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Evaluation of Entrepreneurial Activity in the West Bank

Last registered on January 31, 2020
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Pre-Trial

Trial Information

General Information

Title
Evaluation of Entrepreneurial Activity in the West Bank
RCT ID
AEARCTR-0004223
Initial registration date
May 18, 2019

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
May 20, 2019, 1:31 PM EDT

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

Last updated
January 31, 2020, 3:11 PM EST

Last updated is the most recent time when changes to the trial's registration were published.

Locations

Country
Palestine, State of
Region

Primary Investigator

Name
Daniel Lee
Affiliation
University of Delaware
Contact Primary Investigator

Other Primary Investigator(s)

PI Name
Yael Hochberg
PI Affiliation
Rice University
PI Name
Daniel Fehder
PI Affiliation
University of Southern California
PI Name
Joshua Krieger
PI Affiliation
Harvard University
PI Name
Rebecca Dizon-Ross
PI Affiliation
University of Chicago

Additional Trial Information

Status
In development
Start date
2019-07-01
End date
2022-02-01
Keywords
Crime, Violence, & Conflict, Firms & Productivity, Labor, Post-conflict
Additional Keywords
Entrepreneurship
JEL code(s)
C93, F63, L26
Secondary IDs
Abstract
Lack of secular economic opportunity is believed to be related to social unrest, engagement in terrorism, and association with radical groups. In conflict areas, difficulties accessing economic opportunity and employment are often exacerbated by movement restrictions and investor concerns about safety of physical plant and other capital investments that might enhance employment opportunities. Recent advances in cloud-computing and software-driven services present the promise of a solution through cloud-based entrepreneurial activity. In this study, we propose an RCT-enabled programmatic intervention designed to alleviate a number of frictions related to movement and capital constraints in these settings. We implement a pre-accelerator program in the Palestinian West Bank, which provides information about software- and cloud-based entrepreneurship and how to start such a business, coupled with basic entrepreneurship skills education. We aim to teach participants that it is possible to engage in entrepreneurship that is not limited by movement constraints, and equip them with the initial information and tools to do so. Our outcome variables capture effects on economic activity such as new business creation; engagement in other, more significant entrepreneurship training programs, such as accelerators; measures of personal outlook from the psychology literature such as optimism, hope and attitudes towards the future; and attitudes towards economic and security cooperation in the region.
External Link(s)

Registration Citation

Citation
Lee, Daniel et al. 2020. "Evaluation of Entrepreneurial Activity in the West Bank." AEA RCT Registry. January 31. https://doi.org/10.1257/rct.4223-3.1
Former Citation
Lee, Daniel et al. 2020. "Evaluation of Entrepreneurial Activity in the West Bank." AEA RCT Registry. January 31. https://www.socialscienceregistry.org/trials/4223/history/61796
Sponsors & Partners
Experimental Details

Interventions

Intervention(s)
Intervention Start Date
2019-12-25
Intervention End Date
2020-02-19

Primary Outcomes

Primary Outcomes (end points)
First endline:
1. Entrepreneurial readiness/knowledge/confidence/intentions
2. Participation in entrepreneurial and freelancing activities (e.g., working on generating a business idea)
3. Measures of personal outlook (satisfaction, optimism, hope)
4. Attitudes towards economic and security cooperation in the region
Primary Outcomes (explanation)
First endline:
We believe the training program will directly impact peoples’ entrepreneurial readiness and confidence and encourage them to engage in entrepreneurial activities (outcomes #1 and 2 above). We then want to test whether their increased entrepreneurial confidence engender more hopeful and optimistic personal outlooks, promote attitudes towards regional peace, and/or decrease inclinations towards radicalization. In this way we can see primary outcomes #1-2 as “first stage” variables and outcomes #3-5 as “second stage” variables. Since we think the efficacy of the training program in generating a first stage may vary with observables such as training location, gender, and level of preparation (e.g., college major), we will analyze treatment effects on our second stage variables (#3-5) in two ways: first in a standard reduced form intent-to-treat framework (regressing the outcome variables on a dummy for treatment), and second, in an IV framework where the endogenous regressor is outcome #1, the dependent variables are outcomes #3-5, and the instruments are a dummy for being in the treatment group interacted with variables which affect the first stage such as training location, gender, and preparation.

We believe the first endline will be too soon after the intervention to impact wages and new business creation, but can test whether people are using the tools they learned to engage in entrepreneurial activities (outcome #2).

Secondary Outcomes

Secondary Outcomes (end points)
First endline:
1. Self-efficacy, empowerment
2. Mental health (depression, anxiety)
3. Self-employment and wages
Secondary Outcomes (explanation)

Experimental Design

Experimental Design
Treated subjects willgo through five days of training for building skills and accessing key resources for technology-focused entrepreneurs. Outcomes will be measured in a series of (paid) surveys at baseline/intake, following the training,
and 6M/12M post program. Surveys cover career intentions, attitudes towards entrepreneurship, and any
actions towards exploring/building businesses.
Experimental Design Details
Randomization Method
lottery draws
Randomization Unit
individual
Was the treatment clustered?
No

Experiment Characteristics

Sample size: planned number of clusters
Treatment is not clustered, planned observations is 500 individuals
Sample size: planned number of observations
500 individuals (split evenly between treatment and control)
Sample size (or number of clusters) by treatment arms
250 individuals to treatment, 250 to control
Minimum detectable effect size for main outcomes (accounting for sample design and clustering)
Supporting Documents and Materials
IRB

Institutional Review Boards (IRBs)

IRB Name
Rice University IRB
IRB Approval Date
2017-11-06
IRB Approval Number
IRB-FY2018-212
Analysis Plan

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