Working Paper: NBER ID: w18939
Authors: Ginger Zhe Jin; Jungmin Lee
Abstract: In this article, we show that a small innovation in inspection technology can make substantial differences in inspection outcomes. For restaurant hygiene inspections, the state of Florida has introduced a handheld electronic device, the portable digital assistant (PDA), which reminds inspectors of 1,000 potential violations that may be checked for. Using inspection records from July 2003 to June 2009, we find that the adoption of PDA led to 11% more detected violations and subsequently restaurants may have gradually increased their compliance efforts. We also find that PDA use is significantly correlated with a reduction in restaurant-related foodborne disease outbreaks.
Keywords: inspection technology; restaurant inspections; public health; compliance; food safety
JEL Codes: D81; D82; H75; I18; K32; L51
Edges that are evidenced by causal inference methods are in orange, and the rest are in light blue.
| Cause | Effect |
|---|---|
| PDA use (L96) | Detected violations (K42) |
| Subsequent PDA use (Y50) | Detected violations (K42) |
| Permanent PDA adoption (H42) | Foodborne disease outbreaks (D18) |
| PDA use (L96) | Restaurant compliance efforts (L83) |