Predicting demand for and effects of an SMS-based business management training

Study ID sspp-2023-0051-v1

General Details

Project Texting to Teach Micro-entrepreneurs: Lessons from a field experiment in Kenya
Study ID sspp-2023-0051-v1
Study Title Predicting demand for and effects of an SMS-based business management training
Authors Muhammad Zia Mehmood
Completion Time 10 Minutes
Close Date Oct. 11, 2023
Discipline Economics
Field Development Economics
Country Kenya
Abstract
I study the effect of SMS-based business management trainings on outcomes for micro-entrepreneurs in Kenya. I designed a field experiment in which access to SMS-based trainings was randomized across about 4,700 Kenyan micro-entrepreneurs. I plan to analyze data on outcomes collected 3 months and 12 months after the intervention to estimate short and medium run effects on key outcomes including learning and adoption of best practices, time investment in business and side jobs, credit outcomes, and business survival and performance. For this survey, I aim to elicit predictions for the effects to be estimated in the 12 month followup. I also measure willingness to pay for SMS-based trainings through take-it-or-leave-it offers for an additional training, whereby the price was randomized across three levels: free, half of the marginal cost of provision, and double the marginal cost of provision.

Citation
Muhammad Zia Mehmood. 2023. "Predicting demand for and effects of an SMS-based business management training." Social Science Prediction Platform. September 11. https://socialscienceprediction.org/s/f8xa24