How Research Affects Policy: Experimental Evidence from 2,150 Brazilian Municipalities

Abstract

The CEGA Working Paper Series showcases ongoing and completed research by faculty affiliates of the Center. CEGA Working Papers employ rigorous evaluation techniques to measure the impact of large-scale social and economic development programs, and are intended to encourage discussion and feedback from the global development community.

Nudging for Tax Compliance: A Meta-Analysis

“…Policy interventions that nudge taxpayers with the aim of increasing compliance have become an attractive tool among many governments due to their ease of implementation and low monetary costs. This easy adoption of the policy is demonstrated, for example, by Hjort et al (2019) who inform Brazilian mayors about research on the positive tax compliance effects of reminder letters in an experimental setting and find that the treated municipalities are more likely to implement nudging interventions. However, little is known about the effectiveness 31 We have additionally included a categorical variable in these models that measures the quality of the journal publishing the paper (distinguishing between top five, top field, second tier field and other journals).…”

Persuasion in Medicine: Experimental Evidence on Sender and Signal Effects

“…Preventing the sharing function gives us control over who sees the ad -we can limit it to just the people targeted by us. 7 2) Lead ads allow Facebook users to submit their email address without having to leave the platform; furthermore, only people who receive the targeted ad can submit their email address. A disadvantage of lead ads is that you pay for impressions, not clicks.…”

Nobel Rebels in Disguise — Assessing the Rise and Rule of the Randomistas

“…The influence of RCTs on policy has been substantial. It extends beyond providing evidence on individual projects and programs and encompasses reframing and broadening current thinking in development (Banerjee, Duflo, and Kremer 2016;Donovan 2018;Hjort et al 2019;Das 2020;Naritomi et al 2020). This section reviews the randomistas' influence on policy, discusses the notion of evidence-based policy, and then delves into a specific policy debate (on the efficacy of microfinance) to evaluate what role RCTs have played in 'resolving' this debate.…”