Working Paper: NBER ID: w9818
Authors: James J. Heckman; Jeffrey A. Smith
Abstract: This paper decomposes the participation process of a prototypical program into eligibility, awareness, application, acceptance and enrollment. With this decomposition, we determine the sources of unequal participation for different groups, and demonstrate that variables often have very different effects at different stages in the participation process. Our analysis shows that personal choices substantially affect participation and that awareness of program eligibility is a major source of variation in participation.
Keywords: Job Training; Social Programs; Participation; Inequality
JEL Codes: J24
Edges that are evidenced by causal inference methods are in orange, and the rest are in light blue.
| Cause | Effect |
|---|---|
| Eligibility rules of the JTPA program (J68) | Access for specific groups (C92) |
| Awareness of program eligibility (I38) | Participation rates (J22) |
| Program eligibility (I24) | Participation (D16) |
| Performance standards of the JTPA program (J68) | Enrollment decisions (I23) |
| Differences in program awareness (I24) | Cream skimming (D49) |
| Recent transitions to unemployment (J63) | Participation among eligible individuals (I24) |
| Understanding dynamics of eligibility and awareness (I24) | Effective program evaluation and policy formulation (D78) |