Market Shaping

Results for Development works with change agents to shape global and country-level markets and dramatically expand access to affordable, high-quality essential commodities and services that help people lead healthier, more productive lives.

The Challenge

Around the world, there are many proven health-, education- and nutrition-related products that can save and improve lives. However, they are frequently out of reach for children and adults who need them the most.

This is often the result of breakdowns in markets and systems. Essential commodities may not be available in low- and middle-income countries due to insufficient supply capacity, inadequate financing, inefficient procurement processes and outdated policies. Even when commodities are available in a country, they may be of inconsistent quality, they may be priced too high or they may not be appropriately used.

Our Approach

R4D works with change agents to ensure that markets are transformed sustainably to drive increased access to (and improve appropriate use of) essential commodities, such as childhood pneumonia diagnosis and treatments, maternal health supplies, anti-malarial bed nets, HIV/AIDS medicines, nutrition supplements, and books. R4D achieves this by aligning priorities and incentives of key market actors including policymakers, procurers, manufacturers and financiers at the global and country levels to develop and execute solutions for underserved markets at scale.

Specifically, R4D leverages four core technical approaches to systematically identify and holistically address market and system barriers:

  1. Market analysis: We examine regulatory, demand, supply and financing barriers to understand the challenges to increasing access to, and improving appropriate use of, a given essential commodity. We use a range of techniques including market sizing, demand forecasting, financing gap, cost-effectiveness and return on investment analyses, among others.
  2. Strategy development: Based on in-depth market analysis, we develop targeted strategies to inform government, donor and/or R4D decisions to efficiently and holistically shape markets through recommendations around rationalized product categories/specifications, improved supply base, enhanced procurement practices, optimized pricing, increased regulatory and financing efficiencies, and measures to strengthen appropriate use etc.
  3. Catalytic implementation: We implement catalytic market shaping activities in partnership with key market actors to address barriers to shape a sustainable market and strengthen overall systems.
  4. Evidence generation for continuous learning: We apply a range of monitoring, evaluation and learning methods, such as surveys, clinical studies, focus groups, rapid feedback cycles and structured learning, to generate timely evidence around the impact of market shaping interventions and allow for iterative improvements.

Our Results

Since 2008, R4D has developed market shaping strategies at the global level and provided on-the-ground catalytic support to local change agents to achieve transformational impact domestically. Some examples include:

Global & Regional Initiatives

R4D is a globally recognized leader for designing initiatives that connect implementers, experts and funders across countries to build knowledge and get that knowledge into practice.