Author
Robert T. Jensen
Other affiliations: University of California, Los Angeles, National Bureau of Economic Research, Harvard University ...read more
Bio: Robert T. Jensen is an academic researcher from University of Pennsylvania. The author has contributed to research in topics: Peer pressure & Arbitrage. The author has an hindex of 25, co-authored 44 publications receiving 6635 citations. Previous affiliations of Robert T. Jensen include University of California, Los Angeles & National Bureau of Economic Research.
Topics: Peer pressure, Arbitrage, Poverty, Market power, Food prices
Papers
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TL;DR: In this article, mobile phone service was introduced throughout Kerala, a state in India with a large fishing industry, and the adoption of mobile phones by fishermen and wholesalers was associated with a dramatic reduction in price dispersion, the complete elimination of waste, and near-perfect adherence to the Law of One Price.
Abstract: When information is limited or costly, agents are unable to engage in optimal arbitrage. Excess price dispersion across markets can arise, and goods may not be allocated efficiently. In this setting, information technologies may improve market performance and increase welfare. Between 1997 and 2001, mobile phone service was introduced throughout Kerala, a state in India with a large fishing industry. Using microlevel survey data, we show that the adoption of mobile phones by fishermen and wholesalers was associated with a dramatic reduction in price dispersion, the complete elimination of waste, and near-perfect adherence to the Law of One Price. Both consumer and producer welfare increased.
1,724 citations
TL;DR: The authors found that the perceived returns to secondary school are extremely low, despite high measured returns, and that students at randomly selected schools given information on the higher measured returns completed on average 0.20-0.35 more years of school over the next four years than those who were not.
Abstract: Economists emphasize the link between market returns to education and investments in schooling. Though many studies estimate these returns with earnings data, it is the perceived returns that affect schooling decisions, and these perceptions may be inaccurate. Using survey data for eighth-grade boys in the Dominican Republic, we find that the perceived returns to secondary school are extremely low, despite high measured returns. Students at randomly selected schools given information on the higher measured returns completed on average 0.20–0.35 more years of school over the next four years than those who were not.
1,064 citations
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TL;DR: In this paper, the authors explored the effect of the introduction of cable television on gender attitudes in rural India using a three-year individual-level panel dataset and found significant increases in reported autonomy, decreases in the reported acceptability of beating and decreases in reported son preference.
Abstract: Cable and satellite television have grown rapidly throughout the developing world. The availability of cable and satellite television exposes viewers to new information about the outside world, which may affect individual attitudes and behaviors. This paper explores the effect of the introduction of cable television on gender attitudes in rural India. Using a three-year individual-level panel dataset, we find that the introduction of cable television is associated with improvements in women's status. We find significant increases in reported autonomy, decreases in the reported acceptability of beating and decreases in reported son preference. We also find increases in female school enrollment and decreases in fertility (primarily via increased birth spacing). The effects are large, equivalent in some cases to about five years of education in the cross section, and move gender attitudes of individuals in rural areas much closer to those in urban areas. We argue that the results are not driven by pre-existing differential trends. These results have important policy implications, as India and other countries attempt to decrease bias against women.
557 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the effect of the introduction of cable television on gender attitudes in rural India was explored using a three-year individual-level panel dataset and the results showed that the introduction was associated with improvements in women status.
Abstract: Cable and satellite television have grown rapidly throughout the developing world. The availability of cable and satellite television exposes viewers to new information about the outside world which may affect individual attitudes and behaviors. This paper explores the effect of the introduction of cable television on gender attitudes in rural India. Using a three-year individual-level panel dataset we find that the introduction of cable television is associated with improvements in womens status. We find significant increases in reported autonomy decreases in the reported acceptability of beating and decreases in reported son preference. We also find increases in female school enrollment and decreases in fertility (primarily via increased birth spacing). The effects are large equivalent in some cases to about five years of education in the cross section and move gender attitudes of individuals in rural areas much closer to those in urban areas. We argue that the results are not driven by pre-existing differential trends. These results have important policy implications as India and other countries attempt to decrease bias against women. (authors)
518 citations
TL;DR: This article found that young women in treatment villages were significantly less likely to get married or have children during this period, choosing instead to enter the labor market or obtain more schooling or postschool training.
Abstract: Do labor market opportunities for women affect marriage and fertility decisions? We provided three years of recruiting services to help young women in randomly selected rural Indian villages get jobs in the business process outsourcing industry. Because the industry was so new at the time of the study, there was almost no awareness of these jobs, allowing us in effect to exogenously increase women's labor force opportunities from the perspective of rural households. We find that young women in treatment villages were significantly less likely to get married or have children during this period, choosing instead to enter the labor market or obtain more schooling or postschool training. Women also report wanting to have fewer children and to work more steadily throughout their lifetime, consistent with increased aspirations for a career. Copyright 2012, Oxford University Press.
482 citations
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TL;DR: In this article, the authors introduce the concept of ''search'' where a buyer wanting to get a better price, is forced to question sellers, and deal with various aspects of finding the necessary information.
Abstract: The author systematically examines one of the important issues of information — establishing the market price. He introduces the concept of «search» — where a buyer wanting to get a better price, is forced to question sellers. The article deals with various aspects of finding the necessary information.
3,790 citations
TL;DR: This article developed an extension of the theory that connects bias explicitly to coefficient stability and showed that it is necessary to take into account coefficient and R-squared movements, and showed two validation exercises and discuss application to the economics literature.
Abstract: A common approach to evaluating robustness to omitted variable bias is to observe coefficient movements after inclusion of controls. This is informative only if selection on observables is informative about selection on unobservables. Although this link is known in theory in existing literature, very few empirical articles approach this formally. I develop an extension of the theory that connects bias explicitly to coefficient stability. I show that it is necessary to take into account coefficient and R-squared movements. I develop a formal bounding argument. I show two validation exercises and discuss application to the economics literature. Supplementary materials for this article are available online.
2,115 citations
TL;DR: The authors argued that the interrelationships between empowerment and economic development are probably too weak to be self-sustaining, and that continuous policy commitment to equality for its own sake may be needed to bring about equality between men and women.
Abstract: Women empowerment and economic development are closely related: in one direction, development alone can play a major role in driving down inequality between men and women; in the other direction, empowering women may benefit development. Does this imply that pushing just one of these two levers would set a virtuous circle in motion? This paper reviews the literature on both sides of the empowerment– development nexus, and argues that the interrelationships are probably too weak to be self-sustaining, and that continuous policy commitment to equality for its own sake may be needed to bring about equality between men and women.
1,795 citations
TL;DR: Aker and Mbiti as mentioned in this paper examined the growth of mobile phone technology over the past decade and considered its potential impacts upon quality of life in low-income countries, with a particular focus on sub-Saharan Africa.
Abstract: Jenny Aker and Isaac Mbiti examine the growth of mobile phone technology over the past decade and consider its potential impacts upon quality of life in low-income countries, with a particular focus on sub-Saharan Africa. They first provide an overview of the patterns and determinants of mobile phone coverage in sub-Saharan Africa before describing the characteristics of primary and secondary mobile phone adopters on the continent. They then discuss the channels through which mobile phone technology can impact development outcomes, both as a positive externality of the communication sector and as part of mobile phone-based development projects, and analyze existing evidence. While current research suggests that mobile phone coverage and adoption have had positive impacts on agricultural and labor market efficiency and welfare in certain countries, empirical evidence is still somewhat limited. In addition, mobile phone technology cannot serve as the “silver bullet” for development in sub-Saharan Africa. Careful impact evaluations of mobile phone development projects are required to better understand their impacts upon economic and social outcomes, and mobile phone technology must work in partnership with other public good provision and investment.
1,560 citations
24 Sep 2012
TL;DR: The World Development Report 2012: Gender equality and development as mentioned in this paper reported that since the 1970s, gender in development has emerged as an issue of concern of the World Bank and the International Organization for Standardization.
Abstract: World Development Report 2012: Gender equality and development Washington, DC: The World Bank 2011, 426 pp., ISBN: 978-0821388259 Since the 1970s, Gender in development has emerged as an issue of c...
1,206 citations