    Access policy
    Data are included in the reproducibility package
    Data URL
    https://documents.worldbank.org/en/publication/documents-reports
    Citation
    World Bank. 2025. "World Bank Documents and Reports [dataset]". Accessed via the World Bank Documents and Reports API. Accessed on September 19, 2025.
    World Bank active projects portfolio
    Name
    World Bank active projects portfolio
    Note
    Source: World Bank Internal Standard Reports. Author's construction. See details in the README. Files location: /data/final/proj_active.csv. Data was accessed on October 29, 2025. Data are limited-access available to World Bank staff at https://standardreports.worldbank.org. Data are not included in the package.
    Access policy
    Data access was granted directly to the study authors by the data owners. It was obtained with a custom data license that does not allow for redistribution and it is not included in the reproducibility package.
    Data URL
    https://standardreports.worldbank.org
    Citation
    World Bank. (n.d.). "World Bank active projects portfolio [dataset]". Unpublished data. Accessed on October 29, 2025.
    Data statement

    Some data is restricted and has not been included in the reproducibility package. For more details, please refer to the README file.

    Description

    Output
    Neither Too Little, nor Too Late: Restructuring as a Reflex for Outcomes
    Type
    Working Paper
    Title
    Neither Too Little, nor Too Late: Restructuring as a Reflex for Outcomes
    Description
    Policy Research Working Papers (PRWP)
    Authors
    Author Affiliation Email
    Ze Han World Bank zhan1@worldbank.org
    Lisandro Martin World Bank lmartin1@worldbank.org
    Juan Jose Leguia World Bank jleguia@worldbank.org
    Date of production

    2025-12-09

    Scope and coverage

    Geographic locations
    Location Code
    World WLD
    Keywords
    Restructuring World Bank Project Performance Adaptive Management
    Topics
    ID Topic Parent topic ID Vocabulary Vocabulary URI
    F35 Foreign Aid F3 Journal of Economic Literature (JEL)
    H43 Project Evaluation • Social Discount Rate H4 Journal of Economic Literature (JEL)
    O19 International Linkages to Development • Role of International Organizations O1 Journal of Economic Literature (JEL)
    O22 Project Analysis O2 Journal of Economic Literature (JEL)

    Disclaimer

    Disclaimer

    The materials in the reproducibility packages are distributed as they were prepared by the staff of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development/The World Bank. The findings, interpretations, and conclusions expressed in this event do not necessarily reflect the views of the World Bank, the Executive Directors of the World Bank, or the governments they represent. The World Bank does not guarantee the accuracy of the materials included in the reproducibility package.

    Access and rights

    License
    Name URI
    Modified BSD3 https://opensource.org/license/bsd-3-clause/

    Contacts

    Contacts
    Name Affiliation Email
    Ze Han World Bank zhan1@worldbank.org
    Reproducibility WBG World Bank reproducibility@worldbank.org

    Information on metadata

    Producers
    Name Abbreviation Affiliation Role
    Reproducibility WBG DECDI World Bank - Development Impact Department Verification and preparation of metadata
    Date of Production

    2025-12-09

    Document version

    1

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