R E S E A R C H

Households in Tanzania have gained access to mobile money services that provide safe storage of funds, secured payment systems, and low-cost access to long-distance remittances. I investigate the impacts of adopting mobile money during the technology rollout on the relative consumption shares of goods within a household, focusing on the decision-making dynamics of household members. While the privacy, security and accessibility of mobile money is thought to increase women’s agency over household expenditures, I find little evidence that women are better able to consume aligned with their preferences in a difference-in-difference fixed effects specification. Furthermore, in male-headed households I find mobile money causes a 32% decrease in food-within-the-home expenditure shares and a 227% increase in food-outside- the-home expenditure shares- an outcome more aligned with male-preferences in the related literature. These results suggest adoption of mobile money alone may not be sufficient to raise women’s empowerment over household resources, and that more targeted initiatives leveraging mobile money services may be required to do so.

Paper available here.

India reduced its corporate income tax from 30% to 22% in 2019 in the hope of spurring growth and investment outcomes. In this study, we investigate the impacts of this policy on various firm-level outcomes. We find that the statutory tax rates for firms fell considerably, but the windfall gains are yet to be seen as we detect no changes in higher investments, payments to shareholders or payments to employees.

Preliminary draft available here.

One Summer Chicago Research Insights Report, 2024 - Available here

Chicago City Colleges Money Management Center Expansion Results Report, 2024 - Available here.

One Summer Chicago Finacial Capability Pilot Impact Report, 2023 - Available here.