The plant-level view of an industrial policy: The Korean heavy industry drive of 1973

Korea’s promotion of heavy and chemical industries would have been more successful if it had not come with a rise in concentration and misallocation...

Market power and in-kind transfers: Evidence from Mexico

In settings with market power, providing goods directly can generate larger consumer surplus gains than cash and vouchers because of price effects...

How credit market competition increases employment and productivity: Evidence from India

Increasing competition between banks in India can improve the lending standards of government banks and yield broader economic benefits...

Examining the macro effects of MNREGA

The introduction of MNREGA increased economic activity as measured by night-time lights and banking deposits, but mostly in richer districts...

The effect of international scrutiny on manufacturing workers: Evidence from the Rana Plaza collapse in Bangladesh

Reforms after the tragedy improved working conditions but women’s wages fell in the long run, as did the likelihood of having a formal work contract...

Reducing rural-urban education gap through computer-assisted learning: Evidence from China

An ‘ed tech’ intervention in China had long-lasting positive effects across outcomes, suggesting potential for reducing the rural-urban education gap...

'Til dowry do us part: Bargaining and violence in the Indian marriage market

Policy crackdowns on dowries can reduce their prevalence, but with unintended impacts on women’s decision-making power and domestic violence...

The value of job displacement insurance programmes in developing countries: Evidence from Brazil

Income support for laid-off formal workers can be beneficial even in countries with high informality, but how the benefits are disbursed matters...

Can minimum-age-of-marriage laws eradicate child marriage? Evidence from Mexico

Increasing the minimum age of marriage to 18 years old in Mexico reduced formal marriage but did not prevent school dropout or early motherhood...