Short-Run Welfare Impacts of Factory Jobs : Experimental Evidence from Ethiopia

Abebe, Girum ; Buehren, Niklas ; Goldstein, Markus

World Bank, Washington, DC

关键词: INDUSTRIAL PARKS;    FEMALE EMPLOYMENT;    FEMALE LABOR FORCE PARTICIPATION;    FACTORY JOB;    GENDER INNOVATION LAB;   

DOI  :  10.1596/1813-9450-9325
RP-ID  :  WPS9325

学科分类：社会科学、人文和艺术（综合）

来源: World Bank Open Knowledge Repository

【 摘 要 】

Many countries in Sub-Saharan Africaface a rapidly growing population and labor force in demandof good jobs. Ethiopia has reacted to this challenge byprioritizing large-scale industrial development through theconstruction of industrial parks to drive exports, jobcreation, and growth. However, the African experience withindustrial parks so far has been mixed. To provide furtherevidence on the welfare effects of factory jobs in Ethiopia,this study conducted an experiment that facilitated the jobapplication and onboarding process for young female jobseekers at three factories. Using panel data from 827applicants, the study finds that the extra support increasedthe likelihood of being employed in the treatment group inthe short run, largely driven by wage and factory work.Further, the intervention raised reported monthly income bynearly 30 percent in the treatment group. However, the studyalso finds an adverse impact on health outcomes as well asdownward adjustments of applicants' expectations andperceptions of the earnings potential and desirability offactory work in response to the treatment.