Seminario de Microeconomía Aplicada - The Impact of Mobile Phones
El seminario de Microeconomía Aplicada del Banco de la República es un espacio para discutir los trabajos en progreso en las diferentes áreas de la microeconomía aplicada como economía del trabajo, organización industrial, economía de la salud, economía agrícola, economía de la educación, desarrollo económico, delincuencia, economía pública, economía ambiental, economía regional y urbana, entre otras. Está organizado por las sucursales de Cali, Cartagena y Medellín.
Resumen: We present experimental evidence on the economic impacts of mobile phone access. Our results are based on a randomized control trial in the Philippines, through which 14 isolated and previously unconnected villages were randomly assigned to either receive or not receive a new cellphone tower. Following a pre-analysis plan, we find that the introduction of mobile phones had large and significant impacts on household income and expenditure, particularly for wage workers. Mobile phone access also increased social connections within and between communities. However, there are no consistent impacts on market access, informedness, or subjective well being. In post-specified analysis, we find suggestive evidence that the improved economic conditions are driven by increases in migration, remittances, and self-employment.
Acerca del expositor: Joshua Blumenstock is a Chancellor's Associate Professor at University of California, Berkeley
Tiempo de exposición: 1 hora
