The Effect of Mobile Money on Adopters' Social Networks

Last registered on November 18, 2016
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Pre-Trial

Trial Information

General Information

Title
The Effect of Mobile Money on Adopters' Social Networks
RCT ID
AEARCTR-0001790
Initial registration date
November 18, 2016

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
November 18, 2016, 2:58 PM EST

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

Locations

Country
Tanzania, United Republic of
Region
Africa

Primary Investigator

Name
Cynthia Kinnan
Affiliation
Tufts University
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Other Primary Investigator(s)

PI Name
Alfredo Burlando
PI Affiliation
University of Oregon
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PI Name
Silvia Prina
PI Affiliation
Case Western Reserve University
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Additional Trial Information

Status
On going
Start date
2013-08-01
End date
2017-11-30
Keywords
Finance & Microfinance, Welfare
Additional Keywords
savings accounts, financial inclusion, access to savings, altruism, obligation
JEL code(s)
Secondary IDs
Abstract
We carried out a randomized evaluation of a mobile savings account targeted at poor rural and peri-urban households in Zanzibar. The mobile savings account was developed by Zantel, Zanzibar's leading mobile phone operator. Account holders can make withdrawals and deposits to their mobile savings account by using their cell phone and visiting a participating local retailer, such as a grocery store. We are interested in how the provision of savings accounts affects the welfare of individuals that are enrolled in the evaluation of the savings product, as well as the effect on the individual's social network. To measure social network effects, we asked savings account recipients for the names of at least two other households that are in their social network: an "altruistic" tie (such as a friend or neighbor) and an "obligatory" tie (such as a family member). We are studying how the provision of savings accounts to the treated individuals affects the welfare of the altruistic tie and obligatory tie households, as well as the focal individuals themselves.
External Link(s)
IMTFI Article: "Mobile Money Uptake, Savings and Social Networks in Tanzania: A Lesson in Methods"

Registration Citation

Citation
Burlando, Alfredo, Cynthia Kinnan and Silvia Prina. 2016. "The Effect of Mobile Money on Adopters' Social Networks." AEA RCT Registry. November 18. https://doi.org/10.1257/rct.1790-1.0
Former Citation
Burlando, Alfredo, Cynthia Kinnan and Silvia Prina. 2016. "The Effect of Mobile Money on Adopters' Social Networks." AEA RCT Registry. November 18. https://www.socialscienceregistry.org/trials/1790/history/11886
Sponsors & Partners

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Experimental Details

Interventions

Intervention(s)
We identify individuals from rural and peri-urban areas who are interested in opening a mobile-based savings account from Zantel on two islands of Zanzibar (Unguja and Pemba), and then randomly assign individuals to treatment or control through a public lottery.

1) Treatment: Individuals receive a one-on-one explanatory visit to explain Zantel's mobile savings product, and an opportunity to open a mobile savings account for free.
2) Control: Individuals will not receive a marketing visit and will not be able to open an account with Zantel during the study period.
Intervention Start Date
2013-10-01
Intervention End Date
2014-08-01

Primary Outcomes

Primary Outcomes (end points)
Savings behavior: participation in ROSCAs, participation in formal and informal savings strategies
Spending behavior: household and business investments, consumption, responses to shocks
Measures of risk sharing: transfers made and received, participation in funeral societies
Primary Outcomes (explanation)

Secondary Outcomes

Secondary Outcomes (end points)
Secondary Outcomes (explanation)

Experimental Design

Experimental Design
We identify individuals who are interested in opening a mobile-based savings account. Prior to treatment assignment, eligible individuals are visited by a surveyor to obtain his or her consent and information on his or her social network, including the names of one "altruistic" tie (e.g. a neighbor or friend), and one "obligatory" tie (e.g. a relative).

Eligible individuals will then be randomized via a public lottery into either the treatment or control group. Treated individuals (also called "focal individuals") receive a one-on-one explanatory visit to explain the savings product, and an opportunity to open a mobile savings account for free. Control individuals will not receive a marketing visit and will not be able to open an account with Zantel during the study period.

Eight months after the intervention start, we will conduct an impact survey on focal individuals and their named altruistic and obligatory ties. Mobile savings account activity of treated individuals, provided by Zantel, will also be analyzed to understand patterns of account adoption and usage for focal households as well as their altruistic and obligatory ties.
Experimental Design Details
Randomization Method
Public lottery conducted at the community level.
Randomization Unit
individual
Was the treatment clustered?
No

Experiment Characteristics

Sample size: planned number of clusters
No clusters.
Sample size: planned number of observations
1,800 individuals ("focal individuals"); 3,600 additional individuals from altruistic/obligatory tie to focal individual; 5,400 individuals total
Sample size (or number of clusters) by treatment arms
900 individuals mobile savings account treatment, 900 individuals control
Minimum detectable effect size for main outcomes (accounting for sample design and clustering)
Under the study's assumptions and the sample size of 900 individuals per treatment arm, a model with covariates that explain 15% of the variation in the outcome variable allow us to detect an effect of 0.12 standard deviations.
Supporting Documents and Materials
IRB

Institutional Review Boards (IRBs)

IRB Name
University of Oregon Institutional Review Board
IRB Approval Date
2013-06-14
IRB Approval Number
04022013.004
IRB Name
Northwestern University Institutional Review Board
IRB Approval Date
2013-04-01
IRB Approval Number
STU00076706
Analysis Plan

Post-Trial

Post Trial Information

Study Withdrawal

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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