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Complementarities and interoperability in platform markets: Evidence from mobile banking in Pakistan

Last registered on March 06, 2024
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Pre-Trial

Trial Information

General Information

Title
Does interoperability increase competition in platform markets?: Evidence from mobile banking in Pakistan
RCT ID
AEARCTR-0013042
Initial registration date
February 24, 2024

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
March 06, 2024, 3:26 PM EST

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

Locations

Country
Pakistan
Region
Punjab

Primary Investigator

Name
Mark Walsh
Affiliation
Stanford University
Contact Primary Investigator

Other Primary Investigator(s)

Additional Trial Information

Status
In development
Start date
2024-03-04
End date
2026-03-01
Keywords
Finance & Microfinance
Additional Keywords
JEL code(s)
Secondary IDs
Prior work
This trial is based on or builds upon one or more prior RCTs.
Abstract
In this project, I examine whether increasing interoperability between platforms reduces the advantage of large established firms over smaller competitors. I focus on mobile money platforms (MMPs), which are an important technology for banking the unbanked in low- and middle-income countries. In rural Pakistan, I will run an experiment where I vary respondents' information regarding interoperability between MMPs and peer adoption of MMPs. I will measure how these informational treatments affect the respondent's choices between platforms as well as the respondent's choice of information to communicate with their peers.
External Link(s)

Registration Citation

Citation
Walsh, Mark. 2024. "Does interoperability increase competition in platform markets?: Evidence from mobile banking in Pakistan." AEA RCT Registry. March 06. https://doi.org/10.1257/rct.13042-1.0
Sponsors & Partners
Experimental Details

Interventions

Intervention(s)
Two informational treatments:
1. Information about interoperability between mobile money platforms in Pakistan
2. Information about peer adoption of mobile money platforms
Intervention Start Date
2024-03-04
Intervention End Date
2024-04-30

Primary Outcomes

Primary Outcomes (end points)
Respondent's preferences over mobile money providers; Respondent's communication with peers
Primary Outcomes (explanation)
Respondent's preferences over mobile money providers: Measured willingness-to-pay to register an account for a given mobile money provider (MMP), intention to use MMP, intention to register with MMP, registration with MMP, choice of being compensated through transfer to MMP, and choice of pamphlet with info on how to register with MMP.

Respondent's communication with peers: Measured with choices on whether to share information on how to register with MMP with a close friend and an acquaintance.

Secondary Outcomes

Secondary Outcomes (end points)
Secondary Outcomes (explanation)

Experimental Design

Experimental Design
I will cross-randomize the two treatments at the respondent-level.

- 25% receive Information about interoperability between mobile money platforms in Pakistan and Information about peer adoption of mobile money platforms
- 25% receive Information about interoperability between mobile money platforms in Pakistan only
- 25% receive the Information about peer adoption of mobile money platforms only
- 25% receive neither
Experimental Design Details
Not available
Randomization Method
Randomization done by computer.
Randomization Unit
Individual
Was the treatment clustered?
No

Experiment Characteristics

Sample size: planned number of clusters
450
Sample size: planned number of observations
450
Sample size (or number of clusters) by treatment arms
112 or 113
Minimum detectable effect size for main outcomes (accounting for sample design and clustering)
I estimate that I will be able to detect a MDE of .43 standard deviations in my primary outcomes with 90% power and .37 with 80% power. I use standard deviations as my unit since I do not have data to estimate the likely variance of my outcomes.
Supporting Documents and Materials
IRB

Institutional Review Boards (IRBs)

IRB Name
Stanford Institutional Review Board
IRB Approval Date
2022-11-14
IRB Approval Number
65703
Analysis Plan