IFC Lessons of Experience No. 1F. This report reviews the experience of the International Finance Corporation (IFC) in its role as advisor and investor in privatization transactions during the past decade. In pursuit of its mandate to further economic development by encouraging the growth of productive private enterprise in developing countries, the IFC has naturally and increasingly been involved in supporting this movement. The premise of the report is that privatization will always be partly based on political considerations, including expected redistribution of wealth and the resulting winners and losers. It discusses the IFC's experience from two perspectives: as an advisor involved before the sale, which illustrates how the IFC assists in the trade-off between political and economic goals to conclude a deal; and after privatization, which discusses the resulting economic benefits. The IFC asserts that its role in privatization is defined by the evolving frontiers of political commitment. Within those frontiers, it can help expand privatization possibilities by performing advisory assignments, providing necessary investments, and developing capital market institutions. The IFC demonstrates that privatization strategies can assume many forms with few set prescriptions. Other language editions: English (ISBN 0-8213-3447-6) Stock No. 13447 Russian -out of print-(ISBN 0-8213-3545-6) Stock No. 13545 Spanish -out of print-(ISBN 0-8213-3451-4) Stock No. 13451.