Working Paper: CEPR ID: DP15876
Authors: Bjrn Vollan; Myriam Hadnes; Marco Nilgen; Michael Kosfeld
Abstract: We conducted a field experiment in Burkina Faso to investigate the impact of sharing obligations within kin networks on entrepreneurial effort. The overall treatment effect we find is insignificant and goes in the opposite direction than previous literature suggests. Ex-post explorative analysis reveals that entrepreneurs in the two experimental groups reacted differently in their production process, with some entrepreneurs in the treatment group being able to utilize their kin network to their joint advantage.
Keywords: field experiment; redistributive pressure; social norms; sharing norms; business development; Burkina Faso
JEL Codes: C93; D13; H24; H26; O12
Edges that are evidenced by causal inference methods are in orange, and the rest are in light blue.
| Cause | Effect |
|---|---|
| Informing tailors' families about a new income opportunity (J46) | Number of bags produced (L67) |
| Family knowledge (J12) | Production levels (E23) |
| Heterogeneous treatment effects (financial support or family tradition) (C21) | Output increase (E23) |
| Reciprocity norms (Z13) | Production (L23) |
| Informing kin network (D85) | Production process adjustment (L23) |