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Field
Abstract
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Before
Many Ethiopians migrate abroad through informal channels despite the availability of government-regulated formal pathways. This study examines whether structured information about formal and informal migration – combined with guided reflection on expected outcomes – affects migration decisions, method choice, and subsequent outcomes. We conduct a randomized controlled trial among women registered for pre-departure training at government overseas employment service centers. Treatment group participants receive an intervention embedded in the baseline survey that presents formal and informal migration scenarios, elicits expectations across multiple outcome dimensions, and displays these comparisons using interactive visual aids. Control group participants complete the baseline survey without this component. We hypothesize that the intervention shifts migration intentions, increases uptake of formal migration channels, and improves realized migration and household outcomes.
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After
Many Ethiopians migrate abroad through informal channels despite the availability of government-regulated formal pathways. This study examines whether structured information about formal and informal migration – combined with guided reflection on expected outcomes – affects migration decisions, method choice, and subsequent outcomes. We conduct a randomized controlled trial among women registered for overseas employment at government employment service centers. Treatment group participants receive an intervention embedded in the baseline survey that presents formal and informal migration scenarios, elicits expectations across multiple outcome dimensions, and displays these comparisons using interactive visual aids. Control group participants complete the baseline survey without this component. We hypothesize that the intervention shifts migration intentions, increases uptake of formal migration channels, and improves realized migration and household outcomes.
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Field
Intervention (Hidden)
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Before
The intervention is a structured decision-making exercise embedded in the baseline survey for treatment group participants. It has three components:
First, respondents report their planned migration steps and provide expectations across several outcome dimensions, including likelihood of success, safety, time to migrate, costs, and wellbeing. Responses are recorded on a worksheet.
Second, respondents are presented with two hypothetical migration scenarios that differ from their current plan along key dimensions related to the formality of the migration process. For each scenario, respondents provide expectations on the same outcome dimensions.
Third, enumerators guide respondents through a visual comparison exercise. Using the worksheet, respondents indicate how their expectations change when comparing their current plan to each alternative scenario. This exercise is designed to make salient the expected tradeoffs across different migration pathways.
The intervention concludes with a task in which respondents allocate tokens across options representing the likelihood of pursuing different migration pathways.
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After
The intervention is a structured decision-making exercise embedded in the baseline survey for treatment group participants. It has three components:
First, respondents report their planned migration steps and provide expectations across several outcome dimensions, including likelihood of success, safety, time to migrate, costs, and wellbeing. Responses are recorded on a worksheet.
Second, respondents are presented with two hypothetical migration scenarios that differ from their current plan along key dimensions related to the formality of the migration process. For each scenario, respondents provide expectations on the same outcome dimensions.
Third, enumerators use the worksheet to guide respondents through a visual comparison of expected outcome under their current plan and alternative scenarios. For each outcome, the survey calculates expectation differences on a −5 to 5 scale, which respondents represent by shading boxes to the left or right to indicate lower or higher outcomes and the magnitude of change. This exercise is designed to make expected tradeoffs across different migration pathways salient.
The intervention concludes with a task in which respondents allocate tokens across options representing the likelihood of pursuing different migration pathways.
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