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Virtual Migration: Evaluating Online Labor Markets in Indonesia

Last registered on September 21, 2017

Pre-Trial

Trial Information

General Information

Title
Virtual Migration: Evaluating Online Labor Markets in Indonesia
RCT ID
AEARCTR-0002444
Initial registration date
September 21, 2017

Initial registration date is when the trial was registered.

It corresponds to when the registration was submitted to the Registry to be reviewed for publication.

First published
September 21, 2017, 1:08 PM EDT

First published corresponds to when the trial was first made public on the Registry after being reviewed.

Locations

Primary Investigator

Affiliation
UC San Diego

Other Primary Investigator(s)

PI Affiliation
UC Davis
PI Affiliation
Harvard Business School
PI Affiliation
Columbia Business School

Additional Trial Information

Status
In development
Start date
2017-09-29
End date
2017-12-31
Secondary IDs
Abstract
Recent technological developments enable online job platforms to match workers to employers not only across oceans but also across traffic-riddled cities. In Indonesia today, more than one million workers in both urban and rural areas are engaged in online labor markets across a range of domestic and international platforms. This pilot study to investigate whether online jobs can substitute for geographic mobility by allowing individuals to compete and work in virtual job markets.
External Link(s)

Registration Citation

Citation
Bazzi, Samuel et al. 2017. "Virtual Migration: Evaluating Online Labor Markets in Indonesia." AEA RCT Registry. September 21. https://doi.org/10.1257/rct.2444-1.0
Former Citation
Bazzi, Samuel et al. 2017. "Virtual Migration: Evaluating Online Labor Markets in Indonesia." AEA RCT Registry. September 21. https://www.socialscienceregistry.org/trials/2444/history/21677
Sponsors & Partners

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Experimental Details

Interventions

Intervention(s)
We plan to offer two different treatments aimed at understanding barriers to accessing online labor markets in 10 villages in Central Java. The randomization across the two treatment arms will take place at the village level.
In treatment arm 1 (T1), 60 individuals in 3 villages will receive a training providing basic information on the availability of online jobs and where to find them. In T2, 80 individuals in 4 villages will be given training and assistance in registering on select online job platforms, as well as a guaranteed initial job, and the final 60 individuals in 3 villages will be a pure control group.
The difference between T1 and T2 outcomes will help us to assess the importance of demand-side constraints and/or skill gaps among the study population.
Intervention Start Date
2017-10-01
Intervention End Date
2017-10-31

Primary Outcomes

Primary Outcomes (end points)
Employment opportunity, skills upgrading, and salary/income
Primary Outcomes (explanation)

Secondary Outcomes

Secondary Outcomes (end points)
Secondary Outcomes (explanation)

Experimental Design

Experimental Design
The pilot study will be conducted in 10 randomly selected villages in Central Java, Indonesia with the following criteria: have a migration opportunity, internet and communication access, and well-educated demography. Out of the 10 villages, 3 will act as control, whereas 3 villages will receive training and another 4 will receive training and guaranteed job. Within the treatment villages, people who have access to the internet, have minimum a lower secondary education, able to use computer, and between the age of 18 to 40 years old are randomly chosen to receive treatment.
Experimental Design Details
Randomization Method
Randomization done by a computer using STATA
Randomization Unit
Village level randomization to determine the village and then individual level randomization to determine the respondents in the village
Was the treatment clustered?
Yes

Experiment Characteristics

Sample size: planned number of clusters
10 villages, with 20 respondents in each village
Sample size: planned number of observations
200 individuals
Sample size (or number of clusters) by treatment arms
- 60 individuals within 3 villages receive training
- 80 individuals within 4 villages receive training and guaranteed job
Minimum detectable effect size for main outcomes (accounting for sample design and clustering)
IRB

Institutional Review Boards (IRBs)

IRB Name
Boston University Charles River Campus Institutional Review Board
IRB Approval Date
2017-08-23
IRB Approval Number
4387X

Post-Trial

Post Trial Information

Study Withdrawal

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Intervention

Is the intervention completed?
No
Data Collection Complete
Data Publication

Data Publication

Is public data available?
No

Program Files

Program Files
Reports, Papers & Other Materials

Relevant Paper(s)

Reports & Other Materials