Back to History Current Version

Beliefs about Worker Ownership and Occupational Intentions Among Young Adults

Last registered on July 01, 2024
View Trial History

Pre-Trial

Trial Information

General Information

Title
Beliefs about Worker Ownership and Occupational Intentions Among Young Adults
RCT ID
AEARCTR-0013785
Initial registration date
June 12, 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
July 01, 2024, 11:55 AM EDT

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

Locations

Country
Italy
Region

Primary Investigator

Name
Fabio Landini
Affiliation
University of Parma
Contact Primary Investigator

Other Primary Investigator(s)

PI Name
Giacomo Degli Antoni
PI Affiliation
University of Parma
Contact Investigator
PI Name
Gabriel Burdin
PI Affiliation
University of Leeds
Contact Investigator

Additional Trial Information

Status
In development
Start date
2024-06-23
End date
2024-12-02
Keywords
Behavior, Labor
Additional Keywords
Occupational Intentions, Job Attributes, Economic Preferences, Beliefs, Worker Cooperatives, Information Provision Experiment
JEL code(s)
C91, D83, J24, J54
Secondary IDs
Prior work
This trial does not extend or rely on any prior RCTs.
Abstract
We conduct an information provision experiment to study young adults' policy views on worker cooperatives (i.e., firms owned and ultimately managed by their workforce) and intentions to search for a job in such distinct economic organizations. Using a representative sample of individuals aged 18-30 years, we first elicit respondents' priors about the economic performance of cooperatives along well-defined organizational dimensions (productivity, firm survival, employment security and pay inequality). We then create exogenous variation in beliefs by exposing respondents in the treatment group to expert-validated evidence on the behaviour of worker cooperatives vis-a-vis conventional firms along the same dimensions. We analyze whether treated individuals change their beliefs towards cooperatives and become more prone to search for a job in the cooperative sector. We also study whether the causal effect of information varies depending on individuals' behavioural traits (prosociality, risk, and time preferences) and self-reported preferences for job attributes.
External Link(s)

Registration Citation

Citation
Degli Antoni, Giacomo, Gabriel Burdin and Fabio Landini. 2024. "Beliefs about Worker Ownership and Occupational Intentions Among Young Adults." AEA RCT Registry. July 01. https://doi.org/10.1257/rct.13785-1.0
Sponsors & Partners

There is information in this trial unavailable to the public. Use the button below to request access.

Request Information
Experimental Details

Interventions

Intervention(s)
We conduct an information provision experiment to study young adults' policy views on worker cooperatives (i.e., firms owned and ultimately managed by their workforce) and intentions to search for a job in such distinct economic organizations. We first elicit respondents' priors about the economic performance of cooperatives along well-defined dimensions (productivity, firm survival, employment security and pay inequality). We then create exogenous variation in beliefs by randomly exposing respondents in the treatment group to expert-validated evidence on the behaviour of worker cooperatives vis-a-vis conventional firms along the same dimensions. We analyze whether treated individuals change their beliefs towards cooperatives and become more prone to search for a job in the cooperative sector. We also study whether the causal effect of information depends on individuals' behavioural traits (prosociality, risk, and time preferences) and self-reported preferences for job attributes.
Intervention (Hidden)
We conduct an information provision experiment to study young adults' policy views on worker cooperatives (i.e., firms owned and ultimately managed by their workforce) and intentions to search for a job in such distinct economic organizations. Using a representative sample of individuals aged 18-30 years, we first elicit respondents' priors about the economic performance of cooperatives along well-defined dimensions (productivity, firm survival, employment security and pay inequality). We then create exogenous variation in randomly beliefs by exposing respondents in the treatment group to expert-validated evidence on the behaviour of worker cooperatives vis-a-vis conventional firms along the same dimensions. We analyze whether treated individuals change their beliefs towards cooperatives and become more prone to search for a job in the cooperative sector. We also study whether the causal effect of information depends on individuals' behavioural traits (prosociality, risk, and time preferences) and self-reported preferences for job attributes.
Intervention Start Date
2024-07-10
Intervention End Date
2024-08-10

Primary Outcomes

Primary Outcomes (end points)
Intention to Join a Worker Cooperative, Support for Worker Cooperatives
Primary Outcomes (explanation)

Secondary Outcomes

Secondary Outcomes (end points)
Secondary Outcomes (explanation)

Experimental Design

Experimental Design
We implement an information provision experiment. We randomly expose respondents in the treatment group to experts' assessment of scientific evidence on the behaviour of worker cooperatives vis-a-vis conventional firms and compare their outcomes to those of the control group. The control group does not receive any information. We study the causal effect of information on intentions to join a worker cooperative and support for policies aimed at promoting the creation of worker cooperatives.
Experimental Design Details
We implement an information provision experiment. We randomly expose respondents in the treatment group to experts' assessment of scientific evidence on the behaviour of worker cooperatives vis-a-vis conventional firms and compare their outcomes to those of the control group. The control group does not receive any information. We study the causal effect of information on intentions to join a worker cooperative and support for policies aimed at promoting the creation of worker cooperatives. For further details, please consult the pre-analysis plan.
Randomization Method
Randomization by a computer
Randomization Unit
Individual
Was the treatment clustered?
No

Experiment Characteristics

Sample size: planned number of clusters
2000 individuals
Sample size: planned number of observations
2000 individuals
Sample size (or number of clusters) by treatment arms
1000 treatment group: expert-validated information treatment
1000 control group: no expert-validated information treatment
Minimum detectable effect size for main outcomes (accounting for sample design and clustering)
Supporting Documents and Materials
IRB

Institutional Review Boards (IRBs)

IRB Name
BOARD PER L’ETICA DELLA RICERCA NON MEDICA SULLA PERSONA (REB - RESEARCH ETHICS BOARD), University of Parma
IRB Approval Date
2024-05-08
IRB Approval Number
N/A
Analysis Plan

Analysis Plan Documents

Beliefs about Worker Ownership and Occupational Intentions Among Young Adults: Pre-Analysis Plan

MD5: 7045927234c99e2dd7ad4a1d39a3abdd

SHA1: 4d4765e67555757ddd25953ab3c73fb71647797e

Uploaded At: June 30, 2024

CoopYoung_PAP.pdf

MD5: 7045927234c99e2dd7ad4a1d39a3abdd

SHA1: 4d4765e67555757ddd25953ab3c73fb71647797e

Uploaded At: June 30, 2024

Post-Trial

Post Trial Information

Study Withdrawal

There is information in this trial unavailable to the public. Use the button below to request access.

Request Information

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