Training microentrepreneurs over Zoom: Experimental evidence from Mexico

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Davies, Elwyn; Deffebach, Peter; Iacovone, Leonardo; Mckenzie, David
• 署名单位: The World Bank; Boston University; The World Bank
• 刊物名称: JOURNAL OF DEVELOPMENT ECONOMICS
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0304-3878
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jdeveco.2023.103244
• 发表日期: 2024
• 关键词: Business training; microenterprises; Digital delivery

摘要

Standard in -person business training programs are costly and difficult to scale to the millions of microenterprises in the developing world. We conduct an experiment to test the feasibility, cost -savings, and impact of delivering live training sessions over Zoom to microentrepreneurs in Mexico and Guatemala. We demonstrate that it is now feasible to both recruit and train self-employed women online, covering a wide geographic area, with few technology issues. However, the cost -savings over in -person classes are less than expected. Training improved business practices and performance over 2 months, but impacts had dissipated within 6 months.