Researchers

Giovanna d’Adda, Mahreen Mahmud, Farah Said, Diego Ubfal

Abstract

In this project, researchers conducted a field experiment with female entrepreneurs who have borrowed from a microfinance organization in Punjab, Pakistan. They tested whether an intervention that exposes women to successful role models, and encourages goal setting, planning and the overcoming of obstacles can foster investments in female businesses. They also studied whether intra-household dynamics and social constraints interact with this treatment by cross-randomizing this intervention with the presence of the spouse. Through a phone survey, the researchers sought to understand the impact of the crisis on women’s businesses, time use and well-being and if there are any differential impacts due to the crisis.

Project Outcomes of Interest

Business outcomes, time use, aspirations, well-being

Key Findings

Researchers did not find significant effects for the aspirations intervention. There was no heterogeneity of effects by whether the husband was present in the intervention. Key findings for the study:

1) 40% of women closed the business they had at baseline. 50% of them said it was temporarily closed because of COVID-19.

2) The time-use module shows that during Covid women:

a) Significantly reduce working time (in our context it is working inside the house for their own business): from 4 to 0.5 hours per day.
b) They keep constant the hours devoted to household chores: 5 hours per day
c) They increase leisure time from 6 to 9 hours per day.

Impact Goals

Project Data Collection Mode

Link to Pre-Registration

https://www.socialscienceregistry.org/trials/2980

Results Status

Results