Urban Networks and Targeting: Evidence from Liberia
AEA Papers and Proceedings
vol. 111,
May 2021
(pp. 572-76)
Abstract
To solicit information from a social network in urban Monrovia, Liberia, we ask community members to assess their neighbors' poverty and assist in targeting a cash transfer. We find little evidence that local leaders, randomly selected neighbors, or neighbors nominated by fellow community members can accurately assess whether others in their community are among the poorest. Yet, all three groups target transfers to the poor modestly better than would be attributable to chance but worse than proxy-means-test-based targeting. We conclude that community advice provides some information for targeting but there are significant information frictions in networks in Monrovia.Citation
Beaman, Lori, Niall Keleher, Jeremy Magruder, and Carly Trachtman. 2021. "Urban Networks and Targeting: Evidence from Liberia." AEA Papers and Proceedings, 111: 572-76. DOI: 10.1257/pandp.20211061Additional Materials
JEL Classification
- O22 Project Analysis
- Z13 Economic Sociology; Economic Anthropology; Language; Social and Economic Stratification
- O15 Economic Development: Human Resources; Human Development; Income Distribution; Migration
- I32 Measurement and Analysis of Poverty
- I38 Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty: Government Programs; Provision and Effects of Welfare Programs