Social Interaction and Technology Adoption: Experimental Evidence from Improved Cookstoves in Mali

Abstract

Standard-Nutzungsbedingungen:Die Dokumente auf EconStor dürfen zu eigenen wissenschaftlichen Zwecken und zum Privatgebrauch gespeichert und kopiert werden.Sie dürfen die Dokumente nicht für öffentliche oder kommerzielle Zwecke vervielfältigen, öffentlich ausstellen, öffentlich zugänglich machen, vertreiben oder anderweitig nutzen.Sofern die Verfasser die Dokumente unter Open-Content-Lizenzen (insbesondere CC-Lizenzen) zur Verfügung gestellt haben sollten, gelten abweichend von diesen Nutzungsbedingungen die in der dort genannten Lizenz gewährten Nutzungsrechte. Terms of use: Documents in SummaryWe investigate the role of social interaction in technology adoption by conducting a field experiment in neighborhoods of Bamako. We invited women to attend a training/marketing session, where information on a more efficient cooking stove was provided and the chance to purchase the product at market price was offered. We randomly provided an information nudge on a peer's willingness to buy an improved cookstove. We find that women purchase and use the product more when they receive information on a peer who purchased (or previously owned) the product, particularly if she is viewed as respected. In general, we find positive direct and spillover effects of attending the session. We also investigate whether social interaction plays a role in technology diffusion. We find that women who participated in the session, but did not buy during the intervention, are more likely to adopt the product when more women living around them own it. We investigate the mechanisms and provide evidence supporting imitation effects, rather than social learning or constraint interaction. AbstractWe investigate the role of social interaction in technology adoption by conducting a field experiment in neighborhoods of Bamako. We invited women to attend a training/marketing session, where information on a more efficient cooking stove was provided and the chance to purchase the product at market price was offered. We randomly provided an information nudge on a peer's willingness to buy an improved cookstove. We find that women purchase and use the product more when they receive information on a peer who purchased (or previously owned) the product, particularly if she is viewed as respected. In general, we find positive direct and spillover effects of attending the session. We also investigate whether social interaction plays a role in technology diffusion. We find that women who participated in the session, but did not buy during the intervention, are more likely to adopt the product when more women living around them own it. We investigate the mechanisms and provide evidence supporting imitation effects, rather than social learning or constraint interaction.

Access to modern energy: a review of barriers, drivers and impacts

“…On the first aspect, new ICS diffusion campaigns should first assess the suitability of product design to local needs, cultural and environmental conditions. For example, one should consider that in some contexts multiple stoves are used simultaneously, the new and the traditional ones (Ruiz-Mercado et al , 2011), and that stoves need to be large enough to accommodate extended families which cook on a centralized basis to generate economies of scale (Beltramo and Levine, 2013; Bonan et al , 2017). On the second aspect, new policies should acknowledge the existence of a gap from ICS take-up to actual, continuous and sustained usage over time.…”

“…For example, Miller and Mobarak (2014) highlight the role of opinion leaders and social networks in conveying information on the attributes of the new technology and decisions to adopt. Social influence and imitation through social networks are also found to be an important driver for ICS take-up in Bonan et al (2017), while Beltramo et al (2015b) find no evidence of neighbors’ adoption rates on individual decision to purchase. Social marketing and communication strategies can play an important role in favoring health preventive behavior and products (Evans et al , 2014).…”

Access to Modern Energy: A Review of Barriers, Drivers and Impacts

“…For example, Miller and Mobarak (2014) highlight the important role of opinion leaders and social networks in conveying information on the attributes of the new technology and decisions to adopt. Social influence and imitation through social network are also found to be an important driver for ICS take-up in Bonan et al (2016), while Beltramo et al (2015b) find no evidence of neighbours' adoption rates on individual decision to purchase. Adrianzen (2014) shows the importance of social capital in driving the success or failure of product diffusion within communities 7 .…”

“…As is the case for several similar technologies, individual may not know or may underestimate the benefits of the technologies. Bonan et al (2016) find suggestive evidence of impacts on ICS take-up following an informational sessions showing the benefits associated with more efficient cookstoves compared with the traditional ones 6 . Differences in preferences across households but also within households seem to explain differential ICS take-up rates.…”

“…On the first aspect, new ICS diffusion campaigns should first assess the suitability of product design to local needs, cultural and environmental conditions. For example, one should consider that in some contexts multiple stoves are used simultaneously, the new and the traditional ones (Ruiz-Marcado et al 2011) and that stoves need to be large enough to accommodate extended families which cook on a centralized basis to generate economies of scale (Beltramo and Levine, 2013;Bonan et al 2016). On the second aspect, new policies should acknowledge the existence of a gap from ICS take-up to actual, continuous and sustained usage over time.…”