Financial Analysis for Development: Concepts and Techniques

While it is relatively easy to assess the financial viability of projects in industrialized countries, obtaining data, estimating costs and measuring achievements can be difficult in developing economies burdened with crippling poverty, political instability and a chaotic infrastructure. Information can be unreliable, levels of technology minimal and patterns of labour unfamiliar. To forecast accurately the potential of a project, analysts need a blend of technical, financial and economic expertise, adapting mainstream methods for assessing investment opportunities. This book uses wide-ranging examples drawn from industry, transport and agriculture to offer insights into accounting methods, together with some innovative techniques and practical shortcuts.