Knowledge brokers and evidence-use

Last registered on December 09, 2025
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Pre-Trial

Trial Information

General Information

Title
Knowledge brokers and evidence-use
RCT ID
AEARCTR-0017381
Initial registration date
December 05, 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
December 09, 2025, 7:43 AM EST

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
Michelle Rao
Affiliation
Center for Global Development
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Other Primary Investigator(s)

PI Name
Léa Rouanet
PI Affiliation
Africa Gender Innovation Lab
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PI Name
Michael O'Sullivan
PI Affiliation
Africa Gender Innovation Lab
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Additional Trial Information

Status
In development
Start date
2025-12-09
End date
2026-09-30
Keywords
Behavior, Gender, Other
Additional Keywords
Development and growth
JEL code(s)
Secondary IDs
Prior work
This trial does not extend or rely on any prior RCTs.
Abstract
A large literature provides rigorous causal evidence on innovations to improve women’s outcomes in business and entrepreneurship. Yet little is known about how and when these evidence-based interventions are implemented in practice. In this project, we conduct a learning experiment with operational staff at the World Bank. Operational staff function as “knowledge brokers” who work with local policymakers to design development projects. We experimentally vary the framing and communication of research results to knowledge brokers, and study how this affects subsequent beliefs and engagement with evidence.
External Link(s)

Registration Citation

Citation
O'Sullivan, Michael, Michelle Rao and Léa Rouanet. 2025. "Knowledge brokers and evidence-use." AEA RCT Registry. December 09. https://doi.org/10.1257/rct.17381-1.0
Sponsors & Partners
Experimental Details

Interventions

Intervention(s)
Intervention Start Date
2025-12-09
Intervention End Date
2026-03-31

Primary Outcomes

Primary Outcomes (end points)
Beliefs about evidence, engagement with researchers and evidence, evidence-use
Primary Outcomes (explanation)

Secondary Outcomes

Secondary Outcomes (end points)
Secondary Outcomes (explanation)

Experimental Design

Experimental Design
We randomly assign two versions of a gender evidence-training on improving women's outcomes in business and entrepreneurship to operational staff at the World Bank.
Experimental Design Details
Not available
Randomization Method
Stratified randomisation done in office by a computer
Randomization Unit
Individual
Was the treatment clustered?
No

Experiment Characteristics

Sample size: planned number of clusters
585 operational staff
Sample size: planned number of observations
585
Sample size (or number of clusters) by treatment arms
292 control, 293 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
London school of economics
IRB Approval Date
2025-12-04
IRB Approval Number
652193
Analysis Plan