RESEARCH STATEMENT
I work in applied microeconomics with a strong emphasis on development economics, using both field experiments embedded in large-scale program operations and secondary data (e.g. survey, register and satellite data).
In one part of my research agenda I study microfinance markets and questions like: how can loan contract design better support business growth, and how do employee incentives -- such as performance pay and rotation -- affect performance and retention in microfinance institutions. My second main focus area is political economy questions, often studied within development programs: examining collective action and decision rules that shape service delivery, including how decision making processes and electoral mechanisms influence participation, representation, proposals, and group choices. I also study the role of local institutions in policy implementation and outcomes. This work is concentrated in low and lower-middle income countries, mainly in Africa. A third focus area examines labor and human capital questions in OECD settings. I have work on educational policies in vocational colleges, and on the impact of online instruction on achievement and dropout for students from ethnic minorities. In ongoing work in progress I study the labor market choices and information of migrants in the OECD.