Creating Ecosystems for Innovation in SMEs: The Role of AI in Stimulating Business Learning and Linkages

Last registered on April 30, 2025
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Pre-Trial

Trial Information

General Information

Title
Creating Ecosystems for Innovation in SMEs: The Role of AI in Stimulating Business Learning and Linkages
RCT ID
AEARCTR-0015892
Initial registration date
April 26, 2025

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
April 30, 2025, 9:32 AM EDT

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

Locations

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Primary Investigator

Name
Rahul Suhag
Affiliation
Texas A&M University
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Other Primary Investigator(s)

PI Name
Stephen J. Anderson
PI Affiliation
Texas A&M University
PI Name
Mariana Pereira-Lopez
PI Affiliation
IFC
PI Name
Leonardo Iacovone
PI Affiliation
World Bank
PI Name
Andreas Menzel
PI Affiliation
University of Padova
PI Name
Florian Münch
PI Affiliation
London School of Economics
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Additional Trial Information

Status
On going
Start date
2024-10-01
End date
2026-02-28
Keywords
Firms & Productivity
Additional Keywords
Entrepreneurship, Sales training, Business Training, Marketing, Digital Intervention, Artificial Intelligence, Large Language Models
JEL code(s)
M13, L26, M31, I25
Secondary IDs
Prior work
This trial does not extend or rely on any prior RCTs.
Abstract
Artificial intelligence (AI) holds promise for boosting productivity, innovation, and growth among small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), but scalable adoption methods remain under-researched. We evaluate a structured training program, AI Klub, via a randomized controlled trial involving SMEs in the Czech Republic. The program’s multi-session workshops and accompanying resources aim to accelerate AI adoption, foster collaborative networks, and drive measurable improvements in firm performance.
External Link(s)

Registration Citation

Citation
Pereira-Lopez, Mariana et al. 2025. "Creating Ecosystems for Innovation in SMEs: The Role of AI in Stimulating Business Learning and Linkages." AEA RCT Registry. April 30. https://doi.org/10.1257/rct.15892-1.0
Sponsors & Partners
Experimental Details

Interventions

Intervention(s)
Intervention Start Date
2024-10-07
Intervention End Date
2025-02-15

Primary Outcomes

Primary Outcomes (end points)
Primary outcomes include impact of the program on AI adoption across business domains, as well as entrepreneur- and firm-level metrics.
Primary Outcomes (explanation)

Secondary Outcomes

Secondary Outcomes (end points)
Secondary Outcomes (explanation)

Experimental Design

Experimental Design
For this study, 307 firms expressed interest; of these, 195 completed the baseline survey, and 168 entered randomization. These 168 firms completed a baseline survey measuring pre-intervention performance (e.g., sales and profits), business practices, and background characteristics.
Additional cohorts may be recruited in the future, contingent on funding. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three experimental groups:

Treatment Group 1 (n = 56): invited to foundational workshops
Treatment Group 2 (n = 56): invited to foundational workshops
Control Group (n = 56): received no program during the study period
Experimental Design Details
Not available
Randomization Method
Randomization done in office by computer, at the firm level.
Randomization Unit
Firm
Was the treatment clustered?
No

Experiment Characteristics

Sample size: planned number of clusters
168 Firms
Sample size: planned number of observations
168 Firms
Sample size (or number of clusters) by treatment arms
Participants were randomly assigned to one of three experimental groups:

Treatment Group 1 (n = 56): invited to foundational workshops
Treatment Group 2 (n = 56): invited to foundational workshops
Control Group (n = 56): received no program during the study period
Minimum detectable effect size for main outcomes (accounting for sample design and clustering)
Supporting Documents and Materials
IRB

Institutional Review Boards (IRBs)

IRB Name
Ethical Committee of CERGE-EI (Center for Economic Research and Graduate Education - Economics Institute)
IRB Approval Date
2025-01-17
IRB Approval Number
N/A
Analysis Plan